WEBVTT 1 00:00:23.300 --> 00:00:26.900 Hello, and welcome to Word and Work an Intersection. 2 00:00:26.900 --> 00:00:29.500 I'm your host Dale Meyer first. 3 00:00:29.500 --> 00:00:31.500 Let me explain this. 4 00:00:32.800 --> 00:00:36.800 For some years now members of Concordia Seminary's Community have had 5 00:00:36.800 --> 00:00:40.300 our head shaved to help fight childhood cancers. 6 00:00:40.300 --> 00:00:45.700 The program is called Saint Baldrick's. Volunteers who have their head 7 00:00:45.700 --> 00:00:49.800 shaved are supported by donations from people who join us in this 8 00:00:49.800 --> 00:00:56.000 effort to end childhood cancers. Now getting to today's Word and Work 9 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:56.700 program. 10 00:00:58.100 --> 00:01:03.900 I have learned that you can keep your hair and still be elected 11 00:01:03.900 --> 00:01:05.800 president of Concordia Seminary. 12 00:01:05.800 --> 00:01:10.900 It's my great pleasure to introduce you to the 11th president of 13 00:01:10.900 --> 00:01:13.200 Concordia Seminary Rev. 14 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:13.600 Dr. 15 00:01:13.600 --> 00:01:15.100 Thomas Egger. 16 00:01:15.100 --> 00:01:16.100 Thank you Dale. 17 00:01:16.100 --> 00:01:17.500 Congratulations. 18 00:01:17.500 --> 00:01:18.500 Thank you. 19 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:22.000 One of the reasons that I got into St. 20 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.700 Baldrick's was because the president's job gives you a lot of gray 21 00:01:25.700 --> 00:01:29.300 hairs, and it's not the only way to get rid of them. 22 00:01:30.800 --> 00:01:32.600 I suspect mine will be coming soon. 23 00:01:32.600 --> 00:01:37.000 I'm so I'm so pleased that your election and 24 00:01:38.200 --> 00:01:41.500 I think Concordia Seminary is going to have a great great future with 25 00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:42.100 your leadership. 26 00:01:42.100 --> 00:01:46.000 Tell us about your feelings when you were in this process 27 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:53.700 and then when the lot fell on you? Yeah well, my name was amongst the 28 00:01:53.700 --> 00:01:58.800 original 40 some names that were that were nominated for the position 29 00:01:58.800 --> 00:02:02.800 and I was very honored to be nominated. The last time through the 30 00:02:02.800 --> 00:02:03.400 process 31 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:05.500 I was nominated but didn't let my name stand. 32 00:02:05.500 --> 00:02:10.500 I when people ask me why I hadn't let my name stand I said, I feel 33 00:02:10.500 --> 00:02:15.000 like there's better people for the job and and this time around I was 34 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:19.000 encouraged by a number of people to let my name stand and so I 35 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:23.800 did. And then again it was a great honor and then towards the end of 36 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:28.200 the process when I when I learned just about a month ago, 37 00:02:28.200 --> 00:02:33.400 I think, that that there were just two names on the final slate and it 38 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:38.000 was just my name and and Doctor Lehenbauer, Joel 39 00:02:38.200 --> 00:02:43.100 Lehenbauer. Who is a friend and someone I greatly respect that was a little 40 00:02:43.100 --> 00:02:50.200 stunning and and was really a few weeks where I had to completely 41 00:02:50.200 --> 00:02:54.200 reorient my whole framework what I was focused on what I was working 42 00:02:54.200 --> 00:03:00.700 on and and it was exciting exciting and and kind of whirlwind process. 43 00:03:00.700 --> 00:03:07.700 You mentioned Dr. Lehenbauer you have I have and our faculty has the 44 00:03:07.700 --> 00:03:09.600 highest regard for Dr. 45 00:03:09.600 --> 00:03:10.600 Joel Lehenbauer. 46 00:03:10.600 --> 00:03:15.700 And when the two names came out my first reaction cuz I have a little 47 00:03:15.700 --> 00:03:18.800 personal feeling about this position is good 48 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:24.100 whoever gets it, but but now that the lot has fallen to you 49 00:03:24.100 --> 00:03:28.300 I'm I'm I'm very very glad. So when when you got the the phone call 50 00:03:28.300 --> 00:03:29.200 that you were elected. 51 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:31.500 What did you think? 52 00:03:31.500 --> 00:03:32.600 Yeah. 53 00:03:32.600 --> 00:03:37.100 Well, I got a phone call letting me know that my name had been added 54 00:03:37.100 --> 00:03:38.300 to the final slate. 55 00:03:38.300 --> 00:03:43.900 I actually was told in person that I had been elected. And it was 56 00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:46.400 well it was 57 00:03:47.500 --> 00:03:53.900 stunning, but also I will say that through through the process, 58 00:03:53.900 --> 00:03:58.300 especially those those last couple of weeks before the election. 59 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:06.000 So many people sent notes, made phone calls, stopped me and said we're 60 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:06.700 praying for you. 61 00:04:06.700 --> 00:04:08.400 We're praying for DoctorLehenbauer. 62 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:13.600 We're praying that God's will will be done in the process and I really 63 00:04:13.600 --> 00:04:18.399 felt the gift of God's peace through all of it. 64 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:24.000 And and and a lot of joy just knowing the church is in the Lord's hands 65 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:25.700 seminaries in the Lord's hands. 66 00:04:25.700 --> 00:04:30.900 My life is in the Lord's hands. And whatever comes out of this he will 67 00:04:30.900 --> 00:04:38.400 he will be with me and fulfill his promises and live everyday under 68 00:04:38.400 --> 00:04:43.300 his grace just like all of us just like always. You remind me that we 69 00:04:43.300 --> 00:04:44.900 need to say a word of thanks to the 70 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:51.000 Faculty members and the Regents who are on the search committee. My 71 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:57.500 goodness hours that they they put in a thankless hours unknown hours. 72 00:05:00.200 --> 00:05:02.200 Yeah through two rounds of this process. 73 00:05:02.200 --> 00:05:09.700 So you announced your retirement in. October. The fall of 2019 right. 74 00:05:09.700 --> 00:05:12.800 And so now they've been through two rounds of this process. 75 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:16.300 My mother thought it was going to be very hard to replace me. 76 00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:22.400 Well, it has been apparently. But no, they went through to two rounds but 77 00:05:22.400 --> 00:05:27.300 you know, sometimes God's wheels grind slowly and and here we are. 78 00:05:27.300 --> 00:05:31.600 But so yeah twice the search committee work through this. 79 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:35.400 Yeah, yeah. Tell us about your family? 80 00:05:35.400 --> 00:05:37.500 I mean one of the things here is 81 00:05:38.500 --> 00:05:42.500 we're not asking you anything specific about how you envisioned 82 00:05:42.500 --> 00:05:42.900 leading 83 00:05:42.900 --> 00:05:48.800 the Seminary. Experts have said that it takes several years before you 84 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:53.400 actually figure figure the job out. So this is just a chance for us 85 00:05:53.400 --> 00:05:54.400 to get acquainted with 86 00:05:54.400 --> 00:05:54.800 Dr. 87 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:55.300 Egger. 88 00:05:55.300 --> 00:05:57.100 Tell us about your family? 89 00:05:57.100 --> 00:05:57.500 Sure. 90 00:05:57.500 --> 00:06:06.000 Well I hale from Eastern Iowa and my wife, Tori, hales from South 91 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:06.900 Central Iowa. 92 00:06:06.900 --> 00:06:11.100 I'm from Muscatine and Tori is from a little town called What Cheer, 93 00:06:11.100 --> 00:06:18.500 Iowa in South Central Iowa. Population something like six hundred and we 94 00:06:18.500 --> 00:06:19.200 met in college. 