Pre-Lenten Workshop
2022-01-21 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | MO, United States
You Meant It for Evil, but God Meant It for Good
Sermons based on Luke 22:1-24:12
Presenter: Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs, emeritus professor
During this Pre-Lenten Workshop, Emeritus Professor Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs will bring together exegesis, application and preaching based on Luke 22:1-24:12 to help pastors prepare their worship resources for Lent.
Registration deadline: Jan. 7, 2022

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Lay Bible Institute
2022-02-12 10:00 - 15:00 | MO, United States
Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow
President Emeritus Dr. Dale A. Meyer
Traditional and true Lutheran emphases get a fresh look for congregational ministry in today’s changed and challenging culture. Topics from 1 Peter include unmasking the influences of public culture upon church life, faith and good works, truth and emotions, the fear of God and whether or not “forgiveness” communicates.
Registration deadline: Jan. 31, 2022

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Multiethnic Symposium
2022-05-03 - 2022-05-04 | MO, United States
Rise and Enter the City: The Hopeful Church in the Multiethnic City
The 2022 Multiethnic Symposium will explore the biblical, artistic and missional perspectives that emanate from diverse ethnic churches and communities, particularly in the United States, and will encourage participants to contribute toward a Lutheran theology of urban ministry that inspires and guides intercultural engagement with neighbors living in today’s complex urban landscape.

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Canceled: Faith and Writing Workshop
2022-07-19 - 2022-07-21 | MO, United States
Concordia Seminary’s Faith and Writing Workshop explores various forms of creative writing — starting a blog, creating a sermon or devotion, “traditional” forms of creative writing (story, nonfiction, drama, poetry) — and everything in between. Attention will be given to social media and new forms of expression, with ample time provided for creative exercises.

Dr. Jack Dean Kingsbury Lecture in New Testament Theology
2022-09-20 19:30 - 20:30 | MO, United States
Join Dr. James W. Voelz, the Dr. Jack Dean Kingsbury Professor of New Testament Theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, for the seventh annual Dr. Jack Dean Kingsbury Lecture in New Testament Theology.
Doing Biblical Interpretation the Concordia St. Louis Way
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is a confessional Lutheran Seminary whose exegetes practice a conservative method of biblical interpretation that is both textual and historical, often called the historical-grammatical method. But there are various versions or iterations of this method, i.e., various points of emphasis or various elements of focus. Concordia Seminary exegetes have a specific approach to biblical interpretation, their own version of the historical-grammatical method, as it were, especially in the last 40-50 years. This lecture will take a close look at the features of this “St. Louis Seminary” approach.

500th Anniversary Lecture: Martin Luther’s New Testament Translation
2022-10-13 18:15 - 20:30 | MO, United States
In 11 weeks’ time, Martin Luther managed to produce a translation of the New Testament that forever changed the shape of the German language and influenced the earliest Protestant English Bibles. But Luther’s translation was first and foremost an expression of his understanding of God’s Word as a “living voice” that brings life to those who hear it.
Now, 500 years after Luther first translated the New Testament, millions of people still don’t have the Bible in their own language. Come and delve into a discussion about the ways Luther’s vision to place God’s Word into every language is being fulfilled across the globe during the “500th Anniversary Lecture: Martin Luther’s New Testament Translation” co-sponsored by Concordia Seminary and Lutheran Bible Translators.
Held at 7 p.m. CT Thursday, Oct. 13, in Werner Auditorium on campus, this special lecture will feature two esteemed New Testament scholars: Dr. Jeff Kloha, chief curatorial officer at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., and former Seminary provost; and Dr. Vilson Scholz, visiting professor of Exegetical Theology at the Seminary and former translation consultant for United Bible Societies.
This event is free and open to the public. The lecture will be preceded by a reception at 6:15 p.m.
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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Sánchez in Monterey, CA
2023-06-01 - 2023-06-03 | Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Monterey, CA), 800 Cass St., Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Sculptor Spirit
Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M.’s recent work Sculptor Spirit: Models of Sanctification from Spirit Christology (IVP Academic, 2019) offers a constructive narrative approach to the theology of sanctification through a wide-ranging biblical, historical, systematic and practical account of life in the Spirit. By reading and discussing the book with the author and reflecting on Christian ministry and mission in light of the book’s themes, participants will have an opportunity to pursue deep, imaginative ways of thinking about the sanctified life, particularly in a North American context. Special attention will be given to how Scripture, early church fathers, Martin Luther and selected contemporary theologians use compelling images to help us learn, discern and communicate what the sanctified life looks like.

Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M.
Professor of Systematic Theology; Director of the Center for Hispanic Studies; and the Werner R.H. Krause and Elizabeth Ringger Krause Professor of Hispanic Ministries at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. Leopoldo A. Sánchez M. is one of the few scholars in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod who has devoted his teaching and writing career to studying and expounding on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit — important work in a time when Pentecostalism or Neo-Pentecostalism is growing rapidly. In good Lutheran fashion, he focuses on the relationship of the Holy Spirit to Jesus Christ, both in terms of the Spirit’s work in the ministry of Jesus and the way in which Jesus now carries out his work through the Holy Spirit. In bringing attention to the person and work of the Holy Spirit, Sánchez shows how the church can recover a lively doctrine of sanctification without infringing or diminishing the doctrine of Justification.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Thursday, June 1
1-4 p.m.

Friday, June 2
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Saturday, June 3
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: May 18, 2023
Location contact: Josh Schmidt

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Thompson in York, NE
2023-06-19 - 2023-06-21 | Emmanuel Lutheran Church (York, NE), 806 N. Beaver Ave., York, NE, 68467, United States
NEW! Family Discipleship: Exploring an Effective Partnership of the Congregation and Home
This workshop will explore helping ministries become family-centered and church-supported in raising children in the faith. Biblical mandates give this vocation to household leaders. The Small Catechism supports and equips families for this work. Vital today is the incorporation into church and day school ministry effective ways to serve families in raising up disciples of Jesus Christ.

Dr. W. Mart Thompson
Associate Professor of Practical Theology and the Director of the Specific Ministry Pastor Program at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Before joining the Concordia Seminary faculty, Dr. W. Mart Thompson served 28 years as a campus pastor, sole pastor and senior pastor. His areas of experience and expertise include pastoral theology, catechesis, member assimilation, small group ministry, and youth and family ministry.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, June 19
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, June 20
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, June 21
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: June 5, 2023
Location contact: Mike Neidow

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Adams in Bourbonnais, IL
2023-06-19 - 2023-06-21 | St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Bourbonnais, IL), 1780 Career Center Road, Bourbonnais, IL, 60914, United States
The Present God: Exploring a Major Biblical Theme
For many Christians, the theological value of the Old Testament is limited to messianic prophecies and the comforting assurances of the Psalms. Such a perspective runs the risk of impoverishing our teaching and preaching by failing to recognize the foundational role of the Old Testament for the Christian faith and the rich variety of ways in which its theology is communicated. In this presentation, Dr. David Adams will explore one major theological motif, the presence of God, and show how it shapes the faith in the Old Testament and the fulfillment of that faith in the person and ministry of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

Dr. David Adams
Professor of Exegetical Theology and the W.G. Ray and Louis J. Rechtzigel Professor of Biblical Studies at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. David Adams joined the faculty of Concordia Seminary in 2000. During the past 23 years, he has brought to the classroom wide-ranging interests from philosophy to archaeology. He wrote the study notes for the Psalms and Old Testament wisdom literature in the ESV Archaeology Study Bible (Crossway, 2018) and was centrally involved in the 2007 archaeological dig at Khirbet Qeiyafa from which an inscription was unearthed that provides historical evidence for the existence of King David and the united monarchy. He is best known for his work on the Old Testament and has been devoting much of his time to thinking through a Lutheran theology of the Old Testament with a special focus on the presence of God. Adams loves to talk theology at the drop of a hat and does so in a way that his conversation partner always leaves enriched in ways that start one thinking in new ways.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, June 19
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, June 20
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, June 21
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: June 5, 2023
Location contact: Roger Drinnon

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Scholz in Mentor, OH
2023-06-19 - 2023-06-21 | Faith Lutheran Church (Mentor, OH), 8125 Mentor Ave., Mentor, OH, 44060, United States
NEW! The Bible We Read in Church
Christian denominations using a lectionary tend to read the Bible more extensively in church than most denominations that do not use a lectionary. As we use the Three-Year Lectionary Series, what exactly are we reading in church each year? What will never be read? What specifically are we reading this year? How do the lessons for each Sunday “talk to each other” or illustrate the principle of “Scripture interpreting Scripture?” The focus of this lectionary in 2023 will be the post-Pentecost season of Series A. This workshop is meant for lay leaders and pastors.

