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  Word and Work Session 52

  Dale Meyer and Abjar Bahkou

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer chats with Associate Professor of Practical Theology Dr. Abjar Bahkou. The two men talk about Bahkou’s background, the Seminary’s annual Multiethnic Symposium and the importance of reaching people of all cultures and ethnicities with the Gospel and Lutheran doctrine. “We have to open up globally and invite people to come and learn our beautiful Lutheran theology,” Bahkou says. In the audio version, also hear a recent chapel sermon from Bahkou. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 53

  Dale Meyer and John Kotovsky

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer talks with Rev. John Kotovsky, CEO of Lutheran Senior Services, which is the 16th largest senior living nonprofit in the country. Learn more about the agency at Lutheran Senior Services. In the audio version, also hear from freelance film critic Abby Olcese, one of the moderators at the Seminary’s first Faith and Film Festival held in January 2020. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 54

  Dale Meyer and Ron Roma

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer sits down with Rev. Ron Roma (’80), chaplain at the Lutheran Church Extension Fund who retired last year from Lutheran High School South in St. Louis after 43 years of service. Roma served as an instructor, counselor, pastor, department chairman at the school. Roma also is a founder of the Show Me Lutheran Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) program, which offers retreats for older youth to encounter the presence of Christ in their lives and to commit themselves to a life under Him. Learn more about the program at Show-Me Lutheran Teens Encounter Christ. In the audio version, also hear a Preachers Studio segment with Professor David Schmitt who interviews Dr. William Utech (’88), assist to the district president for Missions in the LCMS Minnesota South District, as well as a chapel sermon by Utech. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 55

  Dale Meyer, Glenn Nielsen, and Sue Nielsen

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer chats with Professor of Practical Theology Dr. Glenn Nielsen and his wife, Sue, handlers for Noah Comfort Dog. The couple share how they got involved in the Lutheran Church Charities Comfort Dog Ministry through their home congregation at Timothy Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Mo. Learn more about the program at LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry. Learn more about Noah on Facebook @ NoahComfortDog. In the second half of the audio version, Meyer explores the topic of Lutheranism in Finland with Rev. Risto Soramies, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland. Learn more at Concordia Theology

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  Word and Work Session 56

  Dale Meyer and Julie Gary

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis President Dr. Dale A. Meyer sits down with Dr. Julie Gary, the Seminary’s health and wellness coordinator. Gary is a U.S. Army veteran with a bachelor’s degree in premedical studies from the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind., and master’s and doctoral degrees in public health from Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Mo. As an epidemiologist and a Christian, she speaks in this episode about how her faith, education and leadership experience guide her work at the Seminary during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. She and Meyer also discuss specific steps the Seminary has taken in response to the pandemic. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 57

  Dale Meyer and Joel Elowsky

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis President Dr. Dale A. Meyer talks about the early Christian church, Cyprian, who was bishop of Carthage in the third century, as well as plagues that affected the early church with Dr. Joel Elowsky, professor of Historical Theology and director of the Seminary’s Center for the Study of Early Christian Texts. The conversation has particular meaning as the world confronts the current coronavirus pandemic. “Cyprian’s ‘On the Mortality’ [brought] the resurrected Christ and our eternal hope to the comfort of his people in that day,” Meyer says. “That’s what we have today, the same Christ, the same resurrection, the same confident hope.” Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 58

  Dale Meyer and Thomas Egger

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer talks with Dr. Thomas Egger, associate professor of Exegetical Theology. The two men talk about the Old Testament and lessons we can learn from Scripture to endure during the ongoing pandemic. Egger encourages people to feed on the Scriptures and to serve others with the love of Jesus during these trying times. In the audio version, also hear from professors Dr. Erik Herrmann and Dr. Richard “Rick” Marrs as they talk about Marrs’ new book, Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 59

