Mission Field USA --- Church Planting

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Lee Hagen, President of the Missouri District of the LCMS, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore how ministries take maximum benefit from strategic planning and how to learn from mistakes to move ministry forward. About Rev. Dr. Lee Hagen: Rev. Dr. Lee Hagan currently serves as president of the Missouri District of the LCMS. Formerly, he served as senior pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Concordia, Missouri and as First Vice-President of the Missouri District. He is a 1992 graduate of Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska. He continued his studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, earning the Master of Divinity degree in 1996 and the Doctor of Ministry degree in 2011. He previously served as associate pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Evansville, Indiana from 1996-2002 before coming to Concordia. Most recently, he served as the interim director of LCMS Rural and Small Town Mission in 2011-2012. He has held served in a number of capacities at the district level including as Fourth Vice-President, Chairman of the Board for Congregational Services and member of the Board of Directors of the Missouri District and as a member of the Indiana District Youth Board and Youth Gathering Planning team. A frequent workshop presenter, Lee has spoken on topics such as youth and family ministry, witnessing and assimilation, as well as many issues related to rural and small-town ministry. He has written articles for Lutheran Witness and Reporter and served as an announcer for KFUO. He has led mission trips to the Bahamas, Guatemala, and in 2012 to Cambodia and China. He is married with two children. Lee enjoys reading, traveling, watching University of Kentucky basketball games, and spending time with his family.

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Mark A. Wood, director of LCMS Witness & Outreach Ministry and the LCMS Revitalization Initiative, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore sharing God’s Word in a post-Christian culture. Reaching the lost is a challenge in any setting in our rapidly changing world with competing worldviews. About Rev. Dr. Mark Wood: The Rev. Dr. Mark A. Wood serves as the director of LCMS Witness & Outreach Ministry and the LCMS Revitalization Initiative. He is the creator of the Every One His Witness evangelism program and the re:Vitality revitalization program. Prior to joining the LCMS Office of National Mission in June 2014, he served as the founding pastor of Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Lithia, Fla., a daughter congregation of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Brandon, Fla., where he served as the evangelism pastor from 2000 to 2008. A second-career pastor, he served for six years on active duty service in the U.S. Air Force and then worked 14 years in the aerospace-defense industry, primarily in project management systems. A 2000 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, he also holds an associate’s degree in computer programming, a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and Doctor of Ministry degree with an emphasis in Church Planting and Renewal from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL. He is married to Mary Ellen, who works as a recruiter for a hospice and home health care personnel services agency. They have five adult children, six grandchildren, and three great-granddaughters.

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Robert Scudieri, President of Mission Nation Publishing, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore how the children and grandchildren of those won for Christ by missionaries sent from the US are now returning the favor. Right at the time when the church is being challenged the most, the Lord of the Church has sent us help from Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Africa! About Rev. Dr. Robert J. Scudieri: Pastor Bob Scudieri was born and raised in the New York City area where he attended public schools. Dr. Scudieri began studying for the holy ministry at Concordia College in Bronxville in September of 1962. After graduating from Bronxville with an Associate in Arts degree in 1964, he transferred to Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Indiana. After graduating from Concordia, Fort Wayne in 1966 with a B.A. degree, he entered Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Upon his graduation from Concordia in 1971 (M.Div.), Pastor Scudieri shepherded the urban parish Redeemer Lutheran Church in Orange, New Jersey for four years before being called to Christ Memorial Lutheran Church in East Brunswick, New Jersey. During his tenure the parish grew from 600 to 1200 members. From 1984 to 1991, Dr. Scudieri served as the Mission and Stewardship Counselor for the English District LCMS, collaborating with congregations of the district to begin new missions and revitalize existing ones. In December of 1991 Scudieri was called to implement the Synod’s Blueprint for the ‘90s, an effort to reach all ethnic groups in NA with the gospel, changing the face of the Missouri Synod. For the next eighteen years Scudieri headed new mission development, evangelism and church revitalization in North America for the LCMS, a position from which he retired from full time ministry on July 31, 2009. In retirement Pr. Scudieri continued to serve on several national boards, and, served Faith Lutheran Church as Mission Equipping Pastor from 2011 – 2014, when he left to pursue a dream of publishing biographies of missionaries. On January 6, 2016, Bob began his new mission called Mission Nation Publishing. The mission of Mission Nation Publishing is to strengthen the church in America by giving a voice to missionaries to America. Lutherans are the most homogenous ethnic group in America: 95% of Lutherans in America are White English speaking – but soon White English speaking people will be one of many minorities. We see the new missionaries to America as gifts God is giving to the church in America. Several books on mission have already been published, and thirty video interviews with missionaries are accessible on the Mission Nation Publishing website, MissionNationPublishing.com. The video interviews form the basis for a weekly blog that Bob writes and sends to over 2,000 people. A new initiative has begun to form a national network of churches that see America as a mission field – churches who see the future and are eager to reach an ethnic group different from their own. Dr. Scudieri and his wife Lynn love spending their time their time with two adult children and four beautiful grandchildren.

