St. John's Lutheran Church, School, and Childcare

The vision is simple: people need the gospel!

Have you ever wondered how to start the conversation about Jesus? In a fast-paced, calendar-packed world, it’s tempting to just resort to sound bites about Jesus. How do you plant the seed for a conversation about Jesus?

Hence, the approach of Twice the Lutheran. I hope to bring fresh insights from the Lutheran Confessions and the Scriptures to challenge modern thinking, broaden perspective and show you how the Confessions give answers and hope. Not just stale preaching, but a lively approach to historic Lutheranism.

Whether you are a confirmed Lutheran or not even a Christian, I hope you’ll find something for you here.

Join me on this journey…who knows where it’ll take us together!

OCT

How to Pray For What God Hasn't Promised

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You can pray for anything and anyone! And yes, you can pray for things God hasn't promised.

SEP

Praying Grandmas Keep the World Turning

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Why does God hear the prayers of Christians only? What prayers will God always answer "yes?"

SEP

Merit-Based Prayer is Good.

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Who alone merits our prayers? Also, what's the difference between being a sinner and living in sin and how does it impact our prayers?

SEP

No, God Doesn't Hear Every Prayer

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In this episode, we'll discuss the foundational requirements of a God-pleasing prayer, the events of this past week (September 10th, 2025), and dispense with the nonsense of Theodicy (aka "the problem of evil").

The Life Challenges Podcast

Join us as we discuss modern-day issues from a Biblical perspective.

Would you like to go deeper into the issues and information surrounding life? Every week we will have expert discussion of different topics, often going beyond things we can share through our usual Christian Life Resources materials. Find us on your favorite podcast app or stay here on lifechallenges.us to learn more. Play our latest episode and check out earlier ones. We’d love to have you listen!

OCT

Thoughts, Prayers, and What Next

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When sorrow hits the headlines—or lands in our homes—saying “thoughts and prayers” can feel either deeply kind or painfully empty. We unpack why that phrase draws so much fire, and how to turn it from a reflex into a lifeline by praying with purpose and following through with real help. With Pastors Bob Fleischmann and Jeff Samelson, we explore the power of intercession, the pitfalls of vague sentiment, and the simple shifts that make care tangible.We dig into what honest prayer looks like: starting with adoration, naming specific needs, and remembering that the Lord’s Prayer centers the spiritual before the physical. From processing personal loss to responding to national disasters, we talk through practical petitions—comfort, strength for the next day, protection from bitterness, wise leaders, open doors for mercy—and why “How can I pray for you?” beats a generic promise every time. You’ll hear stories from ministry and real

OCT

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A public murder, a public act of forgiveness, and a public reckoning with what courage really costs—this conversation starts where the news won’t and moves into the places most of us live: trust, discernment, and the daily habits that shape our conscience. We open with the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the surprising witness that emerged from the memorial—clear gospel, costly grace, and a reminder that God can draw purpose from tragedy without excusing evil. The question beneath the headlines is personal: what risks will we take for truth, and how do we respond when our enemies give us every reason not to love them?From there, we move through the thickets of modern medicine, where vaccine skepticism collides with scientific claims and shifting guidance. Instead of trading slogans, we slow down to practice discernment—separating correlation from causation, weighing evidence, and remembering that loving our neighbor includes doing our homework. That same caref

SEP

Navigating Free Speech, Faith, and Culture with Grace and Grit

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Freedom of speech sounds simple—until you try to speak a hard truth at work, post a conviction online, or share the gospel with someone who disagrees. We unpack what free speech actually protects, where the guardrails are, and why the ability to speak openly is essential to practicing faith, especially when it comes to pro‑life and pro‑family advocacy. Along the way, we look at how cancel culture, “hate speech” labels, and the claim that “speech is violence” are reshaping public conversation and pressuring people into silence.We walk through the First Amendment’s intent and limits, the deep link between freedom of religion and freedom of expression, and why global restrictions on evangelism hollow out true religious liberty. Then we get practical: how to speak with conviction and gentleness, how to respond when you’re misrepresented, and how small, face‑to‑face conversations often do more than viral posts. Drawing on Jesus’ example—

SEP

Transform Your Spiritual Life by Increasing Your Emotional Awareness with Scott Mittelstadt

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What if the key to deeper spiritual growth isn't more knowledge, but better emotional awareness? Scott Mittelstadt, a former law enforcement officer turned emotional intelligence consultant, reveals how understanding your emotions transforms every relationship—including your relationship with God.Ever sit down to read scripture only to realize minutes later you can't remember what you just read? You're not alone. Scott shares how journaling revolutionized his Bible study, creating "a night and day difference" in his comprehension and retention. This simple practice helped him "dig deeper to look for meaning" rather than merely checking off a spiritual discipline.The science is clear: our brains are constantly being rewired by our thoughts. With negative stimuli overwhelming positive ones in our daily lives, intentional practices like gratitude journaling become essential for maintaining emotional health. Scott explains how writing down three good things daily

Let the Bird Fly! is a podcast about living freely in a world given back to us. When we see the world for what it is and offers (and what it doesn’t), and when we live baptismally, we are freed to enjoy the things around us and the life of the mind for what it is: a gift!

Wade, Mike, Peter, and Ben, along with their guests, have diverse backgrounds and varied interests, so we plan to cover a lot, from theology to sports, news to philosophy, history to technology, science to, well, maybe even a little politics. We hope you’ll join the conversation and, with us, let the bird fly.

OCT

Episode 347: Into the Deep with Abigail Favale, Part 4

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In episode THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVEN, Mike, Lauren, and Sara continue a four-part series on the work of Abigail Favale. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What’s New from 1517: Untamed Prayers: 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of Psalms by Chad Bird Remembering Your Baptism: A 40-Day Devotional by Kathryn Morales Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug The Impossible Prize: A Theology of Addiction by Donavan Riley More from the hosts Michael Berg @ 1517 Wade Johnston @ 1517 Let the Bird Fly! website Thanks for listening! Attributions for Music and Image used in this Episode: “The Last One” by Jahzzar is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 International License. “Gib laut” by Dirk Becker is licensed under an Attribut

OCT

Episode 346: Into the Deep with Abigail Favale, Part 3

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In episode THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX, Mike, Lauren, and Sara continue a four-part series on the work of Abigail Favale. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What’s New from 1517: Untamed Prayers: 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of Psalms by Chad Bird Remembering Your Baptism: A 40-Day Devotional by Kathryn Morales Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug The Impossible Prize: A Theology of Addiction by Donavan Riley More from the hosts Michael Berg @ 1517 Wade Johnston @ 1517 Let the Bird Fly! website Thanks for listening! Attributions for Music and Image used in this Episode: “The Last One” by Jahzzar is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 International License. “Gib laut” by Dirk Becker is licensed under an Attributio

OCT

Episode 345: Into the Deep with Abigail Favale, Part 2