Concord Matters from KFUO Radio

Your god is whatever you fear, love, and trust in above the Triune God. Luther called our hearts an “idol factory” that is ready to trust the newest god on the block. Yet, the one true God has given us access to His name through Christ and in return we pray, praise, and give thanks! Lord have mercy.Rev. Dr. John Pless, Assistant professor of pastoral ministry and missions at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study the 1st and 2nd commandments of Luther’s Small Catechism.Find your copy of the Book of Concord - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org.Study the Lutheran Confession of Faith found in the Book of Concord with lively discussions led by host Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and guest LCMS pastors. Join us as these Christ-confessing Concordians read through and discuss our Lutheran doctrine in the Book of Concord in order to gain a deeper understanding of our Lutheran faith and practical application for our vocations.

Rev. Dr. Leonard Payton, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Forest Park, IL joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study the Preface to Luther’s Small Catechism.The landscape of the 16th century church was bleak. Pastors and members were worshipping, receiving the Sacrament, and leading the church without even knowing the 10 commandments, Creed, or Lord’s Prayer. Martin Luther brought teaching the faith back home. His intention was to make a simple, clear, and concise booklet to breath God’s truth into His people. We begin our study with the same goal: to get back to the basics of God’s Word! Lord help us!Find your copy of the Book of Concord - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org.Study the Lutheran Confession of Faith found in the Book of Concord with lively discussions led by host Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and guest LCMS pastors. Join us as these Christ-confessing Concordians read through and discuss our Lutheran doctrine in the Book of Concord in order to gain a deeper understanding of our Lutheran faith and practical application for our vocations.

What is Gnosticism? It's more than just a big word, and you've probably run across it more than you realize.Rev. Peter Burfeind joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Gnosticism in America today. Learn the historical roots and key ideas of Gnosticism and the influence of Gnosticism on historic Christianity. Then, hear how the gnostic heresy is still active in Christianity today, the dangers of hidden Gnosticism to our concord as the Church, and how we combat Gnosticism in order to maintain concord in the Church.Rev. Peter Burfeind is Pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Union City, Michigan and Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Marshall, Michigan, and serves as a Reserve Chaplain in the United States Army. He is author of the book Gnostic America: A Reading of Contemporary American Culture and Religion according to Christianity's Oldest Heresy (Amazon.com), and a series of 3 books called A Year Crowned in Goodness: Daily Meditations on the Gospels of the Historic Lectionary (Amazon.com: Part One, Part Two, Part Three) that challenge gnostic ideas.This is a rebroadcast from December 18, 2021.

What is stewardship? You’ll often hear “time, talents, and treasures” referenced. But is that a helpful way to think about stewardship?Is stewardship “just the business side of the Church"? A matter of our Christian life? Only a matter of “me and God”? A confessional matter?How does the faithful pastor approach stewardship, and what does stewardship look like in the Church, the Christian home, and in daily life?As Lutherans we are always looking for Law and Gospel. But, with stewardship we tend to think of it as all law. Does stewardship relate to the Gospel?Rev. Heath Curtis, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Worden, IL, and Zion Lutheran Church in Carpenter, IL; LCMS Coordinator for Stewardship; and co-author of the book, Stewardship for the Care of Souls joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss stewardship.This is a rebroadcast from December 4, 2021.

What are these Saxon Visitation Articles of 1528? Learn about what church visitations are about, what they have to do with the Book of Concord, and why Gospel-focused Lutherans—wanting to get out from under the Pope tyranny— would want to visit their churches and establish a Church order. Also hear what the proper use of the Lord’s Supper, closed communion, daily worship services, and what is being taught in the churches and schools has to do with gospel-focused Church order. And finally, hear about what tribulation has to do with church visitation.Rev. Sean Daenzer, director of Worship for the LCMS and Chaplain at the LCMS International Center, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Saxon Visitation Articles of 1528.This is a rebroadcast from November 20, 2021.

What do our Lutheran Confessions mean to International Lutherans? What roll do our Confessions have in the mission work to non-Germanic people?Guests Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov — Rector of Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church Seminary in Novosibirsk, Russia, and Rev. Joel Fritsche — Director at Seminario Concordia El Reformador - República Dominicana, join host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the value of the Lutheran Confessions for Lutherans around the world.To support the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC) Seminary through the the Save the Seminary endowment and to find more information about the SELC, visit siberianlutheranmissions.org, or savetheseminary.org. Find the SELC on Facebook at facebook.com/siberianelc.You can also write to:Save the Seminary Campaign - The Siberian Lutheran Mission Society8811 St. Joe RoadFort Wayne, IN 46835Phone: 260 209-1647To support Pastor Joel Fritsche, visit lcms.org/fritsche. Learn more about Seminario Concordia El Reformador at facebook.com/CMSCRRD.Find your copy of The Augsburg Confession - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession.

Let's talk about why the Lutheran Confessions matter in church planting and mission congregations. Hear from current church planters and pastors of mission congregations about whether we need to minimize or set-aside our Lutheran Confessions in church planting and mission work, the roll Lutheran Confessions play in a mission congregation how the doctrine of the Lutheran Confessions help overcome some of the struggles in doing the mission work in a newly established congregation, and what is distinctive in a confessional mission congregation.Guests joining host Rev. Sean Smith:First half: Pastors of Circuit 23 of the Texas District serving the new confessional church start congregation of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Bastrop, TexasPastor Jason Kaspar, who is Called to serve Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in LaGrange, TexasPastor Nate Hill, who serves St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester, TexasPastor Dustin Beck, who serves Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Warda, TexasPastor Timothy Appel, who serves Grace Lutheran Church in Smithville, Texas and is host of Sharper Iron on KFUO RadioSecond half: Rev. Isaac Johnson, Pastor of New Hope Lutheran Church, a Mission Congregation of the Iowa District East in Charles City, IowaFind your copy of The Augsburg Confession - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession.

We wrap-up the series on the Augsburg Confession with looking at the Conclusion, the importance of the the signers of the Confession, how the Confession was received, some historical context of the Confutation and the Apology of the Augsburg confession, the unaltered Augsburg confession, and ultimately, why this confession matters for our Lutheran Confessions—and the Lutheran confession in general—as we still confess today.Pastor Sean also announces his departure as host of the show in a couple weeks.Rev. Jim Pierce, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Anaconda, Montana, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to wrap up the series on the Augsburg Confession.Find your copy of The Augsburg Confession - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession.

What is the distinction between church authority and secular, government authority, and how do they interact? Do pastors have authority in relation to the civil life of the community in which they serve, in relation to the daily lives of the people in the congregation, in relation to the ceremonies and customs that are used in the congregation, and/or in relation to how the congregation operates?Rev. Mark Bestul joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Church Authority in Article XXVIII of the Augsburg Confession.Find your copy of The Augsburg Confession - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession.

Is it bad to want to serve the church and live in intentional Christian community? Why is it important to measure church traditions in terms of practice, rather than just in principle? Should Christians be taking vows, even if they have good intention like in serving the Church? Why do people often tend to put more value in our promises than in God's?Rev. A. Brian Flamme, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Roswell, NM, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss monastic vows in Article XXVII in the Augsburg Confession.Find your copy of The Augsburg Confession - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org/augsburg-confession.