Author Faith Doerr joins this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast to discuss how we can turn to the Bible to find comfort, rather than modern self-help phrases. She also talks about how she addresses these issues in her new book, God’s Encouraging Word: True Comforts When Worldly Advice Fails, which will release on July 23 and is available for pre-order now.

Show Notes
"Just be positive!" "God only gives you what you can handle." "Others have it harder." People mean well when they say these phrases. They intend to offer comfort and help during difficult times. Yet, ask yourself, do these self-help phrases actually offer comfort to you, or do they make things feel worse?

Author Faith Doerr has heard her fair share of these phrases during struggles in her life. And she knows first-hand how they feel like "nails on a chalkboard" from the receiving end. If these phrases don't offer comfort, then is there something that can? Scripture. God's Word is full of true comfort that can help you in times of trouble and distress. In her new book, Faith takes a look at eight self-help phrases to see how they can actually do the opposite of their intentions, then turns to the Bible to find real words of comfort you can offer to those who need it. Preview her new book by listening to the full episode.

Find Faith’s book on…

cph.org
Amazon

Questions

· Tell our audience a bit about you.

· How did you get started with your blog and Facebook community?

· How have you enjoyed the book writing/publishing process?

·What was it that led to you wanting to write about this topic?

· You mention that you're an avid journaler in the introduction. Can you talk a little about how you got started journaling and what role it plays in your faith life?

·You include journaling prompts throughout your book. Do you have some tips to share for those who haven't been journaling much or at all?

· What is the Doerr household approach to handling confusion?

· If there was one saying you could delete from everyone’s dialogue, what would it be?

· Of all the myths you cover in your book, which one do you think is the most convincing?

· What is your response to hearing someone say “You are stronger than this problem/trial”?

· While addressing myth 7 “Others Have it Worse”, you share some guidance on what makes a person safe or unsafe, helpful or harmful. Would you briefly explain why this is important and recap this guidance for us?

About the Guest
Faith Doerr is married to Preston and is a mama to two children: Lydia and Ezekiel. Faith received her Bachelor of Elementary Education and Lutheran teachers diploma, along with her Master of Education in trauma and resilience from Concordia Nebraska. Currently, she teaches first grade at Concordia Academy in Omaha, Nebraska. Faith writes for her blog Imperfectly Perfect Living and has the Facebook community Healthy Mamas. Here she, with the Holy Spirit working through her, teaches mamas to create a Christ-seeking life and a healthy well-being. Faith has published two mental health journals and speaks at wellness retreats and women's conferences. She is also the co-host of Seasoned Mamas: God's Grace for Every Season of Motherhood Podcast.

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Elizabeth Pittman is joined by Christa Petzold, author of the new curriculum Journey through Church History. Christa explores why we should study and teach our children church history and how we are a part of God’s family through our baptisms.

Find out more about Christa’s new work at cph.org/churchhistory.

Show Notes

Just as you are joined to Christ in your Baptism, you are joined to a family of believers who have gone before you. In Journey through Church History, Christa Petzold helps us discover men and women from church history who witness to Jesus Christ—martyrs, historians, apologists, theologians, translators, and more. Listen to the full episode as Christa previews the curriculum and shows how we can dig in and uncover our family tree rooted in Christ.

Questions

· Church history seems universal, why does it matter that we have a text that describes the history of the Christian church from a distinctly Lutheran perspective? How does church history look different when it’s written from say a reformed perspective?

· How early is too early to start teaching children about church history?

· Why is it important to start educating children about church history?

· The new Journey through Church History book covers a lot of ground! Can you talk a little bit about some of the historical persons covered? Why were there so few women covered? How did you select the people and topics covered?

· How does studying church history strengthen your faith and deepen your understanding of Biblical truths?

· Some might think that this topic is too difficult or “above the heads” of younger children, and yet you included a coloring page in the Leader guide. How do you plan to use this curriculum with a broad range of ages in your homeschool situation? How might that translate for others doing the same?