  Dale Meyer and Robert Kolb

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer sits down with Dr. Robert Kolb, professor emeritus, about his writings on Luther and how, through Kolb’s travels and teaching, he has helped bring the Seminary to the world. In the audio version, hear a chapel sermon from Rev. Ben Griffin (’03), executive director of LINC Twin Cities in Saint Paul, Minn., followed by a “Preacher’s Studio” discussion with Professor of Practical Theology Dr. David Schmitt and Griffin as they break down the sermon for listeners. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 60

  Dale Meyer and Leopoldo Sanchez

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer chats with Dr. Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M., the Werner R. H. and Elizabeth R. Krause Professor of Hispanic Ministries, professor of Systematic Theology and director of the Seminary’s Center for Hispanic Studies. The two men discuss Sánchez’s background as well as his new publication, Biblioteca teológica Concordia: Escatología. The book is the latest in the series by Concordia Publishing House. The series is the first Spanish-language theological series written from Lutheran confessional perspective. In the audio version, Dr. Erik Herrmann discusses Sánchez’s book, Sculptor Spirit: Models of Sanctification from Spirit Christology from InterVarsity Press. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 61

  Dale Meyer and John Schmidtke

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer chats with Rev. John Schmidtke (’87), pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Louis. The two men talk about ministry in the heart of St. Louis City, the church’s creation of a nonprofit housing corporation, the need for more pastors and Schmidtke’s upcoming book, A Place Not Forgotten, which will be available on Amazon in August 2020. “We need pastors,” Schmidtke said. “We need people who want to be in the city — black and white and brown. … When I look out at the young men in our church, I want to raise up guys into the ministry. We’ve got to make it a priority to keep raising up more servants of the Lord.” In the audio version, hear a chapel sermon from Schmidtke. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 62

  Dale Meyer and Micah Glenn

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Dr. Dale A. Meyer sits down with Director of Recruitment Rev. Micah Glenn (’16), an African American pastor in the largely white LCMS. The two men talk about the need to recruit more pastors as well as the need to recruit pastoral students from diverse backgrounds. They also discuss Glenn’s first call as a missionary to Ferguson, Mo., in the aftermath of the Michael Brown police shooting and today’s continuing calls around the world for racial equity for Black people in light of the death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minn. In the audio version, hear an address from Glenn at the 2019 National Youth Gathering, “Do We Really Need to Talk about Racism?” Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 63

  Dale Meyer and Don Everts

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer interviews Rev. Don Everts, a writer with Lutheran Hour Ministries, about his upcoming book, The Hopeful Neighborhood: What Happens When Christians Pursue the Common Good from IVP. The book is about rediscovering the beauty and the fruit that comes from the people and places in our neighborhoods. Learn more about the book at The Hopeful Neighborhood.Learn more about the project at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 64

  Dale Meyer and Micah Glenn

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer continues his conversation with Director of Recruitment Rev. Micah Glenn about recruitment, racism, Christianity, and ways the church can become “more organically diverse.” “Our message of the Gospel would be more clear to the world if we attempted to tackle some of these other issues, heartfelt, as Christians,” Glenn says. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 65

  Dale Meyer and Mark Rockenbach

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer talks with Dr. Mark Rockenbach about the pandemic, the current stresses being felt by church workers and congregation members, and recommendations for helping one another get through the crisis. Rockenbach is an associate professor of Practical Theology whose areas of expertise include pastoral care, Christian counseling, forgiveness and reconciliation. “The one thing we know for sure is that whatever comes, God’s going to be there in the midst and provide,” Rockenbach says. He encourages everyone, while being physically distant to prevent the spread of COVID-19, to somehow stay connected. “We need each other,” Rockenbach says. “We need to be in contact with each other. We just need to find different ways of doing that it in the current situation.” In the audio version, hear a recent chapel sermon from Rockenbach. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 66