Dr. Vilson Scholz
Visiting Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. Vilson Scholz is a visiting professor in Exegetical Theology from São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil. Scholz has served for 20 years as a translation consultant for United Bible Societies as well as a professor in Brazil for 36 years. He also helped revise the Portuguese translation of the Book of Concord and the Portuguese Bible.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, June 19
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, June 20
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, June 21
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: June 5, 2023
Location contact: Kevin Guynn

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Nafzger in Dublin, OH
2023-06-20 - 2023-06-22 | St. John Lutheran Church (Dublin, OH), 6135 Rings Rd, Dublin, OH, 43016, United States
Meeting the Crisis of Scripture as “People of the Word”: How to Avoid Liberal Criticism and Biblical Fundamentalism
Conservative Lutherans have never felt at home in the modern “Battle for the Bible.” We reject liberal critics, for they have abandoned the foundational Christian belief that the Scriptures are the written Word of God. But we don’t feel at home with “Bible-believing” fundamentalists either, because they have neglected the Gospel of Christ crucified and the centrality of the forgiveness of sins. What shall we do? How shall we think and speak about the Scriptures in an increasingly skeptical post-modern world? Rather than defining ourselves by what we are NOT, this workshop approaches the theology of Scripture by taking a close look at the theology of the Word of God. This theology of the Word begins with the eternal Word made flesh; it continues through the proclaimed Word of Law and Gospel; and it is normed and guided by the written Word of the prophets and apostles. With a firm grounding in the theology of the Word of God, we will consider WHY we believe these particular writings are the Word of God and HOW they function in our life together. This will help us address pressing questions about the canon, authority and interpretation of the Scriptures, as well as our use of the Scriptures in preaching and teaching.

Dr. Peter Nafzger
Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Student Life at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. Peter Nafzger is a gifted theologian and speaker who manifests what is best about the The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). He joined the faculty at Concordia Seminary in 2016 after serving as a pastor for nine years in Minnesota. While in Minnesota, he served as a leader (and continues to do so) in the planning of the LCMS Youth Gatherings. His dissertation (and hence his expertise) centers on a Lutheran approach and use of Scripture over and against the fundamentalist approaches that often dominate American Christianity.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Tuesday, June 20
1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, June 21
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Thursday, June 22
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: June 6, 2023
Location contact: Adam Steinbrenner

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Burreson in Ottawa, KS
2023-06-26 - 2023-06-28 | Faith Lutheran Church (Ottawa, KS), 1320 W 15th St, Ottawa, KS, 66067, United States
From Font to Table: Welcoming the Stranger into Christ and Congregational Life
Veteran pastors and commissioned ministers of parish ministry are well aware there is no “magic bullet” that guarantees to increase a congregation’s membership, and this workshop makes no such claim for an adult faith formation process. Rather, the research—case studies at four congregations with robust catechumenal practices—points to congregational transformation that draws newcomers and long-time members into an apprenticeship of the way and life of Jesus Christ and that fosters a missional identity for the whole congregation.
Conceived more as a visioning lab than workshop, Dr. Kent Burreson will offer background material on adult faith formation, facilitate small group studies and discussions, lead participants through experiential learning on ritual, and moderate structured time designed for participants to formulate a plan for introducing an adult faith formation process in their congregations. Pastors from our research congregations will lead short sessions via Zoom to share their wisdom on various topics related to an adult catechumenate.
In the end, faith formation is not a program, not even a set of processes or practices, but a way of life. Through the congregational life of community and worship, teaching and preaching, witness and service God transforms the baptized and the community, deeply and broadly.