· Which theological ideas that people fought over in the early centuries of the Church surprised you? I.e. Are we still fighting over some of the same issues as the early church?

About the Guest

Christa Petzold lives with her husband and four children in northern Illinois. She has a MA in Theology from Concordia University Irvine, a BA in Mathematics and Lutheran Secondary Education from Concordia University Wisconsin and is currently pursuing a PhD in History of Exegesis from Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis. She is a coauthor of Male and Female: Embracing Your Role in God’s Design, author of Gathered by Christ: The Overlooked Gift of Church, and author of Journey Through Church History Curriculum. She spends her time homeschooling, teaching theology, writing, and learning as much as she can about church history.

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Rev. Dr. David Loy joins as guest to talk about how our vocations flow out of the love God has shown for us in Christ. He also previews the new book from CPH that he acted as general editor for, Faith at Work: Christian Vocation in the Professions.

Find out more about the new book by visiting cph.org.

Show Notes:

Listen to the full episode now as Rev. Dr. David Loy, dean of Christ College at Concordia University Irvine, talks about our called vocations as Christians, professions versus professionals, how Faith at Work can be used by readers from all vocational backgrounds, and more.

Get a copy of Faith at Work on…

cph.org
Amazon

Questions:

• How was the process of editing Faith at Work?
• What makes this book unique from others at CPH?
• Explain the difference between professions and professionals.
• Talk about vocation being the golden thread.
• Speak to the idea in one of the chapters that touches on non-Christians and whether they have vocations.
• The book was set up in two parts, with the first part emphasizing vocation and human flourishing. Why was it important to have it positioned like that?
• Talk about how you see the book being used in a classroom setting.
• What are some other ways that you may see this book being used by readers?

About the Guest:

Rev. Dr. David Loy is the dean of Christ College at Concordia University, Irvine.

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Elizabeth Pittman is joined by co-host Peter Reske, CPH Senior Editor of Music/Worship. The duo hosts together to interview Dr. Jeffrey Blersch, professor of music at Concordia University Nebraska, and discuss all things church music, composition, and more.

Check out Dr. Blersch’s compositions with CPH at cph.org.

Show Notes

Listen to the episode now as Elizabeth and Peter discuss all things church music with Dr. Jeffrey Blersch. Dr. Blersch shares his background in church music, going back to when he was just eight years old, and his long career as a church musician, composer, and professor. Dr. Blersch also gives advice for students aspiring to be church musicians and majoring in music and shares some of his experiences as an educator and why it has influenced his work throughout the years.

Questions

· Share your musical background and how you got started playing the organ.

·What does your compositional process look like? Do you write at your desk? Piano? Organ?

·What’s your favorite medium to compose for? Organ? Choir? Instruments? Piano?

· If someone aspires to be a church musician/music major, what would you tell them to get started on that path and what it is like to go into those careers?

·Share some of your experiences as an educator that have influenced you and why they did.

·What do you enjoy about composing music?

·Tell us about some of your most recent publications and what inspired you to bring them to life.

About the Guest

Jeffrey Blersch is an associate professor of music and the university organist at Concordia University Nebraska, where he teaches all things organ. He is a working church musician and serves as organist and choral director for Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Staplehurst, Nebraska, but he still performs across the United States as a recitalist and a guest organist at hymn festivals. Inspired by his strong background in music, Jeffrey composes numerous organ and choral works with more than one hundred of his pieces published through Concordia Publishing House. His wife, Carla, is also an organist, and together they have three children: Aaron, Ryan, and Jenna.

This episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast features author Pastor Andy Wright as he previews his new book, Faithfully Formed: The Lutheran Confessions in Daily Life. Andy joins host Elizabeth Pittman to take a look at the Confessions and their roles in our lives as Christians, and how they are relevant to us as we face challenges prevalent in today’s culture.
Get a copy of Andy’s book by visiting cph.org/faithfullyformed.

Show Notes:
The Lutheran Confessions play a vital role in the church—both centuries ago, and today. But do they apply to the daily life of an ordinary person?

