Concord Matters from KFUO Radio

What does it mean to be reverent, and how do we have reverent worship? How do the "things" of our worship relate to reverence? What is the real reverence of worship? What constitutes irreverence in worship? Chaplain Sean Daenzer, Director of Worship for the LCMS and Chaplain at the International Center joins host Rev. Sean Smith for this study.

What do we LCMS Lutherans mean when we talk about worship? How does our language, including use of metonymy and synecdoche, shape how we talk about worship? Where do we learn about Lutheran worship and divine service in our Lutheran confessions, and what do those passages teach us about right worship? Chaplain Sean Daenzer, Director of Worship for the LCMS and Chaplain at the International Center...

What is the foundation for discussion of Concord within the Christian Church? What does unity look like in the Christian Church? How is such unity preserved? How do we handle disunity, heterodoxy, and heresy in the Church? Where would be a good “first-step” place to go in the Book of Concord to help us handle these matters? Rev. David Wiist, pastor of Concordia Lutheran in Evansville, Indiana, joi...

What is a soul? What does it mean to care for souls, and why is that important? Is it different from mental health therapy? How does right understanding of the care of souls affect how pastors care for their flock? Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, Minnesota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Concord Matters for the care of souls.

The historical context of the Book of Concord is quite intricate. Cultural and political influences abounded in the 1500-1600s and caused tricky situations for the young Lutheran church in Saxony and across German territories. The Saxon Visitation Articles from 1592 brought standards to Lutheran practice across Saxony and were brought to America by Saxon Lutherans. This small part, not officially...

What is the Catalog of Testimonies included in the Appendix of the Reader's Edition of the Book of Concord? (Did you even know that was there?) Why does it matter a great deal that our church fathers wrote and spoke in accordance with the Word of God? Why should we study what our church fathers believed and taught? Rev. Anthony Dodgers, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Charlotte, Iowa, joins...

What do we believe about confession and why should we want to go to confession? What are the two kinds of confession? How is confession and absolution balm to weary souls? Rev. Mark Barz, pastor of Crown of Life Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Martin Luther's "A Brief Exhortation to Go to Confession."

The old saying goes, "if we do not learn from history we will have to repeat history's mistakes." On this episode we will dig in to the history and background of the Formula of Concord, including how it came into being and succeeded in healing the young strife-torn Lutheran Church. We learn wisdom from it that, God-willing, creates the setting for us to approach controversies that threaten our uni...

Who are the Schwenkfeldians and how are they related to the Reformation? What is the proper understanding of Christ's incarnation? How do our beliefs about the sacraments differ from those opposed to our Lutheran Confessions? How does everything boil down to the proper distinction between Law and Gospel? Rev. Paul Cain, senior pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church and headmaster of Martin Luther Gram...

What are the three estates that Christians are a part of? How are government, church, and family different vocational spheres, and how do our beliefs about these estates shape our daily lives as Christians? How do we partake in each of these estates as faithful Christians? Rev. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epit...

Why is it important to also confess what we reject? What are the teachings that we do reject? How are these teachings connected to ancient heresies, and how does our Lutheran doctrine teach against these things? Rev. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, North Dakota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article XII: Other Factions ‹He...

What do "heresy," "orthodox," and "heterodox" mean, especially in the context of our Lutheran confessions? How does the history of our Lutheran confessions compare to other denominations? How do we use our confessions to compare what we believe to what others believe? How is Christ in the center of our Lutheran confessions? Rev. Jaime Nava, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Maplewood, Missour...

How is Election a comforting thing? How does discussion on Election always come back to Jesus? What are some false views of predestination that Lutherans do not agree with? Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, Minnesota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article XI: God's Eternal Foreknowledge and Election (Negative Statements...

Why are some saved and not others? If we cannot climb into the mind of God, how can we be assured of our election? How is predestination all about the comfort of the Gospel? Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Amston, CT, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article XI: God’s Eternal Foreknowledge and Election (Affirmative Statements).

How do we understand the doctrine of predestination and election, or God's eternal foreknowledge? How does human understanding and reason cloud how we understand this doctrine? What is the divine logic in this doctrine? Where do we read about this doctrine in Scripture? Find the free (public domain) audio Book of Concord at bookofconcord.org/audio.php, archive.org/details/LibrivoxBookOfConcord, an...

What is the historical context behind this article on Church Practices? What are some examples of how Lutheran Church Practices differ from other denominations? What do these practices or ceremonies communicate or teach about our faith? Rev. Charles Henrickson, pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Bonne Terre, Missouri, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concor...

Does adiaphora mean things don't matter? How do we distinguish things that are adiaphora in our church practices? How do we handle and consider changes to worship practice? Rev. Kurt Cockran, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Tucson, Arizona, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article X: Church Practices (Affirmative Statements para. 3-7).

Hear this history behind the term "adiaphora," the Smalcald wars, and how we apply this word to our church practices. Do certain things really matter? Are we just agreeing to disagree or is there more to it?  What do we as Lutherans consider adiaphora? Rev. Jacob Hercamp, pastor of Saint Peter Lutheran Church in La Grange, Missouri, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula...

What do we believe about Christ's descent to hell? What happened when He descended there? What does Martin Luther teach about this part of our doctrine? Rev. Dr. Jayson Galler, pastor of Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Kilgore, Texas, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article IX: The Descent of Christ to Hell. Download the sermon by Martin Luther, referenced i...

What do we actually believe about the person of Christ (good Christology)? What is the opposite of that, those teachings that make up bad Christology? How do we explain what we believe about Christ as comes from Scripture? Rev. Nate Hill, pastor of Saint Michael's Lutheran Church in Winchester, Texas, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article VIII: The Pe...

Why did Christ have to take on flesh, even though He does not have a beginning or an end? How do we confess the truths of Christ's two natures? Is it possible to separate the two natures of Christ? Rev. Peter Ill, senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss The Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article VIII: The Person of Christ, Affirmat...

Who is Christ and what do we say about Him? Are both natures present in the Supper? Who was arguing over this at the time of the Reformation, and why does this matter to us now? Rev. Dr. Kirk Clayton, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Mascoutah, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article VIII: The Person of Christ, Status of the Controversy.

Continue the conversation about what Lutherans *don't* believe about the Lord's Supper. Are we able to earn the Supper? Why does closed communion matter? Is there a loving way to tell someone they can't receive the sacrament? Rev. Tyrel Bramwell, pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Ferndale, California, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article VII: T...

What do we *not* believe about the Lord's Supper? What is the importance of the actual celebration of the Mass? Does it matter how we practice and receive the Lord's Supper? Rev. Tyrel Bramwell, pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Ferndale, California, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article VII: The Holy Supper of Christ, Negative Statements (parag...

What do we believe, teach, and confess about the Lord’s Supper? How to we explain the real presence of Christ in the sacrament? How does what we believe about Christ inform what we believe about the sacrament? Rev. Dr. Christian Preus, pastor of Mount Hope Lutheran Church in Casper, Wyoming, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Epitome of the Formula of Concord, Article VII: The Holy Supper o...