The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Do you know the history of Lutheranism in Brazil? The Rev. Dr. Daniel Harmelink, Executive Director of Concordia Historical Institute (CHI), joins Andy and Sarah to talk about a new exhibit coming to CHI celebrating 125 years of Lutheranism in Brazil, including the planning process to create the exhibit, the history of the LCMS's mission work in Brazil, the challenges missionaries faced, how these missionaries were connected to Lutherans in the United States, and what to expect in this exciting exhibit. Learn more about Concordia Historical Institute and how to visit at concordiahistoricalinstitute.org.This episode originally aired on July 17, 2025.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How does the LCMS prepare and train people to respond to disasters with the mercy of Christ? The Rev. Michael Meyer (Managing Director, LCMS National Mission) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about how Disaster Response has grown among LCMS districts and congregations over the last ten years, why Disaster Response and mercy work are an important part of who we are as LCMS Lutherans, why it is important for us to consider both physical and spiritual care together, and the theme and details of this year's LCMS National Disaster Response and Training Conference, "Serving the Suffering: The Church’s Role in Recovery." Learn more and register here: calendar.lcms.org/event/2025-lcms-national-disaster-response-and-training-conference.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

Why does it matter that we understand that Jesus is both 100% God and 100% man? The Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District and host of KFUO Radio’s Concord Matters, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the Formula of Concord reading plan he created for 2025, including the questions concerning The Person of Christ that are addressed in August’s readings. What is a proper understanding of the natures of Christ, and where is this written and confessed? Why is a proper understanding of the divine and human natures of Jesus vital to our faith? What happens when we get it wrong, and how can this be detrimental to faith? Where do we see these errors in other churches’ teachings?Find the full reading plan from The Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org/2024/reading-plan, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord.August | The Person of ChristWeek 1:Ep VIII 1-3 (p. 491)AC III (p. 32)Week 2:Ep VIII 4-18 (p. 492-493)Ap III (p. 82)Week 3:LC Part II, Article II (p. 401-402)SD VIII 1-15 (p. 581-583)Week 4:Ep VIII 19-39 (p. 493-495)

It's Set Apart to Serve at the LCMS Youth Gathering! Ben Honkomp (Pre-Seminary student entering his first year at Concordia University, Nebraska) joins Andy and Sarah at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering to talk about his hometown and high school, what and who influenced him to consider studying for pastoral ministry, his journey in contemplating seminary, why he chose CUNE for his studies, and what he's looking forward to at CUNE his first year. Concordia University, Nebraska, president Dr. Bernard Bull makes a surprise appearance at the end of our conversation to encourage Ben in his studies and time at CUNE. Learn more about CUNE at cune.edu.Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers.Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations.Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS:1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers.2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers.3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation.To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve.

How do youth learn about applying the Lutheran faith to the culture around them in LCMS Youth Gathering sessions? We sit down with the Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer (professor of theology, church history, and bioethics at Concordia University Irvine) at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering to talk about what he's experienced at this Gathering, how he sees this as a valuable experience for youth, and what youth learned in his two sessions: "Male and Female, Gender in the Light of God’s Word" and "Christianity, Disability, and Our Own Personal Easter." Learn more about the LCMS Youth Gathering at lcmsgathering.com.Hear Dr. Stiegemeyer on The Lutheran Ladies' Lounge episode "Kitchen Table Talk: Transgenderism, Sexuality, and God’s Design for Humanity."

How do youth learn about the Lutheran Confessions in LCMS Youth Gathering Sessions? We sit down with the Rev. Dr. Jason Lane (Associate Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis) at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering to talk about what he's experienced at this Gathering, how he sees this as a valuable experience for youth, and what youth learned in his two sessions: "Learning to Confess like Luther" and "Conversion in Lutheran Theology." Learn more about the LCMS Youth Gathering at lcmsgathering.com.

We caught up with FLAME at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering! Grammy-nominated Christian rap artist Flame (author of Extra Nos and Because Jesus Taught It, Mass Event Speaker and Mass Event Plus performer) joins Andy and Sarah at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering to talk about what he's been experiencing at this summer's Gathering, his preparation for being a Mass Event Speaker and Mass Event Plus performer, what it's like to perform for 20,000 Lutherans, why a gathering like this is important for youth, the best part of meeting and talking with so many youth, and how an experience like this informs his artistic work. You can find Flame's work at extranosacademy.com and his books from Concordia Publishing House at cph.org/flame.

Our very own Concord Matters host was also Mass Event Host at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering! The Rev. Brady Finnern (President of the LCMS Minnesota North District and Host of Concord Matters on KFUO Radio) joins Andy and Sarah at the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering to talk about his experiences at previous Gatherings, how he got selected to host Mass Events at this summer's Gathering, what a Mass Event is, the preparation behind each night's Mass Event, and what he wants youth to gain from the Gathering. Learn more about the LCMS Youth Gathering at lcmsgathering.com.

In May, we studied Exodus 12:1–14, which introduced the idea of substitution: In order to escape the destroyer, who would kill the firstborn male of every family as a judgment on Egypt, an unblemished male lamb had to be killed and its blood sprinkled on the lintels and doorposts of Israelite houses. The Passover lamb was a substitute for the firstborn males of Israel, and St. Paul makes the connection with Jesus explicit when he says, “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Later in the same Epistle, St. Paul emphasizes the substitutionary work of Jesus, teaching that it was “of first importance … that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). In addition to the Passover lamb, there are other substitutes in the Old Testament that point to the person and work of Jesus Christ. These will be the subject of this study.Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Sarah to talk about the “Searching Scripture” feature in the August 2025 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “Substitutes” on Genesis 17:15–21 and 22:1–18. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Opening the Old Testament” and will walk through ways that the Old Testament witnesses to Jesus Christ and His grace, mercy and peace, delivered through the holy Christian church. Follow along every month and search Scripture with us!Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.

How is LCMS Disaster Response responding to the tragic flooding in Texas Hill Country? Julie Tucker (Emergency Management Director, LCMS Texas District) and the Rev. Dan Mueller (Pastor at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Kerrville, TX) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what the situation currently looks like in Texas Hill Country, how the flooding affected the Kerrville community and the members of Hosanna Lutheran Church, how churches in Texas have responded in mercy, and ways we can support LCMS Disaster Response and the LCMS churches across Texas in the relief effort. Give now to support the relief effort at lcms.org/disaster.As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.