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.