On The Line

Dr. John Rasmussen, a Lutheran pastor with a DMin in Applied Apologetics, delves into the reshaping of belief in today's society. He examines the impact of secularism and moralistic therapeutic deism on faith, emphasizing the need for structured catechesis and robust apologetics. John contrasts individualism and cultural Christianity, addressing how modern culture influences parenting and community. He advocates for beauty in Christianity to attract people, urging a return to deeper spiritual formation to counteract secular ideologies.

The hosts reflect on the mission of making Lutheran theology compelling and accessible. They discuss the surprising resurgence of young people rediscovering Christianity through online platforms. A significant point highlights the digital presence gap between Lutherans and Catholics, urging a strategy to enhance visibility for Lutheran teachers. They share ambitious 2026 goals, including launching new courses and improving production quality. The vision for animated apologetics videos aims to answer common questions clearly, while funding strategies are laid out for future growth.

In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Lennox Kalifungwa, a theologian and international Lutheran leader, shares his insights on the global Church's mission. He discusses the cultural challenges facing Christianity, emphasizing the need for doctrinal clarity and the reestablishment of theology in education. Lennox highlights the unifying potential of the gospel in post-apartheid South Africa and warns against the decline of faith in America. He advocates for Christians to reclaim culture and reshape public discourse while fostering a vibrant, integrated life rooted in Christ's authority.

Dr. John Bombaro, a Lutheran pastor and theologian focused on Christology and liturgy, reveals compelling insights about the Shroud of Turin. He discusses its historical significance, controversial dating, and the anatomical details that correspond to crucifixion. Delving into the image's uniqueness, Bombaro proposes intriguing theories about its origin, including a resurrection imprint. He argues for the Shroud's role as an apologetic tool, fostering dialogue around Gospel validity while emphasizing the importance of liturgical beauty in modern faith practice.

Join us at St. John's Lutheran Church in Racine, Wisconsin, as we confront the challenging demographic realities facing the Church today. From collapsing birthrates to declining confirmation classes, from cultural drift to weakened discipleship, we explore why so many congregations are struggling, and how reclaiming vibrant Lutheran identity, intentional formation, and strong community can renew Christ’s Church for the generations to come.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Visit Memento: https://memento70.com/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netAbout Today’s GuestRev. Heath Curtis is the District President of the Southern Illinois District of the LCMS and a leading voice on stewardship, demographics, and discipleship in the Lutheran Church. Drawing on pastoral experience, national research, and years of work in the Office of National Mission, he has helped congregations across the Synod understand the demographic forces shaping church life today. Rev. Curtis brings clarity, realism, and deep confessional conviction to the challenges facing Lutheran congregations—calling pastors and people alike to strengthen catechesis, reclaim Lutheran identity, and build disciples for life.🔗 Stay Connected with Us📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_Send us a texthttps://memento70.com/ https://memento70.com/

Dr. Joe Rigney, a theologian and author of The Sin of Empathy, dives deep into the pitfalls of untethered empathy that muddle compassion with emotional manipulation. He explores how this trend undermines truth and stifles debate in society and politics. Rigney critiques the role of sympathy versus empathy, illustrating how the latter can weaponize victimhood and silence opposing views. He argues for sober-mindedness and the necessity of grounding compassion in truth, calling for clarity on moral issues, especially in modern cultural dilemmas.

https://memento70.com/Learn More or Join Memento: https://memento70.comGive the Gift of Memento Memberships: Share discipline, devotion, and brotherhood with someone you love.Memento is a year-round devotional movement calling men to reclaim Christian masculinity, rebuild strong families, restore spiritual discipline, and reawaken the Church’s historic rhythm of fasting, prayer, Scripture, and fraternity. Through daily devotions, seasonal disciplines, and brotherhood, Memento equips men to resist passivity, strengthen their households, and live boldly under Christ.About Today’s GuestRev. Ian Kinney serves as a program lead and teacher on fasting and discipline for Memento, a movement and devotional platform dedicated to restoring the historic spiritual disciplines of the Church—fasting, prayer, Scripture, and fraternity—among Christian men. Drawing on Scripture, the Church Fathers, and Lutheran tradition, Ian helps men remember their mortality, resist passivity, and reclaim the virtues that shape faithful husbands, fathers, and leaders.ContactFor questions about Memento: contact@memento70.comSend us a texthttps://memento70.com/ https://memento70.com/

Join us at the long table as we rediscover the roots of Lutheran identity—not as a revolution that tore down the past, but as a recovery of the Church’s ancient beauty, order, and faith. From the Augsburg Confession to the Lutheran Missal Project, we examine how worship, doctrine, and continuity have shaped the living garden of Christ’s Church across the centuries.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/ Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/ Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netAbout Today’s Guest Rev. Stefan Gramatzki is a Lutheran pastor and liturgical scholar working to recover the historic treasures of the Church for the English-speaking world. He serves with the Lutheran Missal Project, a collaborative effort to make the Lutheran liturgical heritage accessible to pastors and congregations today. A graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Rev. Gramatzki brings theological depth, historical insight, and a love for the beauty of the Church’s worship to his writing and teaching.🔗 Stay Connected with Us 📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod 𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_Send us a texthttps://memento70.com/ https://memento70.com/

Join us at the long table as we explore how C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien fused reason and imagination, Athens and Jerusalem—showing how truth, goodness, and beauty still shape the Christian mind. In an age ruled by cynicism, reductionism, and disenchanted science, we rediscover how myth, wonder, and virtue can restore a truly Christian vision of the cosmos.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netAbout Today’s GuestDr. Louis Markos is a professor of English and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University, where he has taught for over three decades. A prolific author of more than thirty books, he writes and lectures on classical education, the great books, and the Christian imagination. Drawing deeply from Lewis, Tolkien, and the Western tradition, Dr. Markos calls Christians to recover a holistic vision of faith—where reason and imagination, truth and beauty, walk hand in hand once again.🔗 Stay Connected with Us📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_Send us a texthttps://memento70.com/ https://memento70.com/

Join us at the long table as we hear the story of persecution and faith in Nigeria, where thousands of Christians have been killed for confessing Christ. Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi bears witness to the cost of discipleship, the power of forgiveness, and the hope that endures even amid genocide.About Today’s GuestArchbishop Benjamin Kwashi is a global Anglican leader and former Archbishop of Jos, Nigeria, known for his courageous witness during periods of persecution. For decade,s he has led churches, built schools, and cared for orphans across northern Nigeria while speaking internationally on the plight of Christians in Africa. A survivor of multiple assassination attempts, Archbishop Kwashi continues to proclaim the gospel with unshakable faith—believing, as he says, that “the gospel is worth living for, and the gospel is worth dying for.”🔗 Stay Connected with Us📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netSend us a texthttps://memento70.com/ https://memento70.com/