Pastor Andy Wright offers a resounding “yes” in his new book, Faithfully Formed. He quotes, summarizes, and synthesizes key teachings from the Confessions, revealing their relevance in our daily lives. Listen to the episode as Andy talks about why the Lutheran Confessions are important to nurturing our faith, what led him to write his book, how we are called to live in relationship with one another, and more.

Get a copy of Faithfully Formed on…

cph.org
Amazon

Questions:

• For listeners who may not be Lutheran, what are the Lutheran Confessions?
• What led you to write Faithfully Formed?
• What is your response to someone who wonders how these writings from so long ago could be relevant to their lives today?
• Why is it important to not only believe in God, but to know and articulate who God is?
• Why is everything about Jesus?
• How do the Lutheran Confessions help us to recognize God at work in our daily lives?
• How can the Lutheran Confessions help us address tough cultural issues we see today regarding marriage and gender?
• What do the Lutheran Confessions have to say about who our neighbor is and how we should live in relationship with one another?
• How can these be viewed as a handbook for the baptized?
• Why is it important that, as Christians, we are confident in confessing Christ?

About the Guest:
Pastor Andy Wright serves as senior pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Topeka, Kansas, and previously served St. John Lutheran Church in Keystone, Iowa. He holds a B.A. in Biblical Languages from Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He also holds an M.Div. and an S.T.M. in systematic theology from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is currently working on his dissertation pertaining to the Lutheran Confessions for a Ph.D. in doctrinal theology from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Pastor Wright and his wife, Rebekah, have been blessed by God with four daughters, a son, and children who went to be with the Lord from the womb. His areas of focus and interests in theology are the Lutheran Confessions, Luther studies, and pastoral theology. Outside of theology, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis, and anything pertaining to aviation and the space program.

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Rev. Mark Kiessling and Julianna Shults from the LCMS Youth Ministry office join host Elizabeth Pittman to discuss facilitating healthy youth ministry practices, as well as their new book, Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry, which outlines their insights into this topic

Get a copy of their book at cph.org/seven-practices-of-healthy-youth-ministry.

Show Notes:
Wondering how to care for the youth in your congregation? Experiencing dwindling attendance or enthusiasm? Not sure how to measure the efficacy of your ministry? LCMS Youth Ministry staff members, Rev. Dr. Mark Kiessling and DCE Julianna Shults, are here to help, offering seven markers of healthy youth ministry. With these research-based, practical insights, you’ll be empowered to take on the essential task of caring for teens in Jesus’ name. Listen now as Mark and Julianna discuss the seven practices (not programs), their journey to writing a book, what’s ahead for the Youth Ministry office, the Youth Gathering in 2025, and more.

Get a copy of Seven Practices of Healthy Youth Ministry on…

cph.org
Amazon

Questions:

· Tell us all about your new book.

· Were there any surprises during your research?

· Who did you write the book for?

· What are the seven practices not?

· What do the seven practices mean?

· If you had to spend some time digging into one of the seven, where would you start?

· What are some ways warmth, challenge, and grace look like in practice?

· Talk about the idea of resilience, identity, and Christ as one of the practices.

· What do you say to youth leaders who have read your book and ask “So, what now?”

· Tell us about what’s coming for the Youth Ministry office.

About the Guests:

The Rev. Mark R. Kiessling serves as the director of LCMS Youth Ministry. In that role, he supports the leadership, service, resourcing, and networking functions of LCMS Youth Ministry. Kiessling graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 2006 and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from there in 2020. Kiessling is married to Beth (Timm), who teaches Preschool at Christ Community Lutheran School in Kirkwood, Mo.

