If you care about the future of the LCMS, you won’t want to miss this one.
Your perspective matters, let's have discussion that honors Christ!

New LCMS data reveals a stunning reality: nearly three-quarters of congregations worship fewer than 100 people each week. Tim and Jack unpack what this means for the future of our pastors, our mission, and our very identity as a church body. Are we facing an “emerging emergency” in staffing, sustainability, and representation? From micro-church struggles to the influence of large congregations, this candid conversation doesn’t shy away from the hard truths — and the hopeful opportunities.

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If you care about the future of the LCMS, you won’t want to miss this one.

🔔 Save Lead Time to your library for real talk about leading in the LCMS today. Your perspective matters, let's have discussion that honors Christ!

As the LCMS heads into another round of district and national conventions, big questions loom: Who actually holds influence in shaping our Synod’s future? Pastor Tim Ahlman sits down with Emily Pacyga and Josh Salzberg for a behind-the-scenes look at overtures, resolutions, and the politics of convention floor committees.

From lay delegate engagement to the missing voices of commissioned ministers, from “omnibus” rejections to open hearings, this candid conversation wrestles with participation, representation, and whether the LCMS truly welcomes diverse perspectives.

Whether you’re a seasoned delegate, a curious layperson, or someone who’s never heard the word “overture” before, this episode pulls back the curtain on how decisions are made—and how YOU can have a seat at the table.

📌 Topics include:
Why many LCMS members don’t understand (or use) their full voting power
How overtures get killed in “omnibus” before ever being discussed
The politics of floor committees and representation
Ideas for giving commissioned ministers a real voice
Building coalitions for meaningful change in the LCMS

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Why are so many LCMS churches stuck in cycles of insecurity, burnout, and unhealthy culture? In this episode, Dr. Kirk Triplett joins Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg to expose the deeper issues plaguing leadership culture in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. From toxic feedback loops to forgotten celebration, from unclear mission to constant comparison—this conversation digs deep into what’s quietly killing joy and mission in our churches.

We explore:
- How the LCMS avoids clarity by hiding behind “love God, love people”
- The difference between behavioral values and organizational values
- Why too many pastors are driven by insecurity and the 2% who complain
- What the church can learn from Starbucks, big toes, and baby baptisms

It’s time to rest, rejoice, and relax—without losing momentum.

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Whether you're a traditionalist, a missional reformer, or somewhere in between, this episode will challenge your assumptions and stir your heart for unity, clarity, and bold gospel witness.

Rod Zwonitzer—a second-career pastor with a background in corporate marketing—joins Lead Time to drop some hard truth: the LCMS is great at feeding the sheep but terrible at fishing for the lost. In this rich, candid conversation, Rod explores the tension between doctrinal purity and outreach, confessional liturgy and contemporary music, and why the term “church growth” sends some Lutherans into panic mode.

From defending contemporary worship (with his Stratocaster in hand) to later questioning whether pop culture fits in the sanctuary, Rod shares his journey through marketing, ministry, and the Book of Proverbs—all while urging the church to stop fighting and start fishing.

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Are 10,000+ commissioned ministers in the LCMS being overlooked at the highest levels of church leadership? In this eye-opening episode, Tim Ahlman sits down with Bob McKinney, Dr. Jonathan Laabs, and Audrey Duensing-Werner to confront the decades-long tension around voting rights and representation for commissioned ministers in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Why, after 16 attempts across multiple conventions, is the Synod still resisting change? What's really holding us back: polity, fear, or a misunderstanding of power and ministry?

This conversation isn’t about titles. It’s about team, honor, and advancing the gospel in a post-Christian age. Whether you're a pastor, lay leader, DCE, teacher, or simply love your local church — this is a conversation the entire Synod needs to hear.

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Is the small church model dead? In this explosive episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg sit down with Pastor Rob Myallis (ELCA) for a brutally honest conversation about the economic realities choking the life out of mid-sized churches. With rising costs, unsustainable pastoral expectations, and shifting cultural engagement, Rob unpacks why churches averaging 80–120 in attendance may not survive without radical change.

We tackle everything:

• $30,000 health insurance costs
• Why 150 people is the relational ceiling
• The burnout crisis among solo pastors
• Why people treat church like a rec center, not a sanctuary
• And the hard truth: your old church model probably isn’t working

If you’ve ever asked, “Why are so many churches declining?” or “What future does my congregation really have?”—this one’s for you.

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Bob Sundquist takes us on a captivating journey through the turbulent founding story of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod—a tale far more complex and human than most church histories acknowledge. Moving beyond simplified narratives of heroes and villains, Sundquist reveals how the first "celebrity pastor" of the LCMS, Martin Stephan, led 700 Saxon immigrants to America in 1838 only to face accusations and eventual exile across the Mississippi River.

This conversation reveals how historical understanding helps us navigate present church tensions between pastoral and congregational authority.

• History is fundamentally about storytelling and understanding people, not just memorizing dates
• Martin Stephan was the first "celebrity pastor" of the LCMS whose leadership eventually created a crisis
• The accusations against Stephan of sexual impropriety likely had no concrete evidence but were used to remove him
• C.F.W. Walther developed Lutheran understanding of church authority through the trauma of Stephan's removal
• Pastors should focus primarily on Word and Sacrament ministry rather than business management
• The LCMS has historically had a hyper-fixation on the Office of Ministry as a result of early traumas
• Walther's "Duties of an Evangelical Lutheran Synod" (1879) offers wisdom for contemporary church conflicts
• The Missouri Synod repeats the same resolutions without taking action, indicating unresolved tensions

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What happens when the traditional path to ministry isn't an option? For Pastor Eli Thomas, the journey to becoming an LCMS pastor meant navigating uncharted waters through the colloquy process while balancing family responsibilities, work, and education over eleven challenging years.

What began as a winding path through different denominations ultimately led him back to Lutheran theology through his rediscovery of the real presence of Christ in the sacraments.

• Taking 11 years to complete undergraduate and seminary education while working and raising a family
• Navigating the challenging colloquy process to become an LCMS pastor
• Finding joy in interactive Bible study that transforms both teacher and students
• Serving two congregations simultaneously, including one with an average age of 80
• Moving from lecture-style teaching to dialogue that helps people experience Scripture
• Reflecting on convention experiences and hopes for the future of pastoral formation
• Discovering God's faithfulness when facing unexpected challenges

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Join the Lead Time Newsletter! (Weekly Updates and Upcoming Episodes)
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