95 00:06:19.200 --> 00:06:21.500 Where'd you go to college? 96 00:06:21.500 --> 00:06:29.000 We went to a small Dutch Reformed liberal arts college in Pella, Iowa. 97 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:33.100 Where they make Pella Windows and have a lot of tulips. Central 98 00:06:33.100 --> 00:06:33.500 College. 99 00:06:33.500 --> 00:06:36.300 it's called and Tori's Dutch 100 00:06:36.300 --> 00:06:38.300 so she belong there I was 101 00:06:38.400 --> 00:06:44.800 kind of an outsider but but we met there and we've been married since the end 102 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:48.600 of our College days. We got married young and we started having 103 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:54.900 children during Seminary we have six children and two of them are out 104 00:06:54.900 --> 00:07:00.600 of college now and off spreading their wings and and working. Our oldest 105 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:00.800 son 106 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:06.000 Andrew is married and lives in Washington DC with his wife Grace. 107 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:07.200 She's a kindergarten teacher 108 00:07:07.200 --> 00:07:11.200 there at a Lutheran School. If I may inject. 109 00:07:11.200 --> 00:07:17.300 I'm aware of your son to Andrew and my daughter works in Washington 110 00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:24.000 DC and what our children can tell us as presidents is very very 111 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:28.300 helpful kind of get out the out of the Missouri Synod box and find out 112 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:29.800 what else is going on. 113 00:07:29.800 --> 00:07:34.400 And I know the quality of your children will also help you in your 114 00:07:34.400 --> 00:07:38.200 work. Yeah, yeah certainly learn a lot from my kids. 115 00:07:38.400 --> 00:07:44.400 Which is very satisfying right to be able to see them grow up and gain 116 00:07:44.400 --> 00:07:49.600 wisdom and be able to be a voice that you yourself respect. And so 117 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:53.200 yeah, so our son Andrew is a journalist out there in Washington DC and 118 00:07:53.200 --> 00:07:56.400 then our daughter Stacy is also out of college. 119 00:07:56.400 --> 00:07:57.500 She lives back in St. 120 00:07:57.500 --> 00:08:00.800 Louis now she works for Synod in their Communications Department. 121 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:05.300 She's a writer and an editor and then we have two children in college. 122 00:08:05.300 --> 00:08:06.100 Our son 123 00:08:06.100 --> 00:08:08.300 Abram is finishing up at Concordia Chicago. 124 00:08:08.300 --> 00:08:11.500 He's a pre Seminary Student there and will be coming to the Seminary 125 00:08:11.500 --> 00:08:18.100 next year here and he's engaged so his fiancé Christina will also be 126 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:18.600 joining him. 127 00:08:18.600 --> 00:08:21.000 She's a planning to be a deaconess a student here. 128 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:25.100 So the two of them will both be students. And then our daughter Bonnie 129 00:08:25.100 --> 00:08:29.800 is a nursing student at Concordia Mequon or Concordia University, 130 00:08:29.800 --> 00:08:29.900 Wisconsin, 131 00:08:29.900 --> 00:08:37.299 I guess now it's called. And she just got married this last January and 132 00:08:37.299 --> 00:08:38.400 her husband had just graduated, 133 00:08:38.400 --> 00:08:44.300 he graduated mid-year, and works with computer coding and stuff that I 134 00:08:44.300 --> 00:08:46.100 don't understand but he's very good at it. 135 00:08:46.100 --> 00:08:53.400 He is the son of a good friend of mine who was a seminarian. 136 00:08:53.400 --> 00:08:57.300 He started at the Seminary the same year that I started as a Prof. 137 00:08:57.300 --> 00:09:02.300 He came as a second career guy and he was in my first Hebrew class 138 00:09:02.300 --> 00:09:08.800 Dan Pool and his son, Eric, is married now to my daughter Bonnie great guy. 139 00:09:08.800 --> 00:09:11.200 And then we have to still at home. 140 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:15.100 We have a daughter Ellen who's a sophomore in high school and Mary who 141 00:09:15.100 --> 00:09:16.700 is a 7th grader. 142 00:09:16.700 --> 00:09:21.600 And so we still still have our hands full lots of fun, in fact Tori this 143 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:21.700 morning. 144 00:09:21.700 --> 00:09:26.100 I just talked to her before I walked over here and she's taking Ellen 145 00:09:26.100 --> 00:09:30.600 for her driver's driver's exam this morning, 146 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:37.600 so. Now I understand that you're going to move into house one house one is 147 00:09:38.300 --> 00:09:42.600 President's house on campus has been ever since the days of President 148 00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:48.000 Ralph Bohlmann and and I bring that up because when your whole family 149 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:53.400 comes together, what a great place that is plenty of rooms and a yard 150 00:09:53.400 --> 00:09:54.700 and for the kids to play. 151 00:09:54.700 --> 00:10:00.900 It's it's a tremendous place for you to be the patriarch of. Yeah. Your whole clan. 152 00:10:00.900 --> 00:10:06.700 We love our backyard where we live now so many trees and green it's just 153 00:10:06.700 --> 00:10:11.100 a place of refuge and that's what that's one thing that we would miss. 154 00:10:11.100 --> 00:10:16.900 But but like you say house one, thanks in large part to a lot of hard 155 00:10:16.900 --> 00:10:19.200 work that you did in the years that you were here. 156 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:24.300 It just has a beautiful yard and landscaping and a fire pit 157 00:10:24.300 --> 00:10:29.200 and so it'll be a great place to host friends and to just enjoy 158 00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:30.900 ourselves in large part. 159 00:10:30.900 --> 00:10:31.600 Thanks to you. 160 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:37.000 Well, I I have heard of a volunteer who is willing to stay out of your 161 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:38.100 way and do some 162 00:10:38.300 --> 00:10:43.800 gardening on campus and wherever. You are, welcome anytime. Go back to college 163 00:10:43.800 --> 00:10:46.100 Central College you said in Pella, Iowa. 164 00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:48.600 Did you know you wanted to become a pastor then? 165 00:10:49.400 --> 00:10:50.400 Interestingly 166 00:10:50.400 --> 00:10:56.800 I thought I started thinking about the ministry fairly young when I 167 00:10:56.800 --> 00:10:57.600 was in eighth grade. 168 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:03.200 My pastor Marlon Renfor a wonderful Pastor. Before I was confirmed 169 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:07.100 he took all of the confirmands out for lunch. Renfor is a great family 170 00:11:07.100 --> 00:11:08.000 the Missouri Synod. 171 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:12.400 In fact, the Renfor's have a connection to Joel Lehenbauer. Right. 172 00:11:12.400 --> 00:11:13.000 Yeah, right. 173 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:13.800 Yeah. 174 00:11:13.800 --> 00:11:18.300 I think I think my pastor Marlons mother maybe was a Lehenbauer 175 00:11:18.300 --> 00:11:23.200 there's some connection there yes. And and it was his practice to take 176 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:26.900 all confirmands out for just a one-on-one lunch with the pastor every 177 00:11:26.900 --> 00:11:30.800 year. And and we went out to McDonald's and in that conversation 178 00:11:30.800 --> 00:11:36.700 he encouraged me to think about being a pastor. And we'd had 179 00:11:36.700 --> 00:11:41.900 wonderful pastors at our congregation in Muscatine Harold Roskey an 180 00:11:41.900 --> 00:11:45.800 older pastor had been my pastor since the time I can remember and. 181 00:11:45.800 --> 00:11:48.800 Roskey an Old Collinsville name. Okay. 182 00:11:49.400 --> 00:11:49.900 Yeah, yeah. 183 00:11:49.900 --> 00:11:53.900 Well, he was a wonderful pastor and then and then Pastor Renfor 184 00:11:53.900 --> 00:12:00.500 was such a caring and just invested in loving his people and and 185 00:12:00.500 --> 00:12:03.300 preaching about my savior every Sunday. 