Lead Time

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In this special episode of Lead Time, Pastor Tim Ahlman sits down with Pastor Jeff Sutherlin to walk through the LCMS Pastoral Formation Committee’s newly released SMP policy requirements—including the widely debated 40-year-old minimum age, the restrictions on SMP placements, and the implicati...

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Is pastoral formation reform in the LCMS really a “threat to the Synod”?
Pastor Joe Beran joins Tim Ahlman for an honest, thoughtful conversation about fear, change, seminary pathways, SMP restrictions, and why this topic has become so emotionally charged across Lutheran circles.

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Dr. Mychal Thom joins Tim and Jack for a powerful conversation about belonging, Lutheran identity, and the future of Lutheran schools. From his own story of adoption to his leadership at Concordia St. Paul—and now his upcoming role as President & CEO of Faith Lutheran in Las Vegas—Dr. T...

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Why do some LCMS churches thrive—and others decline?
Pastor Thomas Marcis, 36-year pastor of Zion in Bismarck and a Synodical Reconciler, joins Lead Time to talk about church health, conflict, rural ministry, next-gen engagement, and why pastors must get out of their bubble and into the...

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In this episode, Dr. Jamison J. Hardy, President of the Concordia University System, joins Tim to discuss the exciting progress being made across LCMS universities — from record growth in church work enrollment to new scholarship initiatives and strategic partnerships.

Dr. Hardy un...

Information and Registration:
https://www.psd-lcms.org/koinonia-gathering

This special bonus episode of Lead Time features Rev. Dr. Mike Gibson, President of the Pacific Southwest District (LCMS), joining Pastor Tim Ahlman to announce a historic upcoming event — the Koinonia Gathering, January 7–8, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Koinonia Gathering isn’t a debate. It’s a moment for honest, face-to-face convers...

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(bi monthly newsletter covering relevant LCMS topics!):
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What if we could see how the LCMS is really doing — district by district?
Today, Pastor Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg sit down with Pastor Jonathan Buescher, who compiled a comparative data study on all 35 LCMS districts — revealing surprising insights about membership, budgets, schools...

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The LCMS is wrestling with a familiar question: are we keeping distinctions or breaking barriers?

What does healthy leadership look like in today’s church?
Dr. Ben Haupt, Global Executive Director of PLI (Pastoral Leadership Institute), joins Tim Ahlman to unpack th...

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The LCMS is wrestling with a familiar question: are we keeping distinctions or breaking barriers?

Pastor Tim Ahlman, Jack Kalleberg, and Pastor Jonathan Dinger return to one of Lead Time’s most popular conversations—this time reframed around access.

- What does it mean...

Pastor Andy Greer went from fundraising for the Nebraska Cornhuskers to preaching from the pulpit at Messiah Lutheran Church. His story shines a light on one of the most controversial discussions in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod: the Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP) program.

In this honest and hope-filled conversation, Tim and Andy tackle the ongoing tension between residential seminary training and SMP pathways, the ne...

Are emotions a weakness—or a vital part of faith?

💡 Grab Bill & Kristi’s new book, Deeply Loved, here:
👉 https://soulshepherding.org/deeply-loved-book
Also available wherever books are sold.

In this episode of Lead Time, Pastor Tim Ahlman sits down with Dr. Bill & Kristi Gaultiere, founders of Soul Shepherding and authors of the new book Deeply Loved: Receiving and Reflecting God’s Great Empathy ...

In this powerful Lead Time episode, Tim Ahlman sits down with Rev. Mark Brandt — pastor, coach, and longtime leader in the Michigan District of the LCMS. Together they tackle deep and timely questions: What do we do when our prayers feel unanswered? How do we trust God’s love in seasons of suffering? And what are the biggest temptations pastors face today?

Mark shares personal stories from family struggles, ministry in Fra...

Is the LCMS truly facing a pastoral shortage — or do we have too many pastors and too few people in the pews? In this bold Lead Time episode, Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg sit down with Tim Wood (Ad Crucem, CSL Regent) to confront the uncomfortable realities shaping the Missouri Synod’s future.

They tackle:
- Why Lutheran churches have lost half their membership in 25 years.
- Whether our law/gospel preaching model...

Most LCMS circuits struggle with collaboration—but not Pastor Joshua Reber’s. In this success story, Josh shares how his circuit has built healthy rhythms, a thriving newsletter, men’s retreats, and real theological dialogue that bring pastors and congregations closer together.

In this episode, Tim and Jack sit down with Josh to explore:

- What makes circuit collaboration thrive.
- Why pastoral wellness matter...

This special Lead Time episode is unlike any other. Pastor Tim Ahlman is joined by his father, Pastor Dave Ahlman, to reflect on the tragic recent events shaking our nation—the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the stabbing in Charlotte, and the weight of remembering September 11th.

Together, father and son wrestle with the hard questions: Where is God in the midst of evil? How do Christians make sense of senseless violence? ...

The LCMS wrestles with real division — often labeled “confessional vs. missional.” But is the deeper tension actually between Barrier Breakers and Distinction Keepers?

In this episode, Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller joins Tim and Jack for an honest dialogue about the state of the Synod — and whether conversations like this podcast are helping or hurting. Together they explore:

- What drives “barrier breakers” and “disti...

Across the LCMS and beyond, the average congregation hovers around 50 in worship. Why is this the case—and what can be done about it?

In this Lead Time conversation, Tim Ahlman sits down with Rev. David Patterson (Institute of Lutheran Theology) to dig into the deeper issues behind church decline and revitalization. Together they explore:

• The real indicators of a congregation’s health (it’s not money or attend...

In this episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman returns from sabbatical with a candid conversation about the changing landscape of ministry in the LCMS. From re-organizing senior staff and shifting governance models, to the biblical case for pastoral sabbaticals, to the urgent realities of pastoral formation, this episode doesn’t shy away from the hard questions.

Tim shares personal reflections from his sabbatical and his upcomin...

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod often talks about vocation—but are we living it out? In this powerful episode, Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg sit down with Dr. Travis Guse, executive coach and author of Called to Be, to challenge the assumption that “calling” is only for pastors and church workers.

Travis shares his journey through burnout, identity crisis, and rediscovering Luther’s radical teaching that every baptized ...