Dr. Kent Burreson
Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and the Louis A. Fincke and Anna B. Shine Professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Few people know the liturgical landscape as well as Dr. Kent Burreson. He has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the liturgy’s history — how it has remained the same and how it has changed. Just as importantly, Burreson shows how the liturgy and our worship life forms the faith within us and shapes our lives within the world.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, June 26
1-5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 27
8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.Lunch included

Wednesday, June 28
8:30 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: June 12, 2023
Location contact: Timothy Roth

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Scholz in Salina, KS
2023-06-27 - 2023-06-29 | Trinity Lutheran Church (Salina, KS), 702 S. 9th Street, Salina, KS, 67401, United States
NEW! On Using Worldly Wealth
Do we have a “theology of possessions?” Why don’t we talk about the “tithe?” What does the New Testament say about “worldly wealth” (Luke 16:9)? Is the principle “neither poverty nor riches” (Prov. 30:8) typical of what the Bible teaches about worldly wealth? Special attention will be given to Jesus’ teaching, the experience of the Apostolic Church (according to the Book of Acts) and important Pauline passages (2 Cor. 8-9, Phil. 4, etc.).

Dr. Vilson Scholz
Visiting Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Before coming to Concordia Seminary in 2022, Dr. Vilson Scholz served for 20 years as a translation consultant for United Bible Societies as well as a professor in Brazil for 36 years. He also helped revise the Portuguese translation of the Book of Concord and the Portuguese Bible.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Tuesday, June 27
1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, June 28
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Thursday, June 29
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: June 13, 2023
Location contact: Dennis Kootz

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professors Burreson and Schuler in St. Paul, MN
2023-07-05 - 2023-07-07 | Concordia University, St. Paul, 1282 Concordia Ave, St. Paul, MN, 55104
From Font to Table: Welcoming the Stranger into Christ and Congregational Life
Veteran pastors and commissioned ministers of parish ministry are well aware there is no “magic bullet” that guarantees to increase a congregation’s membership, and this workshop makes no such claim for an adult faith formation process. Rather, the research—case studies at four congregations with robust catechumenal practices—points to congregational transformation that draws newcomers and long-time members into an apprenticeship of the way and life of Jesus Christ and that fosters a missional identity for the whole congregation.
Conceived more as a visioning lab than workshop, Dr. Kent Burreson and Dr. Rhoda Schuler will offer background material on adult faith formation, facilitate small group studies and discussions, lead participants through experiential learning on ritual, and moderate structured time designed for participants to formulate a plan for introducing an adult faith formation process in their congregations. Pastors from our research congregations will lead short sessions via Zoom to share their wisdom on various topics related to an adult catechumenate.
In the end, faith formation is not a program, not even a set of processes or practices, but a way of life. Through the congregational life of community and worship, teaching and preaching, witness and service God transforms the baptized and the community, deeply and broadly.

Dr. Kent Burreson
Louis A. Fincke and Anna B. Shine Professor of Systematic Theology, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Few people know the liturgical landscape as well as Dr. Kent Burreson. He has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the liturgy’s history — how it has remained the same and how it has changed. Just as importantly, Burreson shows how the liturgy and our worship life forms the faith within us and shapes our lives within the world.

Dr. Rhoda Schuler
Professor Emerita, Director of LCMS Placement, Concordia University, Saint Paul, Minn.
Dr. Rhoda Schuler taught full-time at Concordia University, Saint Paul, Minn., from 2008 through 2020. A rostered deaconess in The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), she has a master’s degree in liturgical studies from St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn., and a Th.D. in historical theology from Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minn. Schuler’s research passions are liturgical theology and ritual studies, which she views as more than academic disciplines. Convinced that what people believe is more profoundly shaped by worship and ritual than by didactic exercises, her research interests have implications for the church. She previously served as executive director for a church-related nonprofit that addressed problems of poverty and racism in north St. Louis County, Mo.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Wednesday, July 5
1-5:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 6
8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.Lunch included

Friday, July 7
8:30 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: June 21, 2023
Location contact: Rhoda Schuler

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Voelz in Grand Junction, CO
2023-07-13 - 2023-07-15 | Lutheran Church of the Messiah (Grand Junction, CO), 840 N. 11th St., Grand Junction, CO, 81501, United States
Principles of Biblical Interpretation for the Parish
Dr. James Voelz is currently working on a book designed to teach hermeneutics to interested laypeople in a parish setting. This workshop will present this material to pastors for feedback and discussion on its propriety for parishioners. Laypeople also are welcome to attend. After the course, pastors will have material to use as a basis for a course in interpreting the Bible that is suitable for their flock.

