The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Rev. Karl Bollhagen, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hampton Iowa, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about the need for church workers in the LCMS today, how pastors and congregation members shape the culture in a congregation to support young people pursuing church work vocation, what is key to cultivating a culture that raises up church workers, and how he and others in his congregation speak to youth about church work vocations.Learn more about the Set Apart to Serve Initiative at lcms.org/setaparttoserve.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.

New KFUO Radio Team Members Lea Verslues — Summer Intern, and Jordan Harms — Media Production Specialist, join Andy and Sarah to talk about how they came to KFUO Radio, what they love about media production, the things they'll be doing for KFUO Radio, and an always entertaining lightning round of favorite things.Welcome, Lea and Jordan!

Dr. Peter Nafzger, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Student Life at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Theological Advisor for the LCMS Youth Gathering, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the theme of the LCMS Youth Gathering "In All Things," what students will be studying in the Bible studies at the Gathering, and some of the amazing key themes in the text from Colossians 1:15-20. Learn more about the Gathering and this year's theme at lcmsgathering.com/about.Colossians 1:15-20The Preeminence of Christ15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by[a] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.Read full chapterFootnotesColossians 1:16 That is, by means of; or inEnglish Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org

Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie, Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession (which we commemorate on June 25), including the cultural and political context leading up to the Diet of Augsburg, what the Diet of Augsburg was and why it became necessary, how the Confessors prepared for this Diet in 1530, and the significance of what happened during the Diet.Read more about this important historical event at lutheranreformation.org/history/presentation-augsburg-confession and ilc-online.org/2021/06/25/confessing-the-faith-reflections-on-the-presentation-of-the-augsburg-confession.

Rev. Roy Askins, Managing Editor of The Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching the Scriptures” feature in the June/July 2022 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled "Knowing the Unknowable" on Ephesians 3:14-21. This year, "Searching the Scriptures" will study the book of Ephesians, so stay tuned each month for the next Bible study. Follow along and search the Scriptures with us!Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.Ephesians 3:14-21Prayer for Spiritual Strength14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.Read full chapterFootnotesEphesians 3:15 Or from whom all fatherhood; the Greek word patria in verse 15 is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org

Rev. Andrew Wehling, Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Liberal, Kansas, joins Andy for our Set Apart to Serve Series to talk about his own journey into his vocation of pastor, why it's important to talk with parents and families about the possibility of the young people in their lives pursuing church work vocations, some doubts parents might have about church work as a future for their children, how he addresses the difficulties and joys of church work vocations with parents and families, and what pastors could consider as they talk with parents and families about church work vocations.Learn more about the Set Apart to Serve Initiative at lcms.org/setaparttoserve.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.

Anna Mussmann, homeschool mom of four and author of "Making the Most of Your Kids’ Summer Boredom" on The Lutheran Witness Online, joins Sarah and guest co-host Rachel Bomberger, co-host of the Lutheran Ladies' Lounge Podcast, to talk about how healthy boredom is a good thing, why we are so uncomfortable with boredom and solitude, how adults can overcome this uneasiness and lean into the boredom, and how we can help our children grow and thrive with boredom. Read Anna's article at witness.lcms.org/2022/making-the-most-of-your-kids-summer-boredom.

Rev. Dr. Ross Johnson — Director of LCMS Disaster Response, and Rev. Kevin Robson — LCMS Chief Mission Officer, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the history of the India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC) and Concordia Theological Seminary in Nagercoil, the destruction that happened to the Seminary in 2017, how this disaster impaired the operation of the seminary, how the LCMS helped partner with the Seminary and IELC to rebuild the campus, and why it's so important for theological students in India to be able to have pastoral formation in their own cultural context. Read the story about the dedication of the rebuilt seminary at reporter.lcms.org/2022/rebuilt-seminary-dedicated-in-nagercoil-india.Read more about this Seminary and the IELC at:reporter.lcms.org/2018/from-the-mission-field-april-2018reporter.lcms.org/2018/from-the-mission-field-mexico-and-indiareporter.lcms.org/2019/from-the-mission-field-india-evangelical-lutheran-church Concordia Theological Seminary in Nagercoil, India, was rebuilt with the assistance of the LCMS after being destroyed by Cyclone Ockhi in 2017. (Ross Johnson)[/caption]

Dr. Thomas Korcok — Associate Professor of Theology at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada; Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education's (CCLE) 2022 magister magnus award winner; and author of Serpents in the Classroom: The Poisoning of Modern Education and How the Church Can Cure It, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why Classical Lutheran education is important today, where Classical Lutheran education first began for him, questions he addresses in his book, the theological presuppositions that undergird contemporary education, and how CCLE supports families, schools, and educators. Learn more about CCLE at ccle.org and find Dr. Korcok's book at shop.1517.org/products/serpents-in-the-classroom-the-poisoning-of-modern-education-and-how-the-church-can-cure-it.

Tanner Olson, poet with Written to Speak and author of the new book Continue: Poems and Prayers of Hope from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why poetry is important (and not lame) for us today, the theme of his new book, a new adventure in partnering with Concordia Publishing House for this book, and where you can see Tanner live this summer. Find his book at books.cph.org/continue.