The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

How did Concordia University students have conversations about church work while serving as Young Adult Representatives at this year’s Higher Things conferences? In the first half, Joshua Price (Concordia University, Wisconsin; Junior; Pre-Sem) and Samuel Wilkins (Concordia University, Wisconsin; Junior; Pre-Sem), and in the second half Emily Lindau (Concordia University, Nebraska; Sophomore; pre-deaconess; secondary education, history endorsement) join Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about the church work programs they’re in, why they chose their respective Concordias and their individual journeys into their programs, campus life, who encouraged them to consider church work, their experiences at Higher Things over the summer, the conversations they had with youth who were considering church work, and why it’s important to have these conversations with young people.

Find Higher Things at higherthings.org.

Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers.

Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations.

Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS:

1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers.

2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers.

3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation.

To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve.

Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

We’ve talked about what it means to love our neighbors. Now, what does this actually look like in practice? In this crossover series with the Friends for Life podcast, we’re exploring “loving your neighbor” from a variety of perspectives! In Episode 7, Darlene Chier (Director of Victory Resource Center, Chula Vista, CA) and the Rev. Tim Gerdes (Pastor at Victory Church in Chula Vista, CA) join Sarah and guest co-host Steph Neugebauer (host, Friends for Life podcast) to talk about the needs for a pregnancy resource center in Chula Vista, the community of Chula Vista and how Victory Church and Resource Center serve their neighbors, how this center was formed, and stories of the people who have benefited from the resources they provide.

Learn more about Victory Resource Center at victoryresourcecenter.org.

Find the Friends for Life podcast at kfuo.org/friendsforlife.

As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

We go west to (again) meet the vice president of the West/Southwest Region, following Rev. Dr. Scott Murray's retirement! The Rev. Dr. Alfonso Espinosa (newly elected and installed 3rd Vice President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, West/Southwest Region; pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Irvine, CA; author of several books; Regent of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN) joins Andy and Sarah to answer the now infamous Lightning Round of Favorites (which every COP member will be subjected to) and to talk about his early life and becoming a Lutheran, his journey through school to seminary, how he has served over the years, unique things he has experienced during his time in the parish, his duties as a regional vice president, and why he loves being a pastor in the LCMS today.

Learn more about the LCMS President and Vice Presidents at lcms.org/about/leadership/president and the 35 LCMS Districts at lcms.org/districts.

As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

What does the confessional Lutheran church look like in South Africa? We were honored to meet and share stories of global Lutheran church leaders at the International Church Relations Conference (ICRC), held during the LCMS Synod Convention. In this conversation, the Rev. Helmut Paul (Bishop, Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa) joins Sarah and guest co-host the Rev. Roy Askins (executive editor of the Lutheran Witness, LCMS Communications) to talk about where he lives and works, the history of the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa, challenges this church body has faced as they seek to be faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, how the church fits into the broader culture of South Africa, how they are able to serve their neighbors with the love of Christ, and the joy he’s found among fellowship with fellow Lutherans.

Find the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa at felsisa.org.za/en.

To learn more about Global Lutheranism:

Read more about the 2026 International Church Relations Conference at reporter.lcms.org/2026/global-lutheran-leaders-challenges-abound-contentment-rules.

Learn more about partner churches around the globe at lcms.org/how-we-serve/international/partner-church-bodies.

Find the International Lutheran Council at ilc-online.org/members.

As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

What does the confessional Lutheran church look like in Portugal? We were honored to meet and share stories of global Lutheran church leaders at the International Church Relations Conference (ICRC), held during the LCMS Synod Convention. In this conversation, the Rev. Adalberto Hiller (President, Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church) joins Sarah and guest co-host the Rev. Roy Askins (executive editor of the Lutheran Witness, LCMS Communications) to talk about where he lives and works, the history of the Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church, challenges this church body has faced as they seek to be faithful to Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, how the church fits into the broader culture of Portugal, how they are able to serve their neighbors with the love of Christ, and the joy he’s found among fellowship with fellow Lutherans.

Find the Portuguese Evangelical Lutheran Church at ielp.pt.

To learn more about Global Lutheranism:

Read more about the 2026 International Church Relations Conference at reporter.lcms.org/2026/global-lutheran-leaders-challenges-abound-contentment-rules.

Learn more about partner churches around the globe at lcms.org/how-we-serve/international/partner-church-bodies.

Find the International Lutheran Council at ilc-online.org/members.

As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

How does a pair of musicians end up playing with the Getty band? Zach and Maggie White (singer-songwriters and recording artists, also known as Zaggie) join Andy and Sarah from the 2026 Getty Sing! Conference to talk about the Christian tradition in which they were raised, how they met, their paths to becoming accomplished musicians and recording artists, their parts in Getty Music, and what they've learned about the musician's role in leading the congregation in song.

Find Zach and Maggie's music at zaggiemusic.com.

As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

How does a Lutheran church in a college town serve the needs of students? The Rev. Bryan Spang, (Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, State College, PA) joins Andy and Sarah as the KFUO Radio Church of the Week to talk about the community of State College and Penn State University, how Good Shepherd reaches out to college students, other ministries at Good Shepherd, and how ministry has changed over the decades that Pastor Spang has been there.

Learn more about Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at goodshepherdsc.org and the Revive Campus Ministry at revivepsu.org.

As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

How is church worker formation influenced by family life? The Rev. James Woelmer (pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Manhattan, KS), the Rev. Joshua Woelmer (pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Paola, KS), the Rev. David Woelmer (pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Smithville, TX), the Rev. Jacob Tuma (pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Pierce, NE), and Kantor Bethany Johnson (kantor at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Topeka, KS ) join Andy and Sarah for a family meeting during our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about where each of them serves, what makes for so many church workers in one family, who helped form them in the faith and encourage church work as a vocation, the church work conversations that happen when they all get together, and how we can encourage more young people to consider church work.

Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers.

Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations.

Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS:

1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers.

2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers.

3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation.

To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve.

Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

We’ve talked about what it means to love our neighbors. Now, what does this actually look like in practice? In this crossover series with the Friends for Life podcast, we’re exploring “loving your neighbor” from a variety of perspectives! In Episode 6, the Rev. Trae Fistler (Mid South District Disaster Response Coordinator) joins Andy, Sarah, and guest co-host Steph Neugebauer (host, Friends for Life podcast) to talk about what LCMS Disaster Response does, how showing God's mercy and love play a major role in disaster response, how volunteers are trained to respond to disasters, how this is both physical care and spiritual care, and how responders have shown love to their neighbors in the Mid South District.

Follow what happens in the Mid South District on Facebook by following Faith in Action Disaster Response LCMS on Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095452625389. Find LCMS Disaster Response at lcms.org/who-we-are/national-mission/disaster-response-and-training and local LERT training at lcms-lert.org.

Find the Friends for Life podcast at kfuo.org/friendsforlife.

As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].

We head west to the beautiful Northwest for today’s conversation! The Rev. Dr. Michael Von Behren (President, Northwest District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod) joins Andy and Sarah to answer the now infamous Lightning Round of Favorites (which every COP member will be subjected to) and to talk about his early life and journey to seminary, how he has served over the years, unique things he has experienced in his time in the parish and serving as district president, his duties as a district president, and why he loves being a pastor in the LCMS today.

Learn more about the LCMS President and Vice Presidents at lcms.org/about/leadership/president and the 35 LCMS Districts at lcms.org/districts.

As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: [email protected].