Three experts in the field of substance abuse, Rev. Dr. Dennis Goff— Director of Ministry Programs of The Lutheran Foundation in Fort Wayne, Indiana, along with Tom Allman— Vice President of Addiction Services with Park Center (An Affiliate of Parkview Health) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Rachel Blakeman— Community Research Institute Director for Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana, join hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore resources and insights on the often lethal epidemic of substance abuse in our country, and how the church can bring hope and life. About Rev. Dr. Dennis Goff: Since 2016, Goff has been the Director of Ministry Programs for The Lutheran Foundation in Fort Wayne, IN.  He comes to the position after nearly 30 years as a parish pastor in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) serving congregations in Louisiana, Florida and Minnesota.  He also worked for Capital Funding Services of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund.    A graduate of Concordia College, Ann Arbor MI and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis MO., Goff also holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis MO in homiletics with an emphasis on Biblical Storytelling. He has been a regular instructor with Concordia Seminary, St. Louis’s Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program.  Currently, Goff is also called as Assistant Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne. The work of The Lutheran Foundation in Fort Wayne is focused on grant funding for the Lutheran community and being a community advocate for mental and behavioral health and wellness.  Part of that work is being carried out by the creation of a website by The Lutheran Foundation called Look Up Indiana.  This website is a “one stop shop” for all things related to mental and behavioral health throughout the state of Indiana.  Additionally, The Lutheran Foundation is bringing the message of mental health education to the faith community through a series of conferences, workshops and training events.  Goff initiated the first area wide church and mental health conference called Speak Up in the fall of 2017.  The second Speak Up Conference is scheduled again in Fort Wayne on October 7, 2019.  Goff believes that if national statistics indicate that one in four in the population (25%) of people are living with a mental health concern, that also means one in four in our churches.  It’s time for the church to “speak up” about mental wellness and reduce the stigma around mental illness.    

In this episode, Rev. Yared Halche, Facilitator for Mission Engagement with the Northern Region of the Southeastern District of the LCMS, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore the unique opportunities and challenges to begin churches among the various ethnic groups in our country today. About Rev. Yared Halche: Rev. Yared Halche was born and grew up in Ethiopia. He studied theology in Ethiopia, Norway and the United States. He earned his PhD in missiology from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, in 2009. Yared is married to Bethel and the Lord has blessed them with two children. Yared started serving in the Lutheran Church of Ethiopia as a youth leader during the difficult communist era. His professional career started as a seminary teacher in south Ethiopia and continued as a missionary and mission developer in the United States. He served as a mission developer in Las Vegas, NV and regional director for African Immigrants Ministry in the West coast. He pastored a congregation in Indiana that has members from 17 different countries. He currently serves as a Facilitator for Interethnic Mission in the Southeastern District of the LCMS.

In this episode, Rev. Tim Droegemueller, Senior Pastor of Living Faith Lutheran Church in Cumming, Georgia, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore how to harness the power of catechesis and assimilation in the discipleship process. About Pastor Tim Droegemueller is a sinner who was given new life through the power of God’s Word and Spirit in Holy Baptism. His only desire is to preach Christ and Him crucified to all, faithfully teach the Word of God, and to see people brought into full fellowship with our loving God through Jesus and His gifts of grace. He and his wife, Susan, have six children: Jacob, Luke, Isaac, Elijah, Matthew, and Anna. Along with pastors and laypeople in the North Georgia area, he works with the Kairos Network to start new churches. The Kairos Network is a church planting network from the confessional Lutheran perspective. He also serves on the Board of National Mission for our Synod and the mission advisory Council of the Florida Georgia District.

