Why Bodies Matter

Season 1, Episode 9: Bodies Matter in Death
Special guest, Pastor Michael Mohr joins Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss the art of dying, our culture’s misunderstandings of death, and what death actually means for those in the church. We are called to live our lives in a way that prepares us for death every single day. 

“The communion rail, that’s where I get to commune with my mother again.”
-Rev. Michael Mohr

Guest Bio: The Rev. Michael Mohr serves as president of Central Illinois District (CID) for the LCMS. Michael has served several congregations in the past several years: Christ Memorial Lutheran Church in Affton, MO, Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, MO, Zion Lutheran Church in Poplar Bluff, MO, and Grace Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church in Strasburg, IL.
https://www.cidlcms.org/index.html

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/Luke+7/ , https://www.esv.org/John+11/

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/

Season 1, Episode 8: Bodies Matter in Suffering and Trauma

Special guest, Deaconess Emma Heinz joins Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss the question, if God loves us and is a good God, why do we suffer? Emma explains how our suffering brings us back to Christ who suffered perfectly for us and how this robs suffering of the ability to own us, giving us hope and freedom.

“The suffering that I have endured has uniquely gifted me to care for other people going through the same.”
-Deaconess Emma Heinz

Guest Bio: Emma serves as the Registrar for Higher Things. She has long admired the mission of Higher Things and its vital role in the spiritual formation of the youth and young adults of the church. She believes that the traditions of the church are a great gift that must be shared for generations, as through them, we see Christ crucified and His love for sinners. As the registrar for HT, Emma seeks to provide grace-filled service to all and loves the behind-the-scenes work, knowing that God works even these small things into good for those who love Him.

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/Matthew+27/ , https://www.esv.org/Psalm+22/ , https://www.esv.org/John+19/ , https://www.esv.org/Psalm+103/
Apostle's Creed: https://catechism.cph.org/en/creed.html

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/:

Season 1, Episode 7: Bodies Matter in Parenthood/Adulthood
Special guest, Dr. Scott Keith joins Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss the ways we have been misled by the world, our sinful flesh, the devil to view God’s gift of family. We unpack how God uniquely gifts individuals as parents and children through Christ to hear and receive the good news of our forgiveness in His suffering, death, and resurrection.

“We always talked to our kids like they were people, and not like they were kids.”
-Dr. Scott Keith

Guest Bio: Scott Keith is the Executive Director of 1517. He is a co-host of The Thinking Fellows Podcast and a contributor to 1517. He is also the author of "Being Dad: Father as a Picture of God’s Grace." He earned his doctorate from Foundation House Oxford, under the sponsorship of the Graduate Theological Foundation, studying under Dr. James A. Nestingen.
https://www.1517.org/about
https://shop.1517.org/products/being-dad?_pos=1&_sid=cb9fcfd33&_ss=r

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/John+10/ , https://www.esv.org/Matthew+27/ , https://www.esv.org/Genesis+1/
Other Links: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=generations+by+jean+twenge&hvadid=656366719427&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9031217&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8677936417748540503&hvtargid=kwd-2023881905664&hydadcr=15526_13558562&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_8f1b4y6sri_e by Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D.

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/

Season 1, Episode 6: Bodies Matter in Marriage
Special guests, Allison Hull and Pastor Chris Hull join Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss the joy and sacrifice that is the one-flesh union of marriage and how it points us to Christ and His bride, the Church.

“Marriage is a training ground for spirituality.”
-Pastor Christ Hull

Guests Bios: Pastor Chris Hull and his wife and rib, Allison Hull, are the parents to five crazy boys, Lonny, Manny, Ty, Jamie and Killian and one girl, Avonlea. He is the senior pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Student Center in Macomb, IL. Pastor Hull met his wife at Concordia University in River Forest, from where they both graduated in 2006. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN in 2010. He is currently in the Doctor of Ministry program at Fort Wayne. Pastor Hull is a regular speaker and contributor to Higher Things content.

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/Genesis+2/ , https://www.esv.org/Hosea+13/ , https://www.esv.org/Psalm+37/ , https://www.esv.org/Genesis+2/ , https://www.esv.org/Ecclesiastes+4/ , https://hymnary.org/hymn/LSB2006/724

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/

Season 1, Episode 5: Bodies Matter in Being Single
Special guest, Paul Soulek joins Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss what unhelpful messages society and even the church can communicate about not being married and the gift from God that being single can actually mean to an individual and to their friends alike.