186 00:12:03.300 --> 00:12:07.800 And and so I I started thinking about being a pastor fairly young. 187 00:12:07.800 --> 00:12:08.800 Interestingly 188 00:12:08.800 --> 00:12:10.100 when I chose a college though 189 00:12:10.100 --> 00:12:15.500 I had become very interested in politics and decided maybe I want to 190 00:12:15.500 --> 00:12:16.300 be a journalist. 191 00:12:16.300 --> 00:12:22.700 And so I chose a college thinking I would major in English and writing 192 00:12:22.700 --> 00:12:26.300 with an eye towards going into journalism, but already by my sophomore 193 00:12:26.300 --> 00:12:26.800 year in college. 194 00:12:26.800 --> 00:12:31.300 I had changed my mind again and thought no I I think I want to be a 195 00:12:31.300 --> 00:12:36.200 pastor. That's great, that's great you talk about growing up. Tell us about your parents? 196 00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:40.300 I have met your parents I remember the meeting that we had they 197 00:12:40.300 --> 00:12:41.600 came down here to the Seminary. 198 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:46.500 I believe just just for a visit but it was a very very pleasant time. 199 00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:48.900 Tell our audience about your parents? 200 00:12:48.900 --> 00:12:49.100 Yeah. 201 00:12:49.300 --> 00:12:53.900 Yeah, my parents Carl and Bonnie Egger. 202 00:12:53.900 --> 00:12:57.700 My dad was a chemical engineer throughout his life. 203 00:12:57.700 --> 00:13:03.900 He actually was in Army ROTC when he was in college and the Army 204 00:13:03.900 --> 00:13:07.000 placed him at Redstone Arsenal out of college. 205 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:08.300 He worked. 206 00:13:08.300 --> 00:13:10.900 Oh, I think he was in a number of places that for a while 207 00:13:10.900 --> 00:13:15.000 he worked on the rocket programs in the late 1960s there at Redstone Arsenal. 208 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:20.600 Was assigned to NASA but ended up spending they ended up spending most of 209 00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:24.800 their adult life back in Iowa where they were both from. And my dad 210 00:13:24.800 --> 00:13:29.500 worked in the engineering department at a company that process is all 211 00:13:29.500 --> 00:13:30.900 kinds of stuff out of corn. 212 00:13:30.900 --> 00:13:32.100 They grow corn in Iowa 213 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:37.300 I don't know if you've ever heard that before. But so Grain Processing 214 00:13:37.300 --> 00:13:41.900 Corporation and use an engineer but also very active in the life of 215 00:13:41.900 --> 00:13:47.500 the church had his children in the pew every Sunday. 216 00:13:48.400 --> 00:13:49.400 Usually a little late. 217 00:13:49.400 --> 00:13:54.500 We were usually the last family to get there there every Sunday and my 218 00:13:54.500 --> 00:14:00.100 dad sang loud and I just think a father's testimony to his children of 219 00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:06.300 the faith can can be as simple and straightforward as being in church 220 00:14:06.300 --> 00:14:12.300 every Sunday confessing your sins, rejoicing in the gospel and and sing 221 00:14:12.300 --> 00:14:18.800 God's Praises with with joy. And I'm glad to hear you say that because the German background 222 00:14:18.800 --> 00:14:24.500 Germans are not to out there with their emotions and my parents were 223 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:27.400 the same way. You know in one sense 224 00:14:27.400 --> 00:14:29.900 we didn't talk a lot about Jesus and faith. 225 00:14:29.900 --> 00:14:35.000 We had our prayers and we went to church Sunday school, but they was 226 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:38.800 at model that impressed me as much as anything. 227 00:14:38.800 --> 00:14:42.300 So I'm glad to hear that. Your father talked about being active in 228 00:14:42.300 --> 00:14:46.400 church was or maybe still is on the board of the Concordia Historical 229 00:14:46.400 --> 00:14:47.100 Institute. 230 00:14:47.100 --> 00:14:47.400 Yeah. 231 00:14:47.400 --> 00:14:48.200 Yeah, so 232 00:14:48.400 --> 00:14:50.600 especially later in life and retirement. 233 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:54.300 He became much more active as a as a layman in the life of the church. 234 00:14:54.300 --> 00:14:58.100 He was on the Board of Directors for Iowa District East for a number 235 00:14:58.100 --> 00:14:58.400 of years. 236 00:14:58.400 --> 00:15:04.500 He served does the Synod on its not National nominating committee for 237 00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:08.600 one of the conventions. And and then also served for a number of years 238 00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:12.000 he's not on the board any longer, but he was on the the board of 239 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:15.300 cameras call the Board of Directors or the Board of Governors, but at 240 00:15:15.300 --> 00:15:22.100 at Concordia Historical Institute. And for our audience Concordia Historical Institute is an entity of Lutheran Church-- 241 00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:26.500 Missouri Synod, but they are housed on the campus of the Seminary. 242 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:28.900 Technically Mister President 243 00:15:28.900 --> 00:15:30.900 we on the ground, but they own the building. 244 00:15:32.400 --> 00:15:34.300 However, that were that works out. 245 00:15:34.300 --> 00:15:34.700 Yeah. 246 00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:41.300 Yeah, and then my mom, Bonnie, stayed home with us kids and was just a 247 00:15:41.300 --> 00:15:48.400 wonderful still is a wonderful loving mother and and once we were a 248 00:15:48.400 --> 00:15:53.800 little further along in life and into school, she began a preschool 249 00:15:53.800 --> 00:15:58.400 at our home congregation and she was the director and the preschool 250 00:15:58.400 --> 00:16:02.400 teacher there for I can't remember how long she did at least 20 years. 251 00:16:02.400 --> 00:16:05.100 And that was really her 252 00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:11.700 she was just invested so much of herself in in those children and in 253 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:17.500 the development of that preschool. Tell us how your parents have 254 00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:20.300 reacted when you were elected? 255 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:24.300 They they left me alone. 256 00:16:24.300 --> 00:16:29.600 They said, we assumed you would be so busy with all kinds of phone calls and 257 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:33.300 stuff that we didn't want to bother you and which is a typical thing 258 00:16:33.300 --> 00:16:40.400 for them to say but but then I when I phoned them finally they're just 259 00:16:40.400 --> 00:16:42.300 very very proud. 260 00:16:42.300 --> 00:16:46.100 They were very proud of their very proud of all their kids. 261 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:50.200 How many are there five of us five of us siblings. 262 00:16:50.200 --> 00:16:55.200 And they just they've given their their whole lives their devotion is 263 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:58.900 to their children and they've given so much to all of us. 264 00:16:58.900 --> 00:17:03.400 We are we all we have a close-knit family. 