In this episode, Rev. Geoff Robinson, Executive Counselor for Outreach with the LCMS Indiana District, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore the importance of using models of church planting that are not only sustainable but can be replicated to allow for the multiplication of many more. About Rev. Geoffrey L. Robinson: Rev. Geoffrey L. Robinson has served as the Executive Counselor for Outreach for the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod since August 1, 2007. His areas of service are: Mission development, Evangelism, Parish Revitalization, Senior Adult Ministry, Parish Nurses, and Lutheran Early Response Teams. He is also the Indiana District Outreach Counselor for the LWML. Rev. Geoffrey L. Robinson served 25 years in the parish ministry prior to receiving and accepting the call to become the Executive for Outreach for the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Rev. Robinson also has served in various synodical and district positions. He has served as circuit counselor of the Hutchinson Circuit in Kansas, Secretary of the Central Illinois District, Assistant Secretary of the Central Illinois District, Rural Ministry committee chairman of the Central Illinois District, Stewardship Commission chairman of the Central Illinois District, Mission Commission Chairman of the Central Illinois District, Finance and Management Commission Chairman of the Central Illinois District, Congregational Life commission member for the Central Illinois District, and he served as a member of the floor committee on Missions for the 2004 syndical convention. Rev. Robinson is married to Teresa (nee St. Onge) Robinson. They have been blessed with four children, two son-in-laws, one daughter-in-law and twelve grandchildren.

There is a great debate in the church today: “What is the mission of the church?” This podcast discusses how to resolve the confusion between “getting the message right,” and “getting the message out” by focusing on the historic, credal confessions of the church which center on the Gospel, and which steadies the church for faithful witness, particularly amid the daily vocations of everyday life. In this episode, Rev. Dr. Lucas Woodford, President of the Minnesota South District of the LCMS, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore the mission of the church. About Rev. Dr. Lucas Woodford: Rev. Dr. Lucas Woodford is president of the Minnesota South District, LCMS. He is a graduate of Concordia University, St. Paul (1998) and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (M.Div. 2002 and S.T.M. 2003). He has 15 years of parish ministry experience in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He holds a D.Min. in Christian outreach from Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne (2011). His project dissertation was published as Great Commission, Great Confusion, or Great Confession?: The Mission of the Holy Christian Church (Wipf & Stock, 2012) available on Amazon. Pres. Woodford has been published in The Lutheran Witness, LOGIA, and Seelsorger. He recently coauthored Church Leadership & Strategy: For the Care of Souls (Lexham Press, 2019) available on Amazon. Pres. Woodford serves as a fellow with DOXOLOGY. Pres. Woodford and his wife, Rebecca, are parents to Isabella (2003), Thaddeus (2007), Aletheia (2009), Ekklacia (“Klaci”, 2011), Soteria (2014), and Titus (2017). He enjoys reading, writing, hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family.

In this episode, Rev. William Weedon, Director of Worship for the LCMS and International Center Chaplain, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore the unique perspective and advantage of our church to advance the mission of Christ through the sacraments while church planting. About Rev. William Weedon: William Chancellor Weedon has served as the Director of Worship for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and Chaplain of the Synod’s International Center in St. Louis since 2012. He is author of the books Celebrating the Saints (CPH, 2016), Thank, Praise, Serve and Obey (CPH, 2017) and a new children’s book See My Savior’s Hands (CPH, fall of 2018). He and his wife, Cindi, stay busy trying to keep up with their eight beautiful grandchildren.

In this episode, Rev. John Fiene, pastor and church planter, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore the theological, organizational and practical questions about the important qualities and skills related to church planting. About Rev. John Fiene: Rev. Dr. John Fiene has been a Church Planter of Grace Lutheran Church in Sandy City, Utah, and later, Advent Lutheran Church, Zionsville, Indiana. Both congregations, subsequent to their own founding, initiated successful new mission congregations. Pastor Fiene has served as Vice-President of the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Rocky Mountain District. He has taught on the subject of mission planting as an adjunct professor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana as well as various pastors’ conferences. (And yes, Pastor Fiene the Elder is the father of Pastor Hans Fiene the Younger, who is the author of Lutheran Satire.)

In this episode, Rev. Todd Kollbaum, director of Rural and Small Town Mission for the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore the differences and similarities between urban and rural church planting and what urban and rural cousins can learn from each other to strengthen the impact of their ministries. About Rev. Todd Kollbaum: Pastor Todd Kollbaum was installed as Director of LCMS Rural & Small Town Mission on April 1, 2013. Prior to that call, he served as Senior Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cole Camp, MO since August of 2004. Pastor Kollbaum is a 2004 graduate of Concordia Seminary St. Louis, MO and a 1990 graduate of Dana College in Blair, NE and is currently working on his PhD in Missiology at Concordia Theological Seminary Ft. Wayne. Pastor has been happily married to Angela Kollbaum for nearly 29 years. They are blessed with five children, three of whom are now married. Zachary (Clarissa), Jordan (Stephanie) and Emily (Dylan), Ryan (a sophomore at Concordia University Nebraska) and Abigail (an eighth grader at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Concordia, MO) The Kollbaums currently reside in Concordia, MO.

