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.

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, host Elizabeth Pittman is joined by Rev. Dr. Carl C. Fickenscher II, author of the new book Looking Forward to Sunday Morning: Reflections on the Church Year. The duo discusses the contents of the readings that we hear at church on Sunday morning, how they relate thematically, and what we can learn to look forward to as we spend time in the Word.

Get the book now on cph.org!

Show Notes
How often do you think about the contents of upcoming weekly worship services and how they interconnect thematically? However rare or frequent this is, there is something to be learned, and certainly something to look forward to.

Listen to the episode to hear how this resource from CPH based on Carl Fickenscher II’s fan-favorite radio show walks through the propers of each week of the three-year-lectionary (the Introit, Gradual, Collect, and so on), helping you prepare for worship and better understand its interconnected pieces. Carl also talks about how the lectionary is a valuable tool for the church, what he hopes readers learn to look forward to during Sunday morning worship, what church leaders can take from this book to help their members be more excited about Sunday morning worship, and more.

Questions

• Why is the lectionary a valuable tool for the church?
• How might pastors use this book differently from laypersons?
• What are the things about Sunday morning you hope your readers look forward to--besides the coffee, doughnuts, and baked goods?
• How can Sunday morning make a bigger impact on the other hours of our week?
• Is there anything pastors and other church leaders can take from this book to help their members be more excited about Sunday mornings?

About the Guest
Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher is a professor of pastoral ministry and missions at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, teaching primarily the area of homiletics. He and his wife, Claire, are parents of Rachel, Daniel, and Gabriel, and very proud grandparents.