265 00:17:03.400 --> 00:17:08.500 We all get along very well love each other and and all share such a 266 00:17:08.500 --> 00:17:14.099 deep love for our parents and but I know it means it means 267 00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:17.000 alot means a lot to my dad. 268 00:17:18.099 --> 00:17:24.900 That we are all in church on Sundays that we're all Christians and and 269 00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:27.000 it is and it's very special to him. 270 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:30.400 That's at my brother at one of my brother is my brother Paul and I are 271 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:36.100 both Pastors in the Missouri Synod balls Pastor in in Northwest Iowa, 272 00:17:36.100 --> 00:17:42.400 and and so my dad I'm sure he's very proud that his son is is 273 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:46.800 going to be the Seminary president. But he also is happy to remind me 274 00:17:46.800 --> 00:17:52.800 that the most important thing is the work of Parish Pastors in 275 00:17:52.800 --> 00:17:57.200 congregation, but that's the most important thing and and I think we 276 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:01.300 we both know that and value that and we know that ultimately that's 277 00:18:01.300 --> 00:18:07.300 that's why this place exists is to prepare Faithful Servants to serve 278 00:18:07.300 --> 00:18:12.000 God's people in in congregations. Do you know the story about your brother 279 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:14.500 Paul's photograph on campus? 280 00:18:14.500 --> 00:18:14.600 Yeah. 281 00:18:14.600 --> 00:18:14.700 Yeah. We got this great 282 00:18:18.100 --> 00:18:26.600 photograph of Reverend Paul Egger with two children in in hand. Yeah. And one of them 283 00:18:26.600 --> 00:18:30.200 has a skinned up knee and a bandage. It's it is just a phenomenal 284 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:30.900 picture. 285 00:18:30.900 --> 00:18:34.300 So that would that was displayed extremely prominently someplace. 286 00:18:34.300 --> 00:18:41.000 Yeah, it's like life size, 6 feet tall. Yeah, yeah and somebody finally discovered that your brother Paul went to 287 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:41.500 the Fort Wayne Seminary. 288 00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:48.200 Yeah right, right. Whoa, if the picture is still around but yeah, 289 00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:48.800 find it. 290 00:18:48.800 --> 00:18:53.300 Yeah, he was on campus probably for my vicarage placement service or 291 00:18:53.300 --> 00:18:56.900 for my call service or something there but he was in a clerical 292 00:18:56.900 --> 00:18:57.300 collar. 293 00:18:57.300 --> 00:19:02.900 So people from Seminary Communications just assumed we must be one of 294 00:19:02.900 --> 00:19:08.300 our our students. You know this that we have worked very hard 295 00:19:08.300 --> 00:19:13.600 during my time to have just the best closest relations with our sister 296 00:19:13.600 --> 00:19:17.400 seminary in Fort Wayne and and having a brother who graduated from 297 00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:18.000 there 298 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:21.100 you from here that's going to continue because the seminaries 299 00:19:21.100 --> 00:19:24.500 are together in this mission mission of our Lord. 300 00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:27.000 So did you go from Central College 301 00:19:27.900 --> 00:19:33.600 and marriage straight here or there a little time off? Tori and I packed 302 00:19:33.600 --> 00:19:37.500 up from our married student housing at Central College and moved to 303 00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:42.000 straight down here for summer Greek with the with Jim Voelz. 304 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:44.800 So I began in early June for summer Greek. 305 00:19:44.800 --> 00:19:49.200 I was not a not a system guy didn't grow up in Lutheran Schools didn't 306 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:54.900 go to one of our Concordia colleges or universities, which I greatly 307 00:19:54.900 --> 00:19:58.800 value of the work that they do I have myself wasn't able to benefit 308 00:19:58.800 --> 00:19:59.200 from that. 309 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:04.300 But but yeah, I went straight from college Into Summer Greek and hit 310 00:20:04.300 --> 00:20:04.800 the ground running. 311 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:11.100 And that would have been what year? 1993. And as I recall 312 00:20:11.100 --> 00:20:13.700 this is probably not very good advertising for the St. 313 00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:14.300 Louis Seminary. 314 00:20:14.300 --> 00:20:19.600 But as I recall at 8 o'clock in the morning walking across campus to my first 315 00:20:19.600 --> 00:20:24.300 summer Greek class, it was already like 90 degrees and humid at 8 o'clock in 316 00:20:24.300 --> 00:20:24.500 the morning 317 00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:26.800 that day was it was really a heat wave 318 00:20:26.800 --> 00:20:34.700 we were having. It encouraged you to stay inside and learn Greek. That's right. Exactly. Absolutely. At the time I was married so 319 00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:39.700 we were living in an apartment. 320 00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:45.000 But a lot of my classmates at the time there was not air conditioning 321 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:49.000 or it was out of order one of the other in in the dorm where a lot of 322 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:55.000 the guys were staying that thankfully today we are able to weather 323 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:58.800 those summer heat waves with little more comfort on campus with our 324 00:20:58.800 --> 00:20:59.500 air conditioning. 325 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:03.800 I asked a consultant and we use consultants all the time. 326 00:21:04.900 --> 00:21:08.300 I said what's this about the president and fundraising? 327 00:21:08.300 --> 00:21:10.200 He says you're not a fundraiser. 328 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:15.500 You're responsible for the economic condition of the Seminary which 329 00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:16.900 includes air conditioning, in summertime. 330 00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.100 Yeah. 331 00:21:17.100 --> 00:21:21.400 Tell us just your experiences here? 332 00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:25.100 You know, what was it like to be a student a married student in the 333 00:21:25.100 --> 00:21:32.500 seminary, this seminary. Yeah, those are wonderful years and there's just so much value 334 00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:40.300 in those who are going to be the future the future servants of the 335 00:21:40.300 --> 00:21:43.400 church the future leaders of the church the future ministerium of the 336 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:48.500 church. The bonds and the relationships that are built during those 337 00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:54.800 years of formation have lasting significance for relationships and 338 00:21:54.800 --> 00:21:59.000 just mutual encouragement and and I'm looking to one another for 339 00:21:59.000 --> 00:22:02.800 wisdom throughout the time of of ministry. 340 00:22:02.800 --> 00:22:04.800 So those were great years for 341 00:22:04.900 --> 00:22:05.600 Tori and for me. 342 00:22:05.600 --> 00:22:12.100 We we made a lot of great friends first the first we lived in a small 343 00:22:12.100 --> 00:22:15.400 apartment building with a number of other seminarians as neighbors, 344 00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:19.300 not on campus but a lot of Seminary neighbors and those are still some 345 00:22:19.300 --> 00:22:22.800 of the people that we most keep in touch with the people that God just 346 00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:25.500 plunked down right next to us in that first apartment building. 347 00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:29.800 That's great where to take a short break and then when we come back 348 00:22:29.800 --> 00:22:33.900 we're going to get to know President Egger even more closely. 349 00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:35.400 So stay with us. 350 00:22:36.800 --> 00:22:38.400 Concordia Seminary St. 351 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:43.200 Louis provides continuing education resources for pastors and lay 352 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:48.300 people to discover all the Concordia Seminary has for you visit us on 353 00:22:48.300 --> 00:22:50.800 the web at CSL. 354 00:22:50.800 --> 00:22:51.600 EDU. 355 00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:58.000 Welcome back to Word and Work an Intersection. 