Reflection

He comes from New York, grew up in Iowa and now lives in Wisconsin.A life-long - and long-suffering - Buffalo Bills fan, as well as being the youngest of seven children, Steve Kline has a rather unique insight on who God is and what it means to be a follower of Jesus.To find out more about Steve:Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran ChurchBooks recommended by Steve:Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Joseph Gretty, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, and Emily GregoryThe Best Is Yet to Come: 7 Doors of Spiritual Growth by John KieschnickIf You Want to Walk on Water by John OrtbergHeaven by Randy AlcornRed Letter Challenge by Zach ZehnderPlease take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us. Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.⁠⁠⁠The St. Mathew YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The St. Matthew Podcast Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here for more information about St. Matthe⁠w⁠

He is a husband, father, pastor, public speaker, and author. And he’s got something to say to today’s generation!The Christian Faith is not an obligation.The Christian Church is not a place where you “check the boxes.”Meet Zach Zehnder, who tells us that following Jesus is an opportunity!For more about Zach, head over to his website, Red Letter Challenge.Red Letter ChallengeBooks recommended by Zach:Confessing Jesus’ Mission by Tim Ahlman The Prodigal God by Tim KellerSteps by Jon Ortberg Divine Conspiracy by Dallas WillardGood to Great by Jim CollinsPlease take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us. Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.⁠⁠The St. Mathew YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The St. Matthew Podcast Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here for more information about St. Matthe⁠w⁠

Rev. Dr. Jerry Kieschnick, former president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and longtime pastor and leader, reflects on a life formed in Texas, unexpected vocational turns, and mentoring others into ministry. He discusses starting new congregations, creating flexible pastoral training models like SMP and PLI, leading large church initiatives, and encouraging families to inspire future pastors.

Life feels heavy at times. Especially in dark times.Where do you turn when it does? Who do you turn to to get through what you're going through?Tanner Olson returns to the Reflection Podcast with a new book of poems and essays!To find out more about Tanner, go to Written to Speak.To get a copy of Getting Through What You're Going Through, click here.Here are the previous episodes featuring Tanner.That's What I Need to Hear with Tanner Olson and Blake Flattley.Life is Not a Race and You are Not Behind with Tanner Olson.Please take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us. Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.The St. Mathew YouTube Channel⁠⁠The St. Matthew Podcast Channel⁠⁠⁠Click here for more information about St. Matthe⁠w⁠

What if I told you that the Christmas story you know—Mary, Joseph, a manger, and a baby—wasn’t a surprise to God… not even close? In fact, He announced it centuries in advance, hiding jaw-dropping clues in plain sight all throughout the Old Testament. Some scholars say there are as many as 300 specific prophecies about the Messiah written hundreds, even thousands of years before Jesus was born.On this special Christmas episode, author and scholar Chad Bird sits down with Ed Blonski to pull back the curtain on four of the most astonishing prophecies. We’re talking precise details—where He’d be born, how He’d arrive, what His mission would be—that are so accurate they’ll make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.If you’ve ever wondered whether the Christmas story is more than just a sweet tradition… if you want proof that blows the lid off coincidence… you do NOT want to miss this one.Hit play right now and discover why the first Christmas was the most predicted moment in human history.Chad Bird is a Scholar in Residence at ⁠1517.org⁠. He has served as a pastor, professor, and guest lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew. He holds master's degrees from Concordia Theological Seminary and Hebrew Union College. He has contributed articles to Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Modern Reformation, The Federalist, Lutheran Forum, and other journals and websites. Reflection Episodes Featuring Chad BirdUntamed Prayers Part 1Untamed Prayers Part 2Hitchhiking with ProphetsConnection Between Passover and The Lord's SupperJesus Died and Rose For YouPodcasts featuring Chad Bird40 Minutes in the Old TestamentHidden StreamsUnveiling MercyBooks by Chad Bird can be found at 1517.orgTo connect with St. Matthew Lutheran, click ⁠⁠here⁠⁠: Please take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us.Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.

Today you'll get a little insight into how a preacher learns how to preach from one of the men responsible for teaching preaching!He grew up in a church worker family, became a parish pastor himself and then was called to teach homiletics at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.To find out more about Peter Nafzger, click here.Book recommendation:The Genius of Luther's Theology: A Wittenberg Way of Thinking for the Contemporary Church by  Robert Kolb  &  Charles P. ArandJust Words: Understanding the Fullness of the Gospel by  J. A. O. PreusLoving Jesus by Mark Allan PowellTo connect with St. Matthew Lutheran, click ⁠here⁠Please take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us. Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.

From small town Iowa to the capital of the United States, Mark Shaltanis serves as pastor in one of the most contentious but also exciting places in the world! He will inspire you to reflect God's light and love in this world!Book RecommendationsFearful Breakers by Janice SebringThe Story of Civilization: The Reformation by Will DurantMartin Luther’s Small Catechism with ExplanationThe Lutheran Study BibleThe Lutheran Service Book (hymnal)To connect with St. Matthew Lutheran, click here.Please take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us. Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.

A public school teacher who ends up serving as a missionary in Europe then comes back to America to lead Deaconess studies in the U.S.This is the inspiring story of Dr. Jennie Asher, Deaconess and Director of Deaconess Studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.To find out more about the Deaconess Program at Concordia Seminary, click here. Books recommended by Dr. Asher:The Lutheran Study BibleThe Lutheran Service Book (hymnal)Cottage Decorating Books from AmazonTo connect with St. Matthew Lutheran, click here: ⁠Please take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us. Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.

Sometimes we have a plan for our lives and then God comes along and says, "Have I got something for you!"That's what happened to Jamie Crustals. And you are about to hear her story.Books recommend by Jamie:Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel Spark by John J. Ratey MD and Eric HagermanThe Spark of Learning by Sarah Rose Cavanagh To connect with St. Matthew Lutheran, click here: Please take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us. Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.

Dreams are a reflection of what is in our heart. And if our heart belongs to God then our dreams can be anchored in God!Today's conversation is with Dave Ficken, who is the Chicago City Director for LINC - Leaders in every Community (the "e" is silent). The dream of LINC is that there will come a day when everyone on every corner of our cities can experience the Gospel in terms they can understand from someone they know.To find out more about LINC click here.Some books that Dave recommends to help you catch their dream:The Other Half of Church: Christian Community, Brain Science, and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation by Jim Wilder and Michel HendricksThe Voice of the Heart: A Call to Full Living by Chip DoddCanoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory by Tod BolsingerPlease take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us. Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference. Finally, share this episode! Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee. You never know who might need to hear this message today.For more about St. Matthew, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.