“Their lives mattered because they were baptized into Christ and they died, rose with him, and their callings were their callings despite whether there was a ring on their finger.”
-Paul Soulek

Guest Bio: Paul Soulek is cantor and director of music at St. John Lutheran Church and School in Seward, where he provides many opportunities for students to develop and use their musical skills in worship services and music classrooms. At Concordia University, Nebraska, he directs the Male Chorus and teaches courses in arranging, church music and applied organ. His compositions for organ are published by Concordia Publishing House. Paul also serves as the HIgher Things Cantor and Organist.

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/2+Corinthians+12/
Apostle’s Creed: https://catechism.cph.org/en/creed.html

Other links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVDFvrqiTMg
https://www.theopedia.com/gnosticism

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/

Season 1, Episode 4: Bodies Matter in Childhood
Special guest, Pastor Bob Sundquist joins Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss how the world can be a confusing place for children as they seek to understand who they are and how the answer can only be found in their createdness by the Father, their redemption by the Son, and their faith as given to them by the Holy Spirit.

“Understand that everything that was Christ’s is now yours. That shapes your identity.” 
-Pastor Bob Sundquist

Guest Bio: Pastor Bob Sundquist, serves as Pastor of Educational Ministries at Faith Community Lutheran Church in Las Vegas Nevada, and also adjunct professor for Concordia University in Irvine CA and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis MO. His wife Melissa teaches theology at Faith Lutheran High School, and he is father to three daughters who are a never ending sense of joy and humor.

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/Genesis+2/
https://www.esv.org/Galatians+4/

Apostle's Creed: https://catechism.cph.org/en/creed.html
Links: https://www.amazon.com/A-Secular-Age-Charles-Taylor-audiobook/dp/B00N18GXJU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QJK1O0JMZZEQ&keywords=charles+taylor+a+secular+age&qid=1707602452&sprefix=charles+taylor+a+secular+ag%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/

Season 1, Episode 3: Bodies Matter in Identity
Special guest, Rev. Dr. Todd Peperkorn joins Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss where we find our identity and the value of community found in Christ through our Baptism.

“Sinful nature means sin, but also it means isolation..it creates anxiety.” 
-Rev. Dr. Todd Peperkorn

Guest Bio: The Rev. Dr. Todd A. Peperkorn has been a member of the Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW) faculty since 2021. He serves as assistant professor of pastoral ministry and missions, and as director of vicarage and internships. He is author of the book, I Trust When Dark My Road: A Lutheran View of Depression, along with many other publications too numerous to list now. He also served as one of the founding pastors of Higher Things, a Lutheran youth organization, and was the editor of its magazine for five years.
https://www.ctsfw.edu/about/
https://www.amazon.com/Trust-When-Dark-Road-Depression-ebook/dp/B08BMLT8V8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZDCCFFSQED0T&keywords=I+trust+when+dark+my+road&qid=1707513288&sprefix=i+trust+when+dark+my+road%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/Genesis+1/ , https://www.esv.org/Galatians+2/ ,  https://www.esv.org/John+15/ 

Other Links: https://files.lcms.org/file/preview/mpLgiTMryWRYXOziqDp3G96YLjeJy1HK

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/

Season 1, Episode 2: Bodies Matter in Birth
Special guest Michelle Bauman joins Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss the importance that Jesus was a baby, a fetus, a person who suffered and died, and rose again to redeem us in body, mind, and soul.

“God takes on flesh to make flesh good.” 
-Michelle Bauman

Guest Bio: As the Director of Y4Life, Michelle helps high school and college students learn about life issues and how to address them from a Gospel-motivated perspective. She also supports the building and maintaining of Y4Life Teams on high school and college campuses across the nation. For more information about Y4Life, visit their website: https://y4life.org/

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/1+Peter+3/ , https://www.esv.org/Matthew+25/

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/

Season 1, Episode 1: Bodies Matter in Faith
Special guest Pastor Bob Hiller joins Erica Sorensen and Pastor Harrison Goodman to discuss how our Incarnational Faith relates to the bodies God gives us. 

 “God took on a body. If you want to know why body matters are important, God put one on.”
-Pastor Bob Hiller

Guest Bio: Bob Hiller is the Senior Pastor of Community Lutheran Church in Escondido/San Marcos, California. He is a host of White Horse Inn, the author of Finding Christ in the Straw, and the content editor for The Craft of Preaching (1517).
https://whitehorseinn.org/hosts/
https://shop.1517.org/products/finding-christ-in-the-straw-a-forty-day-devotion-on-the-epistle-of-james?_pos=1&_sid=a4887b188&_ss=r

Bible Links: https://www.esv.org/Genesis+3/
Other Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation#Social_generation

Higher Things is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Please consider supporting our podcast by donating today: https://higherthings.org/about/giving/