Dr. David J. Peter joins this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast to discuss the 2025 Advent series, Every Heart Prepare, which he authored in partnership with CPH.

Order your church’s Advent materials at cph.org/advent.

Show Notes

We do so much to prepare for Christmas. One way we prepare is by decorating our homes, yards, and churches with evergreens, lights, the crèche, and presents. This season, reflect upon these common Christmas decorations and how they help us see Christ and prepare for His coming with this Advent and Christmas series.

Dr. David J. Peter discusses Every Heart Prepare, the all-inclusive Advent preaching and worship series that features sermons and sermon notes, Bible studies, children’s messages, a children’s Christmas service, and more. He talks about what first inspired him to write about common Christmas decorations and how they relate to Advent, advice he would give pastors for using these materials in their congregations, and what part of this series was most meaningful to him.

Dr. Peter is also the author of Organizing for Ministry and Mission: Options for Church Structure (CPH, 2023).

Questions

• What first inspired you to connect common Christmas decorations with themes of Advent preparation?
• Why should pastors use this series for their congregation?
• What advice would you give pastors on adapting or customizing these materials for their specific congregational setting?
• The evergreen tree has long symbolized eternal life. How does your sermon connect that symbol to Christ’s coming?
• Light is such a powerful biblical image. How does the “Lights” sermon draw people into the message of Jesus as the Light of the World?
• The crèche—often a quiet, simple decoration—has deep theological meaning. How do you help congregations rediscover its significance?
• On Christmas, the focus turns to wrapped presents. How do you use the imagery of gifts to reveal the meaning of God’s greatest gift, Jesus Christ?
• What part of this series was most meaningful for you personally, and why?

About the Guest

Dr. David J. Peter has served as a professor of practical theology and the dean of faculty at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, where he has regularly led courses for practicing pastors. His areas of expertise include pastoral ministry and researching congregational dynamics. Dr. Peter has also gained many insights from students about the realities of administration and leadership in congregations throughout his years of preaching and instructing. Before joining the Seminary, Dr. Peter served as a visiting instructor of theology at Concordia University in Nebraska, Seward from 1987 to 1988. He also served as associate pastor at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Peoria, Illinois, from 1988 to 1995 and then as senior pastor from 1995 to 1998. Dr. Peter received his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Concordia Seminary, his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln., and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.

On this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, host Elizabeth Pittman is joined by guest and author Rev. Dr. R. Reed Lessing. The pair discusses Reed‘s newest book with CPH, Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers, which tackles the Book of Numbers in a chapter-by-chapter exploration.

Get the book today at cph.org.

Show Notes

In-between times. You’ve likely been here too. Waiting for a new job to start. Transitioning from engaged to married. Packing up your belongings but unable to move into that new house yet. The Book of Numbers is also about the in-between times and, most importantly, how to survive during them.

Listen to the episode now as author R. Reed Lessing discusses how his newest book helps you tackle the Book of Numbers with helpful maps, diagrams, and connections to the rest of the Bible. Reed also talks about why studying the Book of Numbers is valuable, who the Levites were and what we can learn from them today, why the ark of the covenant is important, what lessons we can take away from Numbers, and more.

Questions

• Why is a study of Numbers worth the journey?
• Who are the Levites? What should we know about their role? What can our pastors today learn from them?
• How does Numbers equip us for the in-between times?
• What’s the danger of not learning how to embrace the in-between times?
• We hear the Aaronic benediction in worship—give us a closer look at this blessing. Does it have a trinitarian framework?
• What is “Vitamin F” and why do we need it?
• Why is the ark of the covenant important?
• What can we learn from what you call “the worst day of Moses’ life”?

About the Guest

Dr. R. Reed Lessing is The Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota. He also serves as the University’s Director for the Center of Biblical Studies and oversees the University’s Pre-Seminary Program. Previously, he was Senior Pastor at Saint Michael Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and before that, Professor of Exegetical Theology and Director of the Graduate School at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. He was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, and received a B.A. in pre-seminary studies from St. John’s College, Winfield, Kansas, in 1981. He earned his M.Div. (1985), S.T.M. (1989), and Ph.D. (2001) degrees from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. He was ordained into the office of the holy ministry on June 29, 1986. From 1986 to 1999, he served pastorates in West Monroe, Louisiana, and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

On this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, host Elizabeth Pittman is joined by Benjamin Kolodziej. They explore the history of American Lutheran Church music and Kolodziej’s new book on this topic, Portraits in American Lutheran Sacred Music, 1847–1947.

Get the new book at cph.org.

Show Notes

Thirteen composers. Thirteen biographies of foundational Lutheran musicians.

Envisioned by Walter Buszin, Portraits in American Lutheran Sacred Music, 1847–1947 is a groundbreaking collection of biographies and historical records of important church figures, places, and instruments that carried the foundation of Lutheran church music. During the episode, author Benjamin Kolodziej discusses the robust history of the people, places, and instruments noted in the book, where the idea for this collection of portraits came from, advice he would give to aspiring church musicians, and more.

About the Guest

Benjamin Kolodziej holds an undergraduate degree in organ performance as well as graduate degrees in sacred music and theology from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. His primary organ studies have been with Robert Anderson, Larry Palmer, Richard DeLong, George Baker, and Jon Gillock. He has performed solo organ concerts in Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Italy and throughout the UK. A frequent performer for concerts and hymn festivals in the USA, his venues have included St. Patrick’s Cathedral and St. Thomas Church in New York City, Washington National Cathedral, and St. Philip’s Cathedral in Atlanta. He is a frequent writer on topics of organ and church music for national publications, including The American Organist. Kolodziej is organist and choirmaster at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Dallas, Texas, and is also organist at Perkins Chapel at Southern Methodist University, where he plays for one hundred weddings a year. As a hobby, he collects antiquarian hymnals and theological literature. He is a member of Faith Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Plano, Texas.