Dr. James Voelz
Graduate Professor of Exegetical Theology and the Dr. Jack Dean Kingsbury Professor of New Testament Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. James Voelz’s areas of focus are the Greek language, hermeneutics (theory of interpretation) and the Synoptic Gospels. He also has taught the Pauline epistles and Acts of the Apostles. He served as an adjunct faculty member of Kenrick Seminary, the Roman Catholic diocesan seminary in St. Louis (2009–14) and was coordinator of the Institute of Theology at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, Mo. (2005–15), at which he also taught a Sunday morning Bible class for 24 years.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Thursday, July 13
1-4 p.m.

Friday, July 14
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Saturday, July 15
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: June 29, 2023
Location contact: Mike Redeker

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Schmitt in Hays, KS
2023-07-17 - 2023-07-19 | Messiah Lutheran Church (Hays, KS), 2000 Main Street, Hays, KS, 67601, United States
Sharpening the Sword of the Spirit
In this workshop, pastors will reflect on the art of preaching and learn specific techniques for continued growth in proclaiming God’s Word. Beginning with an overview of the theology of preaching, the sessions will identify ways to evaluate one’s preaching, clarify one’s Law and Gospel proclamation and integrate current homiletical theory into the practice of preaching. Participants will submit one sermon to the instructor for use in collegial discussion and learning.

Dr. David Schmitt
Professor of Practical Theology; Chairman of the Department of Practical Theology; and the Gregg H. Benidt Memorial Professor of Homiletics and Literature at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. David Schmitt is one of our church’s brightest thinkers in the area of homiletics and devotional studies today. His ability to engage the intersections of faith and culture (especially literary culture and more recently, the visual arts) is extremely helpful for church leaders. He does this by drawing upon our confessional Lutheran tradition. Schmitt currently is working on two books: The Pilgrimage of Preaching, a homiletics text on the art of preaching; and Restoration Spiritualities, a literary study on late 17th-century faith and literary culture.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, July 17
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, July 18
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 19
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: July 3, 2023
Location contact: Michael Schmidt

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Peter in Santa Fe, NM
2023-08-21 - 2023-08-23 | Immanuel Lutheran Church (Santa Fe, NM), 209 East Barcelona Road, Santa Fe, NM, 87505, United States
Decoding the Apocalypse: Study of the Book of Revelation
The title of the last book of the Bible is translated as “Revelation,” but its original title was “Apocalypse.” This word literally means “the unveiling.” The purpose of this book of the Bible is to unveil the purposes of God in human history. For many people, however, it remains veiled — an obscure, mysterious and confusing book. A reason many people do not understand the Apocalypse is that it is written in coded language that can only be interpreted by decoding its symbolism. This study will look at the most significant coded symbols of the book and the keys to their interpretation, providing a broad sweep of the major themes and message of Revelation so participants can better understand this book of the Bible. This “unveiling” will enable you to see Christ, His church and history (past, present and future) in a whole new light.

Dr. David Peter
Professor of Practical Theology; Dean of Faculty; and Alumni Relations Adviser at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. David Peter has led well-received lay studies on the book of Revelation and also has recently published a book on leading mid-sized congregations, Maximizing the Midsize Church: Effective for Leadership for Fruitful Mission and Ministry (CPH). Those who know him recognize that he brings a solid theological understanding of the church to the topic as well as an openness to how we live out our Lutheran ecclesiology in the world today.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, Aug. 21
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 22
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 23
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: Aug. 7, 2023
Location contact: Doug Escue

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Theological Symposium
2023-09-19 - 2023-09-20 | Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO, 63105, United States
Join us for the 33rd Annual Theological Symposium, “Church and Society: Living by Hope in a Secular Age” Sept 19-20 on campus. Plenaries and sectionals will explore how our hope — our Christian hope in a healed and new Creation — can better shape our engagement and witness with culture and society.
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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Marrs in El Cajon, CA
2024-01-22 - 2024-01-24 | First Lutheran Church (El Cajon, CA), 867 S. Lincoln Ave., El Cajon, CA, 92020, United States
This workshop was originally scheduled for July 10-12, 2023, but has been rescheduled to Jan. 22-24, 2024.
Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered
Many pastors and church leaders of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod realize that much of what passes for Christian counseling is based in the Law and not the Gospel of Christ. Dr. C.F.W. Walther said that properly dividing Law and Gospel in “private ministrations” is more difficult than in preaching and teaching. How can Lutheran pastors and other counselors better learn to properly distinguish Law and Gospel in counseling situations — and apply the Gospel as an antidote where needed? How can Lutheran pastors better equip the non-Lutheran Christian counselors they refer parishioners to with these critically important concepts? When should a Lutheran pastor refer a parishioner to a mental health specialist, perhaps even a non-Christian one, when the expertise needed falls into the “left-hand kingdom”? These and other complicated pastoral care questions will be addressed in hopes that the learners will become more confident and effective in their care of the souls entrusted to them.