  Dale Meyer and Daniel Preus

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer talks with Interim President Dr. Daniel Preus. Preus is serving as president until a new president is named to replace Meyer, who retired June 30, 2020. Preus shares a few insights about his childhood, growing up on the Seminary campus, his early days leading the campus through the pandemic and a few career highlights including his newest role at the Seminary. “I’m not coming here to start new initiatives, new programs,” Preus said. “I don’t think that’s my role.” He said he sees his role as interim president to continue the course with “an intense focus on the Gospel, on what it means to be a Christian, with the hope that that attitude and that theme can characterize the life of the Seminary, the life of the students, the faculty and so on,” Preus said. “I will do everything I can do to promote that.” Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 67

  Dale Meyer and Jeffrey Oschwald

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer delves into Luke and Acts with Dr. Jeffrey Oschwald, professor of Exegetical Theology. “One of the things that I find so fascinating about the book [of Acts is] … for the first time humans are trying to put into words what Jesus has accomplished for us,” Oschwald says. In the audio version, hear a recent chapel sermon from Oschwald, professor of Exegetical Theology. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 68

  Dale Meyer, Timothy Brackman, and Cindy Burreson

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer talks with Dr. Timothy Brackman, principal of Lutheran High School North in St. Louis, and Cindy Burreson, director of counseling at the school, about the challenges the coronavirus has brought to the school, its students and its faculty as well as the faith-sharing opportunities that have resulted. The school is currently offering a mix of in-person and remote learning because of social distancing restrictions. At any one time, about 1/3 of the school’s students are on campus. Even so, the school offers daily chapel, which is central to the school’s being, Brackman says. “Our theme this year is ‘Inseparable.’ Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ,” he says. “Maybe we aren’t together in the same physical location, but [we remind] students every day that Jesus has died for us, risen for us and nothing can separate us from His love.” In the audio version, hear a recent chapel sermon from Dr. Erik Herrmann, associate professor of Historical Theology, chairman of the Department of Historical Theology and director of Concordia Theology. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 69

  Dale Meyer and John Eckrich

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer sits down with Dr. John Eckrich, founder of Grace Place Wellness Ministries. Eckrich has written a new book, Family Wellness: Raising Resilient, Christ-Purposed Children from Concordia Publishing House. Eckrich defines “resilient” as the “ability to respond to changes and stresses and challenges that we have in life in an effective manner.” He says, “One of the words I really like to describe people who are resilient is they have perseverance. They can try and try again.” Learn more about the book at Family Wellness and learn more about Grace Place at Grace Place Wellness Ministries. In the audio version, hear more about Grace Place from the organization’s Program Director Dr. Darrell Zimmerman. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 70

  Dale Meyer and Mart Thompson

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer explores the ins and outs of the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) Program with Dr. W. Mart Thompson, the program director. The distance-education, certification program helps prepare pastors for specific ministries in the church. “It is definitely meeting the needs of the church at large in providing pastors,” Thompson says. The two men also discuss the Seminary’s Life Team in which Thompson serves as faculty adviser. The student-led organization affirms life and equips the community for ministry in congregations and the world. In the audio version, hear a chapel sermon from Professor of Practical Theology Dr. David Schmitt during a special Life Team service for those who have lost a child. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 71

  Dale Meyer and William Engfehr III

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer engages in a fascinating discussion with Rev. William Engfehr III, who has served as a chaplain with Illinois State Police for 27 years. He serves through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Specialized Pastoral Ministry (SPM). Engfehr, in his role as a chaplain, provides physical, emotional and spiritual support for troopers. “The secondary purpose,” he says, “is to assist the troopers as they interact with the public, which usually means victims of trauma, violence or crime. It’s ‘both and’ but the first goal is to help keep troopers healthy.” In the audio version, hear the debut of a new vlog, “Mission Works: Thanks to Donors” with Meyer as host. The vlog, which is available on the Seminary’s href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEgCxRjjYcw_0KuoSdsYXg?view_as=subscriber">YouTube Channel, shows how God’s mission is at work through stories of real-time campus activities and highlights the important role of the Seminary’s generous donors. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 72

