What is meant by Separation of Church and State? How does the First Amendment protect the Christian conscience? How can we defend religious liberties in the civil realm? Rev. Dr. Christopher Thoma joins Steph to tackle these questions and more!

Bio:

Reverend Dr. Christopher I. Thoma serves as Senior Pastor of Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church & School in Hartland, Michigan.

Having become deeply involved in Church and State issues, Thoma regularly engages with executive, legislative, and judicial leaders at the local, state, and federal levels. He labors in this way not only to bring the concerns of the Church to the forefront of government but also to carry back knowledge and resources to his congregation and the Christian community at large.

Thoma is the Executive Director of The Body of Christ and the Public Square (BOCPS.org). He is often called upon to speak at various assemblies and conferences.

Thoma has partnered with tier-one thinkers, sharing the stage with prominent newsmakers such as Matt Walsh, Ben Shapiro, Dennis Prager, Dinesh D’Souza, Candace Owens, Charlie Kirk, and others.

Thoma continues to be a guest on podcasts and radio broadcasts to speak to current political and cultural issues. In addition to his social media presence and blogging, he is an avid writer, having authored various volumes on pastoral care, liturgy, and Christian suffering. His four-volume devotional collection entitled The Cruciform Way: A Steady Cadence of Christ for Life enjoys notable endorsements from Dr. Alveda King, Riley Gaines, Charlie Kirk, Lt. General Gerry Boykin, and others. On the lighter side, he has authored two children’s books, Tea with the Moon and There’s a Bug on the Floor, also the five-volume collection entitled The Angels’ Portion: A Clergyman’s Whisky Narrative, which exemplifies his abilities as a humorist. Having garnered attention in the field of distilled spirits, he enjoys forewords and endorsements from the likes of Dinesh D’Souza, Stephen Beam (Founder & Master Distiller of Limestone Branch Distillery), Mark Gillespie (Executive Producer and Host of Whisky Cast), and others.

In the spring of 2017, Reverend Thoma was awarded a Distinguished Fellowship from Salt & Light Global Wilberforce Academy, an extension of the Great Lakes Justice Center. In January 2021, he was appointed the religious liberty liaison for the English District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. He earned his doctorate in June of 2024 from Liberty University.

Resources:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Rev. Noah and Becky Rogness join Steph to talk about how parents, teachers, and youth workers can talk to kids about the election, encourage civic involvement, and model calm when the nation is anxious.

Bio:

Rev. Noah Rogness is the pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Tomah, WI. Prior to his call to Good Shepherd, Rogness served parishes in Fergus Fall, MN, and Alexandria, VA. He also served in the United States Army, achieving the rank of Sergeant Major and retiring with 24 years of service. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Minnesota–Duluth, and he earned his M.Div from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. He is married to Becky and they are raising their six children.

Becky Rogness is owner of Rogness Communications, a small business specializing in public relations for pro-life policy makers and non-profit organizations. Becky’s clients have included national and regional pro-life organizations and policy makers including Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch. Becky received her undergrad from Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN, and she holds a Master of Arts in Communication from Johns Hopkins University. A former Capitol Hill staffer, Rogness lives in Warrens, WI, with her husband, Noah, an LCMS pastor, and six children.

Resources:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Why should Christians be involved in government? How has the interaction between Christians in the civic realm changed over the years? Join Steph and guest Tim Goeglein as they explore these questions and more!

Resources:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Join Steph and guest Rev. Graham Glover as they talk about the role of Christians in the civic realm, Christians and voting, and how Christians can influence government and civil issues beyond the polls.

Bio:

Rev. Graham B. Glover is the Senior Pastor of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church and School in Gainesville, FL and a Chaplain (Major) in the US Army Reserve, where he is assigned to the Strategic Initiatives Group at the Office of the Chief of Chaplains in the Pentagon. Additionally, Rev. Glover serves as the Chaplain Fellow at the Religious Freedom Institute in Washington, DC.

A native of Gainesville, Glover received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from the University of Florida. Afterwards, he went to work for his alma mater as a lobbyist, representing UF to the Florida Legislature. He began his studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO in 1998. While there, he spent a year studying at Westfield House and Cambridge University in Cambridge, England. He completed his vicarage at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carbondale, IL. After receiving the Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary, Rev. Glover moved back to Gainesville to continue his graduate studies in Political Science at the University of Florida, where he received a Master of Arts degree. He was later called to be the pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chiefland, FL. In January 2008, Glover joined the US Army as an Active Duty Chaplain, with assignments at Fort Stewart, Georgia; Schweinfurt, Germany; Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and at the Pentagon, where he served as the inaugural Government Affairs Officer for the Army Chief of Chaplains. Chaplain Glover deployed to Iraq from 2009-2010 in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.

Pastor Glover's wife, Alison, is also a native of Gainesville, and they have two children: HannahGrace and Graham, Jr. “Gray".

Resources:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family

Not all views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Steph and Tiffany introduce Season 6: Christians in the Civic Realm.

Resources:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family

Not all views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

You’ve heard it’s a good idea to have a first aid kit close at hand. But what about a Mental Health First Aid kit? Kelly Menke joins Tiffany and Steph to talk about being trained in Mental Health First Aid and why it’s also an important toolkit to have on hand!