356 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:01.500 I'm your host Dale Meyer. Today, my guest is Dr. 357 00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:06.600 Thomas Egger our new president at Concordia Seminary, number 11. 358 00:23:06.600 --> 00:23:13.000 Number 10 is gone going, going, gone and man 359 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:15.500 we're so glad to have you here. Before we went into the break 360 00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:20.500 we we started to talk about community and you talked about all the 361 00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:24.900 friends you met here and your wife Tori made some lifelong friends. 362 00:23:26.100 --> 00:23:30.900 I went through the system and when we graduated some of us have been 363 00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:37.600 together 8, 12 years, okay. Today our students come some from the Concordias 364 00:23:37.600 --> 00:23:38.000 from elsewhere. 365 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:42.000 We you talk about community based on your experiences as a student here. 366 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:49.500 Yeah.One thing that I often mention to people as how when I came as a 367 00:23:49.500 --> 00:23:53.200 student at first, I really felt kind of like an outsider. 368 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:56.100 I had not come from a system school. 369 00:23:56.100 --> 00:23:59.100 I would sit in the classroom and the professors would read through the 370 00:23:59.100 --> 00:24:03.300 list of names and and they did, you know half the names are more 371 00:24:03.300 --> 00:24:06.500 they'd stop and they say and how are you related to so-and-so and do 372 00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:11.500 you know so-and-so and and and everyone seemed so tied into this big 373 00:24:11.500 --> 00:24:16.500 Missouri Synod extended family with with all this history and 374 00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:21.800 interrelationships and shared work shared lives. And I had not come 375 00:24:21.800 --> 00:24:25.900 from a church work family and so my Missouri Synod world 376 00:24:26.100 --> 00:24:29.300 was really no larger than my home congregation and then didn't go 377 00:24:29.300 --> 00:24:30.800 to a Missouri Synod college. 378 00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:36.900 So came to Seminary and was sort of on the outside at 1st and looking 379 00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:42.500 in at the web of relationships in history between people that extended 380 00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:47.000 beyond just them as individuals to their families and to which is a 381 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:51.800 lot of different shared experiences. But it doesn't take long before 382 00:24:51.800 --> 00:24:58.100 you begin to make relationships become a part begin to live stories 383 00:24:58.100 --> 00:25:02.400 that becomes that shared story and and build relationships that then 384 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:09.800 become this Missouri Synod extended family, which my children for 385 00:25:09.800 --> 00:25:14.100 example, their experience in the church is completely different from 386 00:25:14.100 --> 00:25:21.400 mine. In terms of feeling like feeling like they know lots and lots of 387 00:25:21.400 --> 00:25:25.800 Lutherans and lots of lots of people from across Synod through while 388 00:25:25.800 --> 00:25:26.000 a couple 389 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:32.100 have gone to Concordia College's others are at are just having lived on 390 00:25:32.100 --> 00:25:33.700 campus and met friends as children. 391 00:25:33.700 --> 00:25:42.800 So it really is I think both well-like in a congregation were many 392 00:25:42.800 --> 00:25:48.200 people are related the close-knit connections and complex sets of 393 00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:52.600 connections between people across the National Church body is both a 394 00:25:52.600 --> 00:25:57.200 great blessing and also a liability at times we lived up on one 395 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:57.700 another's toes. 396 00:25:57.700 --> 00:25:59.200 There's old grudges. 397 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:03.000 There's things that people need to find ways to get past and work 398 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:08.100 through together and that happens in homes happens and congregations 399 00:26:08.100 --> 00:26:09.400 happens in the larger church as 400 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:12.200 well. You're anticipating my next question. 401 00:26:14.300 --> 00:26:17.700 The President is responsible for the economic well-being of the 402 00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:18.200 campus. 403 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:23.100 This campus is I believe and number 10 is prejudice, 404 00:26:23.100 --> 00:26:25.200 we're strong in many many ways. 405 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:29.200 And in the association theological schools, you'll see the great 406 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:29.700 blessings 407 00:26:29.700 --> 00:26:34.900 we have. But a lot of our strength comes from the fact that the 408 00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:39.300 Missouri Synod is so close just as you described. Sometimes that's a 409 00:26:39.300 --> 00:26:43.300 bane but a lot of times it's a blessing because of people throughout 410 00:26:43.300 --> 00:26:51.700 our church feel an ownership. Sometimes you want to say you don't own this place. But that's one of the reasons why this is such a strong 411 00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:54.500 Seminary and that's true of our Fort Wayne Seminary too. Yeah. 412 00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:55.200 Absolutely. 413 00:26:55.200 --> 00:27:00.900 There is a well it goes back to the even before the founding of this 414 00:27:00.900 --> 00:27:04.700 particular campus, but I think especially of the pictures and the 415 00:27:04.700 --> 00:27:10.400 stories about the dedication of this seminary and the great cost of 416 00:27:11.100 --> 00:27:17.200 of constructing this campus and dedicating it for the purpose of 417 00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:24.600 rooting pastors and church workers in the word of God and in the 418 00:27:24.600 --> 00:27:28.500 heritage of our Lutheran teaching which so clearly points to Christ. 419 00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:34.500 Preparing them here and then and then sending them out for the church 420 00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:40.100 and for the world there was such a commitment to that when that when 421 00:27:40.100 --> 00:27:44.800 the cornerstones were laid on this campus and continues to this day 422 00:27:44.800 --> 00:27:45.900 amongst our laity. Excuse me 423 00:27:45.900 --> 00:27:53.400 I didn't realize the prowess of this Seminary as a student. 424 00:27:53.400 --> 00:27:55.900 It was during the Vietnam times, 425 00:27:55.900 --> 00:27:57.300 we were rebellious anyway, 426 00:27:58.200 --> 00:28:01.700 Didn't realize a prowess of this Seminary until I became president. 427 00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:05.500 And and that's one of the great things about your position. 428 00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:07.900 Wow, you're going to say wow. 429 00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:09.800 That's the times other times. 430 00:28:09.800 --> 00:28:17.900 You scratch your head to say what now. So you graduated from here and where'd you go and serve as a 431 00:28:17.900 --> 00:28:18.400 pastor? 432 00:28:19.300 --> 00:28:26.400 Tori and I were sent to called to Zion Lutheran Church in Storm Lake, 433 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:32.700 Iowa, and those were it was just a wonderful congregation. 