In this episode, Rev. Larry Vogel, Associate Executive Director of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR), joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to explore how the current demographics in the United States today are profoundly affecting the church and the implementation of its mission. About Rev. Larry Vogel: Rev. Larry Vogel is the Associate Executive Director of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR). He has served in the public ministry of the LCMS for 35 years: as a worker-priest teacher on the Rosebud Lakota Sioux Reservation; as a missionary/pastor in Queens (NYC) and part-time chaplain at St. Albans VA Hospital (now VA Community Living Center); as pastor of Martin Luther Chapel and School, Pennsauken, NJ; and, since 2009, on the staff of the CTCR. His responsibilities include writing, editing, speaking about, and contributing to the LCMS position on various theological questions and societal issues, and representing the Synod in discussions with other church bodies. He is also involved in training church workers to deal with issues of domestic violence in their congregations and communities. Larry and his wife Betsy have three married children and eight grandchildren.

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz, Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field: USA initiative, to introduce the definition and explore the purpose of missiology as the biblical foundation for the formation of new churches today. About Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz: Dr. Schulz joined the Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW), Fort Wayne, faculty in the fall of 1998. He serves as professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, dean of Graduate Studies and director of the Ph.D. in Missiology Program. In 1984, Schulz earned his B.A. degree at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. In 1988, he successfully completed his M.Div. studies at the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany. In 1990, he earned his S.T.M. degree at CTSFW. He then served in the Independent Evangelical–Lutheran Church in Germany (SELK) as vicar in Heidelberg, Germany, from 1990–1992. In 1994, he concluded his studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, by earning a Th.D. in Systematics. From 1994–1998, Dr. Schulz was a missionary in Serowe, Botswana, for the Lutheran Church Mission of the SELK.

Rev. Tim Droegemueller, Senior Pastor of Living Faith Lutheran Church in Cumming, Georgia, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field USA initiative, to explore how the three-fold emphasis of the Synod, “Witness, Mercy, Life Together,” integrates biblical concepts into the DNA of future church plants. Pastor Tim Droegemueller About Rev. Tim Droegemueller: Pastor Tim Droegemueller is a sinner who was given new life through the power of God’s Word and Spirit in Holy Baptism. His only desire is to preach Christ and Him crucified to all, faithfully teach the Word of God, and to see people brought into full fellowship with our loving God through Jesus and His gifts of grace. He and his wife, Susan, have six children: Jacob, Luke, Isaac, Elijah, Matthew, and Anna. Along with pastors and laypeople in the North Georgia area, he works with the Kairos Network to start new churches. The Kairos Network is a church planting network from the confessional Lutheran perspective. He also serves on the Board of National Mission for our Synod and the mission advisory Council of the Florida Georgia District. Sign up to receive email notifications of new podcast releases and other church-planting ministry news. Registration only requires your email address, name and zip code. Check the “Church Planting” option on the form. Sign up > mailchi.mp/lcms/resources

In this inaugural episode, Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, joins hosts Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of LCMS Church Planting, and Rev. Dr. Mark Larson, Manager of Church Planting in the Mission Field USA initiative, to explore how our doctrinal understanding of the church (ecclesiology) informs the very purpose and practical strategies for mission in our world today. Based on biblical promise, hear how God has sent His church on its mission with power and authority and why church planting remains a central activity of the church today. About Rev. Dr. Detlev Schulz: Dr. Schulz joined the Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW), Fort Wayne, faculty in the fall of 1998. He serves as professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, dean of Graduate Studies and director of the Ph.D. in Missiology Program. In 1984, Schulz earned his B.A. degree at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. In 1988, he successfully completed his M.Div. studies at the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany. In 1990, he earned his S.T.M. degree at CTSFW. He then served in the Independent Evangelical–Lutheran Church in Germany (SELK) as vicar in Heidelberg, Germany, from 1990–1992. In 1994, he concluded his studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, by earning a Th.D. in Systematics. From 1994–1998, Dr. Schulz was a missionary in Serowe, Botswana, for the Lutheran Church Mission of the SELK.