Politics can be a divisive thing to discuss, but it's an important part of engaging in our vocations. Rev. Dr. Chad Lakies comes in to discuss how we can have healthy conversations about politics in our youth ministry. Bio:Rev. Dr. Chad Lakies is the Vice President for Ministry Engagement with Lutheran Hour Ministries. His work centers around helping the church become more outreach focused by empowering it to share the Gospel with non-churched individuals at more personal levels. His former life as a non-believer provides exceedingly relevant experience for thinking about how to engage with our friends and neighbors outside the kingdom of God. Lakies regularly speaks at national conferences for pastors and church professionals and has published in several journals on the topic of faith and culture. He is the author of How the Light Shines Through: Resilient Witness in Dark Times (Concordia Publishing House, 2024), a guide for helping the church engage in winsome witness while facing the challenges of contemporary culture. Prior to his time with Lutheran Hour Ministries, Lakies served as department chair and associate professor of religion at Concordia University in Portland, OR. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology from the University of Michigan and an M.Div. and Ph.D. in systematic theology from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He and his wife Bethany have two daughters. Resources:YouthESource Website – youthesource.com How the Light Shines Through by Rev. Dr. Chad Lakies - cph.org/how-the-light-shines-through-resilient-witness-in-dark-times The Two Realms and the Separation of Church and State by Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann - cph.org/the-two-realms-and-the-separation-of-church-and-state