434 00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:37.800 We were embraced and loved and welcomed from the time that we pulled 435 00:28:37.800 --> 00:28:39.100 into the driveway there. 436 00:28:39.100 --> 00:28:43.000 And in fact literally we pulled in with the moving van and there were 437 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:48.300 about 30 people standing around waiting for us and they just started 438 00:28:48.300 --> 00:28:53.000 grabbing stuff and carrying it into the house and and from that moment 439 00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:59.000 on they really treat us with just such care and and respect and I 440 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:00.200 remember thinking at the time. 441 00:29:01.300 --> 00:29:05.900 These people don't know me, you know, it isn't so they don't yet know 442 00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:09.600 me, right they've just met me and they're they're extending this kind 443 00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:13.200 of love and welcome and it was just a reminder to me that I come here 444 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:14.900 not just as myself, 445 00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:19.600 you know Tom, I come here as a pastor bringing the word of God. 446 00:29:19.600 --> 00:29:21.800 That's why they that's why they love me so much. 447 00:29:21.800 --> 00:29:27.200 They love me because God has sent them a pastor and that was it was 448 00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:33.500 humbling, but also kind of uplifting at the same time to to know. 449 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:34.400 Wow. 450 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:36.100 God has called me to be a pastor. 451 00:29:36.100 --> 00:29:41.500 He's called me to bring the gospel and people love me for that. 452 00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:44.500 And I know that's not every pastors experience in every congregation 453 00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:50.700 receiving necessarily that kind of care and support but but this 454 00:29:50.700 --> 00:29:55.000 congregation really cared for and supported us. When I arrived at my first 455 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:55.800 congregation 456 00:29:55.800 --> 00:30:01.200 I was scared to death and after the one-year Mark I said, 457 00:30:01.300 --> 00:30:05.200 okay, I think I can do this. And I don't know how it was for you 458 00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:11.600 but I at first I thought I did what a pastor is supposed to do and 459 00:30:11.600 --> 00:30:15.300 then in time it slowly dawned on me know I'm not doing with the 460 00:30:15.300 --> 00:30:19.600 pastor's is supposed to do I am a pastor. 461 00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:20.000 Yeah. 462 00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:24.200 Yeah. What was your congregation like rural, small town? 463 00:30:24.200 --> 00:30:25.900 It was rural. 464 00:30:25.900 --> 00:30:32.600 In fact, it was located 10 miles about 10 miles from any town and it 465 00:30:32.600 --> 00:30:37.500 was at a location in rural, Iowa where there had been the beginnings 466 00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:41.700 of a town there had been a stagecoach stop and a general store and a 467 00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:44.600 post office and then built three churches out there. 468 00:30:44.600 --> 00:30:47.600 Some people called at the church road cuz there were three churches. 469 00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:53.000 But then for whatever reason as time went on no town really took root 470 00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:57.400 and develop their but this congregation became a hub for the whole 471 00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:58.500 surrounding 472 00:31:00.300 --> 00:31:04.800 rural setting. And while I was there 473 00:31:04.800 --> 00:31:08.100 it was still a very thriving congregation 474 00:31:08.100 --> 00:31:12.700 there were a hundred 160-170 people there on a Sunday morning for worship. 475 00:31:12.700 --> 00:31:17.400 1 service 2? 1 service 476 00:31:17.400 --> 00:31:19.300 and yep 477 00:31:19.300 --> 00:31:24.000 so everybody fit in it was all kind of one one flock one family. 478 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:27.800 That's that's a nice thing when you can do one service course, it's 479 00:31:27.800 --> 00:31:30.100 also a blessing when so many people are coming to the church 480 00:31:30.100 --> 00:31:34.200 that churches go to multiple services, but one nice thing about one 481 00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:39.400 service is everyone sees each other and everyone is together for that 482 00:31:39.400 --> 00:31:41.300 time on a Sunday morning, 483 00:31:41.300 --> 00:31:48.500 so. When I was in the small dual parish was where I started out, rural, I 484 00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:53.400 discovered that people at least in that in that area Southern 485 00:31:53.400 --> 00:31:56.600 Illinois, we're pretty transparent about how they felt. 486 00:31:56.600 --> 00:32:00.300 You know, they did wave at you when they met you on the road. 487 00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:04.100 Unless it were ticked at you and then they wouldn't wave. And so where I'm going 488 00:32:04.100 --> 00:32:09.600 with that it where I'm going with that is that First Parish is a 489 00:32:09.600 --> 00:32:12.400 wonderful time to learn about people. 490 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:13.200 Absolutely. 491 00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:21.800 Yeah, and and I could I could feel the difference just in my own 492 00:32:21.800 --> 00:32:28.300 preaching and teaching the seasons where I was in lots of contact and 493 00:32:28.300 --> 00:32:33.500 very much a part of the daily lives of people and times where for 494 00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:37.400 whatever reason with schedule. Planting, harvest. More removed. 495 00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:50.400 Yeah, perhaps. or yeah. Harvesting was always a time of peace in the congregation because they were busy. Right, right. When they weren't busy on the farm 496 00:32:51.300 --> 00:32:55.200 they can raise some some issues and she had to deal with, that's my experience. 497 00:32:55.200 --> 00:32:55.400 Yeah. 498 00:32:55.400 --> 00:33:00.800 Yeah well and and just visiting people in their homes, and I know 499 00:33:00.800 --> 00:33:03.800 that's what we say to pastors all the time. 500 00:33:03.800 --> 00:33:06.800 Now, you have to get out does it your people visit people that's 501 00:33:06.800 --> 00:33:11.900 that's harder now than it used to be. And not everyone wants to be to 502 00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:16.600 have someone show up at their home and ask to come in. But in the 503 00:33:16.600 --> 00:33:19.800 community that I was apart of where I was a pastor that was very 504 00:33:19.800 --> 00:33:26.100 welcome and to just visit people in their homes and to and then of 505 00:33:26.100 --> 00:33:30.000 course when they're going through different joys and sorrows tragedies 506 00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:35.200 sicknesses, all of those things to be there in to walk alongside of 507 00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:36.300 them in those times. 508 00:33:36.300 --> 00:33:42.800 It really helps you to see the beauty and strength of Christ and his 509 00:33:42.800 --> 00:33:49.800 love and his gospel for yourself and for them and makes it equips you 510 00:33:49.800 --> 00:33:51.200 as a pastor to be able to 511 00:33:51.300 --> 00:33:55.200 speak it so much more richly and clearly to others as well. 512 00:33:55.200 --> 00:34:00.600 When you when you've seen the power of God's word at work in people's 513 00:34:00.600 --> 00:34:03.300 lives and pastors and have the blessing of seeing that. 514 00:34:03.300 --> 00:34:03.800 Yeah. 515 00:34:03.800 --> 00:34:04.300 It's a great thing. 