Dr. Richard Marrs
Professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. Richard Marrs has been in the forefront of his field when it comes to confronting the assumptions of and approaches of secular counselors. He has worked to bring a Christocentric, Law-Gospel approach to counseling among Evangelicals.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, Jan. 22
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 23
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 24
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $140
Registration deadline: Jan. 8, 2024
Location contact: James Huenink

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Elowsky in Kankakee, IL
2025-05-19 - 2025-05-21 | St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Kankakee, IL), 348 East Merchant St., Kankakee, IL, 60901, United States
An Introduction to Athanasius
This workshop offers a detailed study of Athanasius’ major works as primary texts in the interest of gaining an understanding of Athanasius’ Trinitarian theology, his Christology as evidenced in his “On the Incarnation,” as well as his writings against the Arians. The course will also engage his pastoral concerns through writings such as, “The Life of Anthony” which will help, along with his other writings, in assessing Athanasius’ continuing relevance for the church today as a pastor and theologian. There will be lectures as well robust class discussion. Students will be responsible for reading some of the texts ahead of time in preparation for class discussion.
Participants should read “On the Incarnation” and “The Life of Anthony” by Athanasius, as well as the following:

Anatolios, Khaled. “Athanasius.” New York: Routledge, 2004
Behr, John, trans. “St. Athanasius the Great of Alexandria: On the Incarnation.” Greek original and English Translation. Popular Patristics Series 44a. Yonkers, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2011
Gregg, Robert C. “Athanasius: The Life of Antony and the Letter to Marcellinus.” The Classics of Western Spirituality. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1980

Dr. Joel Elowsky
Professor of Historical Theology, Dean of Advanced Studies, Director of the Center for the Study of Early Christian Texts and Frank and Valerie Fuerst Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. Joel Elowsky has cultivated relationships across the Christian spectrum as a result of his years of work with Dr. Thomas Oden and the Early Christian Commentary Series. In that work he has helped today’s church appropriate its ancient heritage that served as a foundation for Reformation theology. Elowsky’s work dovetails nicely with the cutting-edge research of the history of exegesis at Concordia Seminary.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, May 19
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, May 20
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, May 21
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: May 5, 2025
Location contact: Rev. Roger Drinnon

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Eatherton in Springfield, MO
2025-06-09 - 2025-06-11 | Trinity Lutheran Church (Springfield, MO), 1415 S. Holland Ave., Springfield, MO, 65807, United States
Faith Formation Through Music and Worship
Many forces are vying for the attention of our youth — movies, social media, friends, the internet. What are we as parents and teachers, pastors, and church leaders to do? Our children will be formed as they grow up. Worldly forces will contend with spiritual forces to attract and command their interest. It is our duty as caretakers to make sure that what forms them is the Word of God. The music and worship of the church has always been a significant way to inculcate the faith in children.
Through the Biblical narrative, through the early church and the church fathers, and throughout the church’s history, we see a picture of God instilling and growing the faith of His people in the regular proclamation of His Word through singing and ritual. In the 21st century the church has produced many resources for parents, teachers, and children to continue this educational process. Come and learn how your congregation can facilitate the formation of children both at home and at church with practices that are important and lasting.