Julianna Shults serves as Program Manager for Resources and Leadership for LCMS Youth Ministry. Her work includes managing YouthESource.com and LCMS YouthLead along with other research and resourcing. She graduated from Concordia University Seward in 2005 with a BA in Psychology and Director of Christian Education Certification. As a DCE, she has served both Hope Lutheran in Plant City, FL and St. Paul Lutheran in Chicago, IL. With a lo

Rev. Dr. Andrew Bartelt joins this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast to discuss the newest volume of the Concordia Commentary series he wrote, which covers Isaiah 1-12. Andy talks about how the first 12 chapters fit into the entirety of the book of Isaiah, and how they fit into the Old Testament overall.

Order a copy of the newest edition in the series at cph.org/isaiah-1-12-concordia-commentary.

Show Notes
Isaiah ben Amoz presents a massive tome of historical references and prophetic words that culminate in the coming of Jesus Christ.

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Andrew Bartelt talks about the Concordia Commentary volume that he wrote on the first 12 chapters of the significant book of Isaiah. Andy reflects on his meticulous commentary and the careful juxtaposition of the grammar of these chapters. He also illuminates the voice of Isaiah and sheds light on his process for writing for the Concordia Commentary series.

Get a copy of Isaiah 1-12 – Concordia Commentary on…
cph.org
Amazon

About the series
The Concordia Commentary Series: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture is written to enable pastors and teachers of the Word to proclaim the Gospel with greater insight, clarity, and faithfulness to the divine intent of the Biblical text. The series will cover all the canonical books of the Old and New Testament, with an original translation and meticulous grammatical analysis of the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek of each text. The foremost interpretive lens centers on the unified proclamation of the person and work of Christ across every Scriptural book.

Learn about the Concordia Commentary subscription to save 30% on all new and previously published volumes at cph.org/concordia-commentary-subscription.

About the Guest
Dr. Andrew H. Bartelt is a professor emeritus at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He retired in 2020 after 42 years of distinguished service. At the time of his retirement, he was the Gustav and Sophie Butterbach Professor of Exegetical Theology and professor of Exegetical Theology. His areas of expertise include the Hebrew language, Prophets (Isaiah), Hebrew poetry, and biblical theology.

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, host Elizabeth Pittman speaks with Jim Sanft, new author and CEO and president of Concordia Plan Services. In his new book with CPH, Leading by Faith: Practical Insights for Christian Leaders, Jim shares his reflections along his leadership journey as a means of encouraging you on yours.
Leading by Faith will be available on May 28. Pre-order the book on the CPH website at cph.org/leadingbyfaith.

Show Notes
As a Christian leader, you can trust that God is in control of your leadership journey, even when you can't see around the bend to know what's coming next. In this episode, we're joined by Jim Sanft. Jim is the CEO of Concordia Plan Services and the author of Leading by Faith: Practical Insights for Christian Leaders. During the conversation, Jim shares the lessons he’s learned from his more than 25 years of executive leadership experience. He also talks about the importance of leading by faith (not by sight) and learning to lead with God’s grace.

Check out Leading by Faith on…
cph.org
Amazon
Goodreads

Questions
What’s it like being a first time author?
Every leader has a story. Tell us about your story and what led you to a place where you were ready to tell it and help other leaders.
Explain what it means to lead by faith, not by sight.
Tell us about the windshield fallacy.
Explain the leadership lesson you use from Indiana Jones.
How did your educational background in mathematics prepare you for leadership and what lessons have you brought into your current roles because of that?
Tell us a little bit about accountability and how that plays into a leader's role.
Tell us about a leadership lesson that you took away from the Lion King.
What advice do you have for leaders who encounter crisis in their leadership journey?What has it been like traveling around the country talking to different groups about leadership?
What encouragement would you like to leave our listeners with?

About the Guest
Jim Sanft has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience, including being CEO of Concordia Plans, a complex financial services non-profit agency of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. He led his organization through the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 to 2009 as well as the global pandemic of 2020. Throughout his career, Sanft has developed a high-performing team that has been recognized both locally and nationally. He is an established leader among his colleagues from other denominations and serves as chair of The Church Alliance, an organization that advocates for employee benefits for faith leaders and their families. Away from the office, Jim is a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.