516 00:34:04.300 --> 00:34:05.300 I'm always. 517 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:11.500 Yeah went when young people want to study psychology to learn about 518 00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:11.900 people 519 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:14.400 I think get into church work 520 00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:17.500 that's where you rather learn about them. Spend time with people 521 00:34:17.500 --> 00:34:22.300 if you want to learn about people. So it was at Zion correct? Yeah. 522 00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:25.900 Did the ministry there 523 00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:27.800 keep you busy 524 00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:34.600 24/7, 365 or did you have some time to study? 525 00:34:34.600 --> 00:34:36.300 Yeah. Theology, Greek. 526 00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:43.600 Yeah, I had time to study I was not as diligent as I am ashamed to 527 00:34:43.600 --> 00:34:49.000 say this at the at the daily working with my languages that I should 528 00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:52.100 have been when I came when I was called back to the Seminary to teach 529 00:34:52.100 --> 00:34:52.400 Hebrew. 530 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:58.700 I had to I'd to up my game a little to get ready for. My Hebrew is in bad 531 00:34:58.700 --> 00:35:06.500 shape but tell us about your academic work leading to the PHD. Well I stayed and did my Graduate Studies 532 00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:09.600 right on the tail end of my MDiv right before I was called to the 533 00:35:09.600 --> 00:35:16.000 congregation and I certainly spent time studying the scriptures 534 00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:21.800 for the work of the ministry while I was in the parish. 535 00:35:21.800 --> 00:35:26.700 I didn't I didn't spend a lot of time in what you might call academic 536 00:35:26.700 --> 00:35:29.800 academic biblical study. 537 00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:33.200 I wasn't trying to produce scholarly writings or anything like that 538 00:35:33.200 --> 00:35:37.100 during those years. My experience was a little 539 00:35:37.100 --> 00:35:40.600 bit on a rebound after all the academic stuff you've been doing for 8 540 00:35:40.600 --> 00:35:41.100 years. 541 00:35:41.100 --> 00:35:46.900 It's very refreshing to now be able to kind of bring that together in 542 00:35:46.900 --> 00:35:53.000 a way that is hopefully deeply rooted and and well thought-through, 543 00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:58.600 but now can be brought together in very clear and straightforward and 544 00:35:58.600 --> 00:36:03.700 practical life connecting ways with the with Ministry to 545 00:36:03.700 --> 00:36:09.200 God's people so so it was had a nice Pace do it our life our life at 546 00:36:09.200 --> 00:36:09.700 Zion. 547 00:36:09.700 --> 00:36:15.000 I spent I could take a day off and generally on my day off 548 00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:17.900 I would just do a lot of yard work. We lived 549 00:36:17.900 --> 00:36:21.600 on an acreage out in the country and it was just it was very good for 550 00:36:21.600 --> 00:36:26.400 mental health to be able to just spend a whole day puttering around 551 00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:31.400 mowing and trimming and burning the trash and all that kind of fun 552 00:36:31.400 --> 00:36:31.700 stuff. 553 00:36:31.700 --> 00:36:35.700 We had a trash barrel too. And that kind of outside work 554 00:36:35.700 --> 00:36:39.100 your your subconscious is his processing things. 555 00:36:39.100 --> 00:36:41.400 Your thinking through all kinds of things. 556 00:36:41.400 --> 00:36:42.100 Yeah. 557 00:36:42.100 --> 00:36:48.200 So how long did you serve at Zion and tells about coming back to the 558 00:36:48.200 --> 00:36:51.200 Seminary? I was there for five years and 559 00:36:52.300 --> 00:36:55.800 and had been contacted Paul 560 00:36:55.800 --> 00:36:58.900 Raabe called me from the Seminary when I'd only been in the parish 561 00:36:58.900 --> 00:37:02.600 for maybe two years and said we really are looking for somebody to 562 00:37:02.600 --> 00:37:03.600 teach Old Testament. 563 00:37:03.600 --> 00:37:07.500 Would you think about coming back? And I had said no, it's just too 564 00:37:07.500 --> 00:37:07.600 soon. 565 00:37:07.600 --> 00:37:08.900 I just I just got here 566 00:37:08.900 --> 00:37:13.500 I'm not going to leave the call after that short time and and he 567 00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:17.400 called again a couple years later and said we really need somebody in 568 00:37:17.400 --> 00:37:18.000 Old Testament. 569 00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:22.100 Would you think about coming back and I and I again I said no and he 570 00:37:22.100 --> 00:37:26.100 said well if you know how how long until you would really consider it? 571 00:37:26.100 --> 00:37:32.000 And I said, I don't know maybe not maybe 10 years maybe 15 years and 572 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:34.900 but right after that conversation, I remember going back to the 573 00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:35.400 parsonage. 574 00:37:35.400 --> 00:37:40.300 It was about lunch time and talking to Tori and and mentioning that 575 00:37:40.300 --> 00:37:47.100 Paul Raabe had called and I just started to think out loud as I 576 00:37:47.100 --> 00:37:48.400 processed it with her. 577 00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:51.200 You know, maybe I can't just say no. 578 00:37:51.200 --> 00:37:52.300 Maybe I need 579 00:37:52.300 --> 00:37:57.900 to really think about this at the church has needs I can't just say 580 00:37:57.900 --> 00:37:58.100 no, 581 00:37:58.100 --> 00:37:58.700 thanks. 582 00:37:58.700 --> 00:38:02.800 I really need to tow it to weigh it and so I actually came down to St. 583 00:38:02.800 --> 00:38:04.100 Louis visited with him. 584 00:38:04.100 --> 00:38:08.900 Thought about things I had to come and taught a guest course at one 585 00:38:08.900 --> 00:38:13.000 point that also is a little eye-opening to me to realize when when I 586 00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:17.100 realized after being away from my Graduate Studies for 4 years how 587 00:38:17.100 --> 00:38:22.200 hard it was to come into the classroom and teach in a specialized way. 588 00:38:22.200 --> 00:38:27.900 And I begin I began to realize it's maybe a little naïve to think that 589 00:38:27.900 --> 00:38:33.000 I could after 10 or 15 years of being away from that really focused 590 00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:38.100 work that I would be equipped to teach because we all know we all here 591 00:38:38.100 --> 00:38:40.200 at the Seminary have a love for 592 00:38:41.500 --> 00:38:46.100 the work of the church and the ministry of the word in people's lives. 593 00:38:46.100 --> 00:38:52.800 We also all teach out of a developed specialization in some area 594 00:38:52.800 --> 00:38:58.800 and so that's that's important for the church. That's where we are pausing on because a lot 595 00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:01.700 of times especially in conventions you here, you know. 596 00:39:02.700 --> 00:39:05.800 The assumption a pastor can move in to be a professor. 597 00:39:05.800 --> 00:39:10.800 Well, we want our professors to have pastoral experience as you 598 00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:16.000 do. I think the average is or at least was nine nine years that our 599 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:22.300 professors have have a parish Ministry, but your average Parish 600 00:39:22.300 --> 00:39:27.000 Pastor, which I was, could not come in and teach Hebrew. Right. 601 00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:30.100 I mean there's an expertise there which is for the good of the church 602 00:39:30.100 --> 00:39:32.400 we're not a bible college. 