The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

Why do we have a Concordia University System? The Rev. Dr. Jamison Hardy (President, Concordia University System) and the Rev. Dr. Douglas Spittel (Vice President, Concordia University System) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what the Concordia University System (CUS) is, where each of the Concordias are and how this has changed over the long history of CUS, their visits to campuses and what happ...

What lessons can we learn from the book of Joshua? Donna Snow, author of many books including the new Strong and Courageous: Studying God's Promises in Joshua from Concordia Publishing House, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why she chose to write a new book on Joshua, what she found most interesting about Joshua as she considered writing this study, her research for this book, what she has lear...

How does Lutheran Senior Services, now EverTrue, serve the community? Rev. Dr. Travis Scholl, Corporate Director of Mission Integration for EverTrue, the KFUO Organization of the Week for March 9-15, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why Lutheran Senior Services made the name change to EverTrue, what a Life Plan Community is, how EverTrue serves its residents and clients, and what makes EverTrue...

You have the opportunity to serve on a short term mission trip to South Africa for Bible Camp! Shara Osiro (serving the Lord in Africa as Regional Shared Ministries manager) and Erin Alter (Director of Short-Term Missions for the LCMS Office of International Mission) join Andy and Sarah to discuss Shara's work managing and supporting ministries across the region, her experience as a short-term vol...

What is the joy in teaching at a Lutheran High School? Rev. Joe Cox, head of Academics at Lutheran High School South in St. Louis, MO, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about his journey to the seminary and into the teaching vocation, what gives him joy as a Lutheran high school teacher, the relationships he builds with students as a part of their formation as young ad...

What is unique or interesting about the book of Exodus? The Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing (Professor of Theology & Ministry, Paul Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and Director of The Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia University St. Paul) joins Andy and Sarah for a series on his book Deliver Us: God's Rescue Story in Exodus to discu...

On Ash Wednesday (March 5), the church enters the holy season of Lent, in which we focus on Christ’s righteousness, sufferings and death, and the new testament in His blood. Much ink has been spilt over the decision of St. Jerome to translate the Greek "diatheke" as "testamentum" in his Latin Vulgate, which ultimately influenced the King James Version’s selection of “testament” as a translation of...

What does righteousness have to do with good works? The Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District and host of KFUO Radio’s Concord Matters, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the Formula of Concord reading plan he created for 2025, including the questions concerning our righteousness that are addressed in this month’s readings. What does righteousness have to do with good...

What has been the state of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) after the Theses of Agreement in 1966? The Rev. Thomas Pietsch, Assistant Professor of Theology at Concordia University Wisconsin, joins Andy and Sarah for the fourth episode in our series on Australian Lutheranism to talk about how the ordination of women become a significant point of opposition in the LCA, the effect of the disagr...

How can camp ministry form future church workers? David Vandercar (Executive Director of Lakeview Ministries in Seymour, Indiana) and Danny Frastaci (Operations Director of Lakeview Ministries in Seymour, Indiana) join Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about Lakeview Ministries, how life at camp shapes attitudes concerning a life of Christian service, how many church workers...

Dr. Robert Sorensen, Professor of Theology and Foreign Languages at Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Illinois, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about St. Matthias, whose commemoration day is February 24, including where we hear about St. Matthias in Scripture, what is unique about how he became an apostle, how he served the Church, and what we can learn from Matthias’ story and service to...

Why does having good listening and conversational skills truly matter? The Rev. Brian Davies, pastor of Lord of Glory Lutheran Church in Grayslake, IL, and author of “Captivating Conversations” (available from CPH), joins Sarah to talk about the current state of discourse in our culture, what we can learn from Jesus about having good conversations, what true listening looks like, how being curious...

Dr. Joe Herl, professor of music at Concordia University Nebraska, joins Andy and Sarah on Martin Luther's commemoration day (February 18) to talk about Luther's Deutsche Messe (German Mass), including the problems Luther had with the traditional Latin Mass, why Luther wrote this German Mass and who it was for, what the German Mass contained after he translated it from Latin, and where we have thi...

How were early Lutheran congregations in Australia organized and unified? The Rev. Thomas Pietsch, Assistant Professor of Theology at Concordia University Wisconsin, joins Andy and Sarah for the third episode in our series on Australian Lutheranism to discuss how congregations and missions were organized and supported—from the time of the early missionaries to unification in 1966; the Theses of Ag...

How are church work students prepared for well-being in their future vocations? Dr. Thaddeus Warren, Chair of the Department of Human and Social Sciences and DCE Program Director at Concordia University, Nebraska (CUNE), joins Andy and Sarah to discuss his passion for worker well-being, the church work programs available at CUNE, and how students are formed for ministry. He also shares how student...

How does Christian Friends of New Americans help immigrants and refugees settle into their new country? The Rev. Dr. Stanish Stanley, Executive Director of Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA), and Amy Ziegler, Community Engagement Associate with CFNA, join Andy and Sarah to talk about the refugees and immigrants who have found a new home in St. Louis and find support with CFNA, how they find...

Things are gearing up for the 2026 LCMS Convention! The Rev. Dr. John Sias, Secretary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, joins Andy and Sarah to discuss the convention cycle's big picture, our current place in the cycle, the next steps for congregations and districts, opportunities for LCMS members to participate, and details for the convention in Phoenix on July 18-24. Learn more about nomina...

How does the Church raise up multiethnic leaders for the kingdom through catechesis? The Rev. Dr. Ely Prieto, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of the Center for Hispanic Studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the Concordia Seminary Multiethnic Symposium happening May 6-7. They discuss how catechesis is part of the Lord’s command in Matt...

What prompted early Lutheran immigrants to move to Australia? The Rev. Thomas Pietsch, Assistant Professor of Theology at Concordia University Wisconsin, joins Andy and Sarah for the second episode in our series on Australian Lutheranism to talk about why German Lutherans immigrated to Australia in 1838, how these early immigrants settled into the land, where early Lutheran churches were establish...

How can a winding career path lead to seminary? James Wiencke, a first-year Residential Alternate Route student at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to share his journey—his life before considering seminary, the various careers that led him there, how his family supported his decision, the joys and challenges he encountered, and what he is looking forward to in seminary. Christ...

LCMS Office of International Mission has many great resources for families and congregations to use! Stephanie Hovland, Deaconess Intern with the LCMS Office of International Mission (OIM), joins Andy and Sarah to talk about her work as a deaconess intern with OIM; the benefits of learning about international missions in the local congregation and home; available resources, including the Missions...

What is the history behind the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, and how does it fit uniquely into our church year? The Rev. Sean Daenzer, LCMS Director of Worship and Chaplain for the LCMS International Center, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what this day in our church year is and what makes it important, why the global church celebrates Transfiguration on different dates, the unique...

Rev. Dr. Joel Elowsky, professor of Historical Theology and coordinator of International Seminary Exchange Programs at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and guest co-host Pastor James Cleland to talk about St. Valentine, including why the church commemorates him on February 14, what we know about the era in which Valentine lived and served, how Valentine served the church, what we can le...

What is Lutheran Mission - Australia (LM-A) and why did it begin? The Rev. Matt Anker, President of Lutheran Mission - Australia, joins Andy and Sarah to begin our series on Lutheranism in Australia, sharing a brief history of the Lutheran Church in Australia, the theological history leading to the Theses of Agreement, when it became clear a new mission was needed, what has been important in the f...

What does a second career journey from the music industry to pastoral ministry look like? The Rev. Paul Hemenway, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Edmond, OK, joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about his life prior to his journey to seminary, skills from the music industry that have translated into pastoral ministry, how he finally made his way to seminary, who...