Dr. Samuel Eatherton
Assistant Professor of Practical Theology, Kantor, Dean of Chapel and The Kreft Professor for Music Arts
Concordia Seminary St. Louis under Dr. Samuel Eatherton direction recently received a grant from the Lilly Foundation to put into place a program to teach people in local congregations about Children in Worship—and faith formation through singing, music, and worship. He has written scholarly articles on a variety of church music topics in “Lutheran Service Book: Hymnal Companion,” “Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly” and “The Hymn: A Journal of Congregational Song, Issues in Christian Education.” An accomplished musician, Eatherton also is a composer in collections published by Concordia Publishing House. He has conducted and performed organ recitals, hymn festivals and choral concerts.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, June 9
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, June 10
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, June 11
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: June 7, 2025
Location contact: Dr. Nicholas Hagerman

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Sutton in Dublin, OH
2025-06-30 - 2025-07-02 | St. John Lutheran Church (Dublin, OH), 6135 Rings Rd, Dublin, OH, 43016, United States
Making Sense of Online Worship: Navigating Ecclesiological Challenges in the Digital Age
Research shows that in the course of one turbulent year, livestreaming technology and online worship services became a ubiquitous part of modern ecclesiology. Christian communities are now faced with adjudicating their decisions — either ending their online worship or continuing it indefinitely. Amid all the questions that arise when a congregation engages in online worship, one question has the greatest saliency: how to balance, in the long run, embodied and digital practices within the Church community. In this workshop, Sutton will introduce his research in online worship, artificial intelligence and also provide a framework for how churches can navigate ecclesiological challenges in the digital age.

Dr. Trevor Sutton
Author and Senior Pastor, St. Luke Lutheran Church in Lansing, Mich.
Dr. Trevor Sutton has written several books, including “Redeeming Technology” (coauthored with Brian Smith, M.D.) and “Authentic Christianity” (coauthored with Gene Edward Veith Jr.). He teaches, writes and speaks frequently about technology and the church in a digital age.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, June 30
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, July 1
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 2
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: June 16, 2025
Location contact: Dehlia DeLeon

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Marrs in Plano, TX
2025-06-30 - 2025-07-02 | Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Plano, TX), 3601 W. 15th St., Plano, TX, 75075, United States
The Provocative Sixth Commandment or Care of Souls in a Sexualized Society
God has gifted humankind in many ways, including creating us as sexual beings. This workshop will consider the positive aspects of our bodies and sexuality and how pastors and churches can teach parishes about the gifts God has given. The workshop will also explore the challenges that our corrupted sexual nature brings to pastors who teach and lead congregations, e.g., homosexuality, cohabitation, promiscuity, internet pornography, trans-sexuality, polygamy and divorce.

Dr. Rick Marrs
Senior Professor of Practical Theology
Dr. Rick Marrs has been at the forefront of his field when it comes to confronting the assumptions of and approaches of secular counselors. He has worked to bring a Christocentric, law-gospel approach to counseling among evangelicals.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, June 30
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, July 1
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 2
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: June 16, 2025
Location contact: Joel Shaltanis

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Lakies in Monterey, CA
2025-07-10 - 2025-07-12 | Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Monterey, CA), 800 Cass St., Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Shining Bright in a Secular Age – A Church for the 21st Century
Decline, loss of influence, distrust, an uncertain future. These are among the concerns of many church leaders, especially as they try to do ministry among people who seem not to need a God. The philosopher Charles Taylor has famously called our age “secular.” What are the features of this secular age that either inhibit or foster a faithful Christian witness? How does the institution of the church shine once again like a beacon on a hill? How can individual Christians faithfully share the Gospel in a culture that often considers us irrelevant? This workshop/seminar will explore these questions and help you to discover a renewed hope in the possibilities of bringing the Good News to people in our secular age.

Dr. Chad Lakies
Vice President for Ministry Engagement for Lutheran Hour Ministries
Dr. Chad Lakies is the vice president for ministry engagement for Lutheran Hour Ministries in St. Louis, Mo. His work centers around helping the church become more outreach focused by empowering it to share the Gospel with non-churched individuals at more personal levels. His former life as a nonbeliever provides exceedingly relevant experience for thinking about how to engage with our friends and neighbors outside the kingdom of God. He is the author of “How the Light Shines Through: Resilient Witness in Dark Times” (Concordia Publishing House, 2024), a guide for helping the church engage in winsome witness while facing the challenges of contemporary culture. He and his wife Bethany have two daughters, Anabel and Daphne.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Thursday, July 10
1-4 p.m.