603 00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:38.500 So so I just I just wanted to make that that that point a pastor and 604 00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:44.600 professors are not usually interchangeable parts and that's no 605 00:39:44.600 --> 00:39:48.600 disrespect to pastors cuz they're the ones on the line, you know 606 00:39:48.600 --> 00:39:52.790 where we're kind of removed, but I know that under your leadership 607 00:39:52.790 --> 00:39:57.700 will produce pastors who have a theological bent and are in the 608 00:39:57.700 --> 00:40:01.000 trenches for our lives for our Lord's mission. 609 00:40:01.500 --> 00:40:12.400 So so Doctor Raabe's pull was? So we eventually just I guess I would say the 610 00:40:12.400 --> 00:40:15.700 Lord changed my mind and changed my focus 611 00:40:15.700 --> 00:40:20.600 and I really I guess just open my eyes to the question. 612 00:40:20.600 --> 00:40:26.500 Not just not just what is the need right before you or are you happy 613 00:40:26.500 --> 00:40:28.100 in your current situation? 614 00:40:28.100 --> 00:40:31.200 Cuz we were very happy in her current situation is very hard to leave. 615 00:40:31.200 --> 00:40:34.400 But he open my eyes to the question of 616 00:40:36.300 --> 00:40:39.700 what does the church and need and and where do you fit into the 617 00:40:39.700 --> 00:40:45.800 equation of that set of needs but it was hard. 618 00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:46.800 It was hard to leave the country. 619 00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:49.100 We had two grown very 620 00:40:52.300 --> 00:40:54.800 we loved life in the country, 621 00:40:54.800 --> 00:40:58.500 let me say that. And we even we thought and how did we ever put up with 622 00:40:58.500 --> 00:41:00.000 living in the middle of St. 623 00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:02.400 Louis and we're never going back to a city again. 624 00:41:02.400 --> 00:41:06.300 And and and here we were heading back to St. 625 00:41:06.300 --> 00:41:06.400 Louis. 626 00:41:06.400 --> 00:41:08.100 But but we love St. 627 00:41:08.100 --> 00:41:10.100 Louis and our children have loved St. 628 00:41:10.100 --> 00:41:10.500 Louis. 629 00:41:10.500 --> 00:41:15.700 So. It's a great town and the Seminary is located in 630 00:41:15.700 --> 00:41:19.400 just a wonderful location in the greater metropolitan area. 631 00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:22.300 I having served in in in 632 00:41:23.800 --> 00:41:28.500 a dual parish in the country have always fantasized about having a 633 00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:32.400 little acreage it finally hit me 15 years ago. 634 00:41:32.400 --> 00:41:39.000 This is it 72 acres that I can play with garden yada while I'm still 635 00:41:39.000 --> 00:41:41.200 carrying the load and thinking through things. 636 00:41:41.200 --> 00:41:45.800 So you have been on campus before you you did live in a house 637 00:41:45.800 --> 00:41:50.200 five? Right, for our first five years back we were on campus. Now House number 1 is really 638 00:41:50.200 --> 00:41:52.300 renovated nicely. 639 00:41:52.300 --> 00:41:52.800 So yeah, 640 00:41:52.800 --> 00:41:57.700 yeah. So you'll be back in this is this little acreage where you don't 641 00:41:57.700 --> 00:42:01.200 even realize you're in the middle of a metropolitan area when you're 642 00:42:01.200 --> 00:42:04.900 when you're on the campus. One of the one of the things I love about the campus, 643 00:42:04.900 --> 00:42:10.100 especially in the last years and I'm not sure if this was Gales idea 644 00:42:10.100 --> 00:42:14.700 or Diane's idea or what we've always had beautiful plantings, but 645 00:42:14.700 --> 00:42:17.600 they've gotten nicer and nicer but alongside just ornamental 646 00:42:17.600 --> 00:42:18.400 plantings. 647 00:42:18.400 --> 00:42:23.800 They started to plant vegetables and and different 648 00:42:23.800 --> 00:42:30.100 herbs different things that you can actually make use of both as 649 00:42:30.100 --> 00:42:34.900 decoration and as as something that benefits the community as a kind 650 00:42:34.900 --> 00:42:39.100 of a home garden sprinkled in different spots on campus and that's just 651 00:42:39.100 --> 00:42:41.200 that's such a fun idea such a great idea. Yeah, 652 00:42:41.200 --> 00:42:46.300 there's a there's a long story to that and it's a positive story. 653 00:42:46.300 --> 00:42:54.600 You know, we cannot ask we cannot expect you to lay out what you see 654 00:42:54.600 --> 00:42:58.200 programmatically for the Seminary in the years ahead. 655 00:42:58.200 --> 00:43:01.000 Like I said, it takes a long time to grow into that position. 656 00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:06.700 But but talk about your hopes for the Seminary I and one of things I 657 00:43:06.700 --> 00:43:11.500 might say is when I started my my cousin told me he said pick goals 658 00:43:11.500 --> 00:43:15.600 for your tenure and I said John I don't even know the job. 659 00:43:15.600 --> 00:43:16.000 Yeah. 660 00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:20.300 He said, he was an HR vice president for large company, and he said no 661 00:43:20.300 --> 00:43:23.800 pick goals for your tenure year and I did that. 662 00:43:23.800 --> 00:43:27.500 And I never publicized them talked about him very much. 663 00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:30.200 What just in a general way 664 00:43:30.200 --> 00:43:34.600 do you hope that the Egger Administration will do? Yeah. 665 00:43:34.600 --> 00:43:41.600 Well, first of all, I would say that the heritage of this institution 666 00:43:41.600 --> 00:43:48.300 and what's being kind of placed into my hands is is its own beauty and 667 00:43:48.300 --> 00:43:54.700 good and I aspire to simply further and strengthen the work 668 00:43:54.700 --> 00:43:58.600 that's been being done here for the last 182 years. 669 00:43:58.600 --> 00:44:03.700 I remember when you when you first began as president one of the 670 00:44:03.700 --> 00:44:07.600 things that you said and I don't know this is one of your formal goals 671 00:44:07.600 --> 00:44:12.700 or just kind of a catch phrase that summarized what you think's 672 00:44:12.700 --> 00:44:14.900 important kind of captures the essence of things. 673 00:44:14.900 --> 00:44:19.100 You said you hope that the Seminary would be a place where the 674 00:44:19.100 --> 00:44:23.600 students and the whole community would love Jesus and 675 00:44:23.700 --> 00:44:30.200 love one another. And that in my mind is that that's a beautiful way to 676 00:44:30.200 --> 00:44:36.000 summarize the life of this institution to prepare Church workers who 677 00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:43.300 in their theology have have a beautiful Christ-centered focus. A 678 00:44:43.300 --> 00:44:49.200 treasuring of the Gospel that Jesus Christ and his work and his love 679 00:44:49.200 --> 00:44:56.400 is is a focal point of their time here the focal point of their time 680 00:44:56.400 --> 00:44:59.600 here and then that is reflected in the life of the community. 681 00:44:59.600 --> 00:45:04.500 You also during your years here and when we brought in the benches and 682 00:45:04.500 --> 00:45:07.800 tables and you talked about benches and tables benches and tables. We were 683 00:45:07.800 --> 00:45:14.900 installed the same day. Yeah 16 years ago. And I think those kinds of that kind of a 684 00:45:14.900 --> 00:45:20.900 priority to of cultivating community here. Cultivating a shared life 685 00:45:20.900 --> 00:45:23.600 and boy after these will after this last year 686 00:45:23.700 --> 00:45:28.000 and a half we are so thirsting to get past covid and resume our full life. 687 00:45:31.300 --> 00:45:32.300 of community her in this place. 688 00:45:34.300 --> 00:45:36.360 And that is something I hope to be intentional about cultivating 689 00:45:37.360 --> 00:45:40.360 and encouraging. Well you know that you have my complete support. 690 00:45:40.370 --> 00:45:46.360 I'll be in the background but anything I can do to help you because what you just said thrills me. 691 00:45:46.370 --> 00:45:50.360 And I know it thrills you our audience as well. 692 00:45:50.370 --> 00:45:53.360 President Egger thank you so much for being today. 693 00:45:53.360 --> 00:45:56.360 And thanks to our audience for joining us. 694 00:45:56.360 --> 00:46:04.360 May the intersection of Word and Work be busy and a blessing on your corner.