The Lutheran Witness Podcast

Rev. Roy Askins, Managing Editor of The Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching the Scriptures” feature in the September 2022 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled "Walk in Love" on Ephesians 4:17-32. 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 4:17-32The New Life17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self,[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.Read full chapterFootnotesEphesians 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24English 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.orgThe Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin. Live Uncommon. Learn more at cuw.edu.

The Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz, pastor and evangelist of Trinity Lutheran Church in Denver, Colorado, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about his article in the August 2022 issue of The Lutheran Witness titled "Four Accounts: One Truth, The Baptism of Jesus," including some misunderstandings regarding events recorded in Scripture in multiple accounts or by multiple writers, how to best approach these sections of Scripture, how each Gospel writer delivers the account of Jesus' Baptism, and how this can be beneficial for us as we digest God's Word. Read Dr. Koontz's article at witness.lcms.org/2022/four-accounts-one-truth.Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.The Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin. Live Uncommon. Learn more at cuw.edu.

Rev. Roy Askins, Managing Editor of The Lutheran Witness, joins Andy to talk about the “Searching the Scriptures” feature in the August 2022 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled "United in the Bond of Peace" on Ephesians 4:1-16. 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 4:1-16Unity in the Body of Christ4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”[a]9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?[b] 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[c] and teachers,[d] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[e] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.Read full chapterFootnotesEphesians 4:8 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and womenEphesians 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth?Ephesians 4:11 Or pastorsEphesians 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachersEphesians 4:13 Greek to a full-grown manEnglish 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.orgThe Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin. Live Uncommon. Learn more at cuw.edu.

This June, the Rev. Roy S. Askins, managing editor of The Lutheran Witness, was asked by the LCMS Kansas District to speak on their convention theme, “Proclaim, Teach, Share,” based on 1 Peter 2:9–10. This podcast is the second 45-minute presentation that looked at those who describe themselves as religiously “None,” and how we might work on our witness into the home. Listen to Part 1 of these presentations at kfuo.org/2022/07/05/lutheran-witness-podcast-kansas-district-convention-part-1-the-churchs-witness.For more information on The Lutheran Witness or to subscribe to the magazine, please visit witness.lcms.org. Sound effect obtained from zapsplat.com.

This June, the Rev. Roy S. Askins, managing editor of The Lutheran Witness, was asked by the LCMS Kansas District to speak on their convention theme, “Proclaim, Teach, Share,” based on 1 Peter 2:9–10. This podcast is the first 45-minute presentation that addressed the theme verse and how this has been interpreted by The Lutheran Witness throughout its 140-year history. Part 2, to be published next week, looks at the religiously “None,” and how the church can work to more effectively witness in the home. For more information on The Lutheran Witness or to subscribe to the magazine, please visit witness.lcms.org. Sound effect obtained from zapsplat.com.

In this article, the Rev. Dr. Jason Lane, professor of theology at Concordia University Wisconsin, explains why God’s pronouns are important and how the move to stop using masculine pronouns grows out of a feminist theology that rejects a biblical view of God.You can read the article on The Lutheran Witness website.For more information on The Lutheran Witness or to subscribe to the magazine, please visit witness.lcms.org. Sound effect obtained from zapsplat.com.

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Shaw, LCMS Director of Church Relations and assistant to the LCMS president, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the Russia-Ukraine War, including the questions we should ask to understand if we should be involved in this war, how we understand the kingdom of the right and the kingdom of the left, how we understand just war theory, how our understanding of these things have changed throughout history, and what we as the Church can do about this war.Read Dr. Shaw's article 'The Russia-Ukraine War' in the June/July 2022 issue of The Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org/2022/the-russia-ukraine-war.Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness.The Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin. Live Uncommon. Learn more at cuw.edu.

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.The Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin. Live Uncommon. Learn more at cuw.edu.

Rev. Dr. Joel Elowsky, Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about when the historic church began observing the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord as its own festival, the sources we have from the early church about the church's practices, what this celebration might have looked like, where we see the Ascension depicted in early church art, and why remembering the Ascension is important for the Church today. Read about the Ascension in the May 2022 issue of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org/2022/lutheran-witness-may-2022.

Rev. Roy Askins, Managing Editor of The Lutheran Witness, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the “Searching the Scriptures” feature in the April 2022 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled "Reconciled in Christ" on Ephesians 2:11-22. 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 2:11-22One in Christ11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,[a] but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by[b] the Spirit.Read full chapterFootnotesEphesians 2:19 Or sojournersEphesians 2:22 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.orgThe Coffee Hour is underwritten by Concordia University Wisconsin. Live Uncommon. Learn more at cuw.edu.