  Dale Meyer and Joel Biermann III

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer tackles the subject of how we as Christians should interface with our secular culture and the government with Professor of Systematic Theology Dr. Joel Biermann. “God is at work in the world,” Biermann says. “Christians and the church need to help the government stay accountable and stay truthful. When we tell people, ‘in God we trust’ and ‘one nation under God,’ really that’s a reminder that you’re accountable to God for what you do. God is going to judge you someday. Are you doing things the way He wants you?” Biermann is the author of Wholly Citizens: God’s Two Realms and Christian Engagement with the World. In the audio version of the program, listen to a recent chapel sermon from Biermann. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 73

  Dale Meyer and Philip Penhallegon

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer sits down with Dr. Philip Penhallegon, who became professor of Exegetical Theology in July 2020. Penhallegon joined the Seminary from Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich. (CUAA), where he taught biblical languages and Bible content. His areas of interest include the books of Esther and Nehemiah, and biblical Hebrew and Greek. “The task of an exegete is to read and to read very carefully the text,” Penhallegon says. “This is the task I wanted to do and this is the task I get to do.” The two men discuss theology and the Old Testament throughout the episode. Penhallegon says he exhorts his students — future pastors — to create time to read Scripture. “Set aside the time, put a note on your door, ‘In the Word,’’ he says. “Ask the congregation to exhort you to spend time in the Word. That’s our task, to be in the Word. When we’re in it, then we can bring it and apply it to lives of ourselves and the people around us.” In the audio version, hear a recent chapel sermon from Penhallegon. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 74

  Dale Meyer and Benjamin Haupt

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer talks all things recruitment and admissions related with Associate Provost Dr. Benjamin Haupt. Haupt shares how enrollment in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Program increased 55% this year, rising from 42 students in 2019 to 65 this fall. From 2004 to 2019, M.Div. enrollment declined by 60%. “But the good news is, God listens to the prayers of His people,” Haupt says. “People have been praying for this institution for a long time.” According to a survey of new students, the top two reasons students chose to come to the Seminary this fall was because of its Christ-centered confessional Lutheran reputation and the Seminary’s guaranteed tuition, which is offered to M.Div. and Deaconess Studies students. The only way the Seminary is able to offer guaranteed tuition is because of the support of donors, Meyer notes. “Our annual revenues are over 90% from donations,” Meyer says. “We are donor dependent. Thank God for them [because] they are at one with us in this mission for the Lord Jesus.” In the audio version of the program, listen to a recent chapel sermon from Haupt. Learn more at Concordia Theology

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  Word and Work Session 75

  Dale Meyer and Timothy Saleska

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer talks with Dean of Ministerial Formation Dr. Timothy Saleska. The two men delve into the topics of exegetical theology and the Psalms. Saleska, professor of Exegetical Theology, is the author of Psalms 1-50 in the Concordia Commentary series (Concordia Publishing House). Learn more about the book at Psalms 1-50.I always was interested in [the Psalms] when I was a parish pastor,” Saleska says. “It become very obvious that the Psalms are the go-to texts that people want to hear and pray at these really poignant … points in of their lives, for example, around the grave of a loved one, when you’re in the hospital facing surgery or facing a daunting diagnosis. Psalms come to mind on the lips of our worshipers, psalms of praise and thanksgiving as well as lament. And so any pastor quickly sees how the Psalms are filled with language that describes the inner life of people.” In the audio version of the program, Meyer highlights a special mentoring program that students participate in as part of the Master of Divinity Program. Learn more at Concordia Theology.

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  Word and Work Session 76

  Dale Meyer and Keith Duesenberg

  In Word and Work: An Intersection, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer chats with Keith Duesenberg, a financial educator with Concordia Plans. Duesenberg “serves those in His service” by working with students, faculty and staff at Concordia Seminary and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. Concordia Plans is the benefit provider for the LCMS and its workers. “What has really been humbling is being able to serve those that are working inside of our LCMS church,” Duesenberg says. “I want to help them understand more fully [their] benefits.” In the audio version of the program, hear a chapel sermon from Dr. Roosevelt Gray, director of LCMS Black Ministry. Learn more at Concordia Theology.