Family Shield

Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. We are thankful for you and we're thankful for our board of directors, our employees, many wonderful volunteers and supporters. Today I want to thank our employees as well as a few of our dedicated volunteers.

What happened to seven people that were in a small plane after an emergency landing in the Bering Sea? How did they stay afloat after their plane sank into the 36 degree water near Nome Alaska; and how were they rescued? Don Wharton, my guest today, is a Christian singer-songwriter, author, comedian, and plane crash survivor. Stay tuned - you won't want to miss today's program called God’s Rescue at Sea.

You’ve probably heard the problem yourself a time or two - there’s a young child in church, probably sitting right behind you who is not having a good morning at all, or perhaps it’s even your own child sitting right next to you. Midway through the sermon, the crying starts. Now which do you think is the better thing to do? Should small children be kept in the nursery? Should older children have their own children’s church, or should the children be kept in the church? How do we decide an issue like that? Do we decide it on the basis of adult comfort or on the children’s spiritual needs. And what are the spiritual needs that children have? This is Dr. John Oberdeck. Today I’m hosting and sitting in for Kay Meyer for the Family Shield program. Our guest is Dr. Shirley Morganthaler, Professor of Early Childhood at Concordia University, River Forest, IL, and director of the Kid’s Faith program.

When God places a child into your life He calls you to loving leadership. You want to live joyfully and faithfully as a family but how do you do this? Join us today as we talk about how to raise resilient Christ-centered children in today's world. My guest is Dr. John Eckrich, author of Family Wellness: Raising Resilient, Christ-Purposed Children. Dr. Eckrich is a board-certified internist and serves the St Louis Community at large, and especially Church workers and their families. In 1999 he founded Grace Place Wellness Ministries. He's an author and speaker on wellness topics from a Christian perspective.

Do you know that there are 100 million unchurched people in the United States, and that number continues to grow? The body of Christ faces many challenges in today's world that include religious apathy, criticism, and attacks from the media. Many people believe there is one God but many paths to reach Him, yet the Bible says Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life; and that he is the only way to heaven. Sharing Christ in today's world isn't easy but we can learn to answer tough questions people ask, and share the Gospel in a winsome way. Tough questions can be good -- they reveal interest rather than apathy. Join us today as I interview Reverend Mark Larson. The topic: Dealing with Tough Questions.

Several years ago on Halloween I was in a fourth grade public school classroom where the children were dressed up. Matthew was dressed as Moses; he had on a white wig and beard, wore his father's Brown robe, a rope belt, and sandals. His parents had helped him carefully cut out cardboard tablets of stone and written the ten commandments on them. I always enjoyed creating Halloween costumes for my children when they were growing up and remember thinking what a great costume, I wish I had thought of it. Not only was it homemade but it gave Matthew an opportunity to share God's love with his classmates in a public school setting. At the other extreme was Eric, dressed as Jason from the movie Friday the 13th. His costume was white, his arms were wrapped in white bandages, and he had fake blood smeared across his entire body. Matthew’s costume was very appropriate and in good taste. Eric's was very inappropriate. I personally see nothing wrong with allowing children to dress up or go trick-or-treating with parental supervision. There's nothing spiritually wrong with wearing costumes and receiving treats that are willingly given. A costume should be appropriate and Christ pleasing. Halloween can also offer us opportunities to share Christ with children and their parents when they come to our home. Join us today as I interview Krista young, a director of Christian education at Hope Lutheran Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina. She's also the mother of two daughters. We’ll talk about Halloween and today's families.

What is the Reformation? What were indulgences, and how was the Reformation an issue of pastoral care? Join us today as I interview Reverend Randy Golter. We’ll discuss the Reformation and its relevance for Christians today. This is Kay Meyer, president of Family Shield Ministries and your host for today's program. Reverend Randy Golter, my guest today, serves as a special assistant to the president of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Prior to taking this position he was the executive director of The Office of International Missions and president of the LCMS Rocky Mountain District.

The Lord allows challenges in our life to strengthen us. Many of us have experienced new challenges and transitions during the pandemic. One challenge many people are experiencing today is the challenge of being unemployed. How do we deal with unemployment? What emotions do we go through when we’re unemployed? How do we communicate with loved ones about expectations and needs? Join us today as I interview Dale Kreienkamp. He is the author of How Long, O Lord, How Long. His book is composed of devotions for the unemployed and those who love them. If you're unemployed or have a loved one who is, stay tuned you won't want to miss today's program. Dale is a human resource executive and consultant who has experienced a personal journey of unemployment twice when his positions were eliminated in organizational restructuring. We’ll discuss today thriving through Transition.

How do verses about spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-20 help us keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and preserver of our faith? Why should we stand firm in the Lord? What critical armor and offensive weapons has God given us through His Word? Telling families to use the armor of God will equip us to live our faith, recognize and resist the schemes of the devil, and serve the Lord with gladness.

What is the Alongside Ministry? Why was it developed and how is it helping Zion Lutheran Church in Southern Illinois develop a strong outreach to young parents who are currently not active in church? Why is developing relationships that meet the needs of parents so important? How can what this congregation is doing be implemented in other congregations that want to reach young parents? Join us today as I interview Jill Hasstedt, the director of Family Ministry at Zion Lutheran Church in Belleville Missouri.