Bio: Kelly joined Concordia Plans in May 2022 as a Health and Wellness Educator. She holds a Master of Science in public health from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor of Arts in health education with a minor in healthcare administration from Ashford University. Kelly has nearly 15 years of experience in a variety of health and wellness-oriented roles. As a military spouse (retired) and mother of three, she has seen first-hand the health challenges and successes people from all over the country in different stages of life can experience. Her focus is on encouraging overall healthy lifestyle choices for prevention and improved management of health concerns.

Resources in this episode:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family
• To learn more about Mental Health First Aid training: https://forms.office.com/pages
• Download the booklet Restoring Hope: Care for Mental Health at https://resources.lcms.org/general/restoring-hope-care-for-mental-health-spiritual-care-companion/

If you are in an emergency situation, please call 911. If you are depressed or thinking about harming yourself or someone else, or if this is the case for someone you know, please call or text 988 from a smartphone to reach the National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Is there a link between forgiveness and mental well-being? Join Steph and Dr. Mark Rockenbach for a discussion about how forgiveness affects mental health and how withholding forgiveness affects not just the soul, but the body and mind.

Bio: Dr. Mark Rockenbach received his B.A. from Concordia College, Seward, NE; M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO; M.A. in counseling from Doane College, Lincoln, NE and his Ph.D. in psychology from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN. Dr. Rockenbach served as a parish pastor before accepting a call to The Nebraska District Office where he served as the Executive for Church Worker Health and Reconciliation. He served as a mental health counselor and adjunct professor at Concordia University in Seward, NE and Concordia University in Mequon, WI. He currently serves in the following roles at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO: Professor of Practical Theology, Director of Personal Growth and Leadership Development, IRB Director, and Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. Dr. Rockenbach is the co-author of the book “Unforgivable? How God’s Forgiveness Transforms our Lives.”

Resources in this episode:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family

If you are in an emergency situation, please call 911. If you are depressed or thinking about harming yourself or someone else, or if this is the case for someone you know, please call or text 988 from a smartphone to reach the National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Steph is joined by guest Julianna Shults to give a “state of the union” on the mental health of our young people.

Bio: Julianna Shults is a DCE serving as Program Manager of Resources and Leadership for LCMS Youth Ministry. With a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Community Development, Julianna served congregations in Florida and Chicago. She co-authored Relationships Count and contributed to other books from CPH and co-hosts the podcast End Goals. Julianna is a self-proclaimed nerd, coffee snob and obsessive aunt.

Resources in this episode:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family

If you are in an emergency situation, please call 911. If you are depressed or thinking about harming yourself or someone else, or if this is the case for someone you know, please call or text 988 from a smartphone to reach the National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Dr. Karge and Dr. Bratton join Steph to talk about building mental resiliency in ourselves and in our young people.

Bio:

Dr. Belinda Karge devotes her career to ensuring that all students have successful opportunities and leaders are equipped with tools to transform education environments. She is a Professor in the School of Education Doctoral Program at Concordia University Irvine. She has taught and served in administrative roles in elementary and secondary schools globally. An expert in research based instructional strategies, she helps educators teach students how to use brain executive functions to navigate mental wellness. She has authored over 140 articles and ten books. She is Lutheran and served in the mission field. Her goal is to share God’s light with those around her in whatever way HE directs her.

Dr. Kara Bratton serves as an Assistant Professor in the School of Education in the doctoral programs at Concordia University Irvine, teaching special education and research classes and working as a dissertation chair. Previously, she was the special education director for Lutheran Special Education Ministries (LSEM) for 11 years and spent 11 years teaching K-8 special education in Lutheran Schools in Fort Wayne, IN at the beginning of her career. Kara also serves on the board of directors for the Indiana Non-public Education Association and as an Educator in Residence for the Progress Center. Along with two other professors, Kara is co-author of Resilient Minds: Christ-centered Mental Health Curriculum, which is available from Concordia Publishing House for middle school levels.

Resources in this episode:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family
• Find Resilient Minds at https://teachthefaith.cph.org/resilient-minds
• Download the booklet Restoring Hope: Care for Mental Health at https://resources.lcms.org/general/restoring-hope-care-for-mental-health-spiritual-care-companion/

If you are in an emergency situation, please call 911. If you are depressed or thinking about harming yourself or someone else, or if this is the case for someone you know, please call or text 988 from a smartphone to reach the National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Join Steph and Sarah Gulseth as they talk about some very practical ways we can care for our own mental health.

Bio: Sarah Gulseth currently works for KFUO Radio as Digital Media Manager, which includes co-hosting The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge podcast and The Coffee Hour with Andy Bates. She is a baptized child of God, INFJ Lutheran Lady, lover of First Article Gifts, certified #hymnnerd, history nerd, proud Michigan native, coffee enthusiast, chronic illness warrior, and year-round bike commuter who lives in St. Louis with her husband Luther, and kitties Mandy and Vader. Sarah pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership at Concordia University Irvine, learning how to use her God-given talents and personality to serve her neighbors in love. “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Resources in this episode:

• Email us at [email protected]
• LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
• For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family

If you are in an emergency situation, please call 911. If you are depressed or thinking about harming yourself or someone else, or if this is the case for someone you know, please call or text 988 from a smartphone to reach the National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.