Friday, July 11
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Saturday, July 12
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: June 26, 2025
Location contact: Rev. Josh Schmidt

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Peter in Millvale, PA
2025-07-15 - 2025-07-17 | St. John’s Lutheran Church (Millvale, PA), 501 North Ave., Millvale, PA, 15209, United States
Decoding the Apocalypse: Study of the Book of Revelation
The title of the last book of the Bible is translated as Revelation, but its original title was Apocalypse. This word literally means “the unveiling.” The purpose of this book of the Bible is to unveil the purposes of God in human history. For many people, however, it remains veiled — an obscure, mysterious and confusing book. The reason many people do not understand the Apocalypse is that it is written in coded language that can only be interpreted by decoding its symbolism. This study will look at the most significant coded symbols of the book and the keys to their interpretation. It will provide a broad sweep of the major themes and messages of Revelation to better understand this book of the Bible. This “unveiling” will enable you to see Christ, His church and history — past, present and future in a whole new light.

Dr. David Peter
Professor of Practical Theology; Dean of Faculty; and Alumni Relations Adviser at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Dr. David Peter has been a faculty member since 1998 and has led well-received lay studies on the book of Revelation — hence this workshop! He also has published a book on leading mid-sized congregations, “Maximizing the Midsize Church: Effective for Leadership for Fruitful Mission and Ministry.” Those who know him recognize that he brings a solid theological understanding of the church to the topic as well as an openness to how we live out our Lutheran ecclesiology in the world today.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Tuesday, July 15
1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 16
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Thursday, July 17
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: July 1, 2025
Location contact: Dan Hahn

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Burreson in Vesper, WI
2025-07-21 - 2025-07-23 | Trinity Lutheran Church (Vesper, WI), 6412 Michigan St., Vesper, WI, 54489, United States
Treasures Old and New: A Workshop on Adult Faith Formation
This workshop addresses the missional challenges pastors and leaders in the LCMS face in a “post-Christian” context. It introduces a model of adult faith formation based on early church catechumenal practices. Participants will explore new ways to form disciples, shape Christian identity through the Bible and sacraments, and foster hospitality in congregational life. Focused on a broader approach to adult faith formation, this workshop emphasizes faith formation as a flexible process rather than a “new program.” Pastors from three exemplary parishes will share their experiences, showing how faith formation practices can revitalize parish life and engage the entire congregation in shaping the faith of new Christians.

Dr. Kent Burreson
Professor of Systematic Theology, Louis A. Fincke and Anna B. Shine Professor of Systematic Theology
Few people know the liturgical landscape as well as Dr. Kent Burreson. He has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the liturgy’s history — how it has remained the same and how it has changed. Just as importantly, Burreson’s work demonstrates how liturgy and our worship life form the faith within us and shape our lives within the world.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, July 21
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, July 22
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 23
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: July 7, 2025
Location contact: Rev. Ryan Anderson

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Hensley in Santa Fe, NM
2025-07-30 - 2025-08-01 | Immanuel Lutheran Church (Santa Fe, NM), 209 East Barcelona Road, Santa Fe, NM, 87505, United States
The Book of Psalms and the Christ
Our Lord often quoted the Psalms and said that they testify about Him (Luke 24:27; John 5:39). In doing so, Jesus confirmed the psalter’s prophetic witness about Himself as Israel’s coming Messiah. In this workshop we will consider how the psalter’s arrangement contributes to the Psalms’ rich picture of Christ. We also will explore ways we hear Christ speaking as He identifies with sinners. Together, we will join Him in prayer, praise and thanksgiving to God.

Dr. Adam Hensley
Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology
Dr. Adam Hensley joined the faculty of Concordia Seminary in 2023.He previously served as professor at Australian Lutheran College (ALC) in North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, a college of the University of Divinity, where he taught in Old Testament studies and served as dean of chapel. Before joining the faculty at ALC, Hensley was assistant professor of Old Testament at Concordia University Irvine (CUI), Irvine, Calif., where he taught classes on the Old Testament and biblical Hebrew.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Wednesday, July 30
1-4 p.m.

Thursday, July 31
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 1
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: July 16, 2025
Location contact: Doug Escue

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Genter in Hays, KS
2025-08-04 - 2025-08-06 | Messiah Lutheran Church (Hays, KS), 2000 Main Street, Hays, KS, 67601, United States
The Apocrypha: Origins, Import and Use Among Lutherans
While not of the same authoritative status as our canonical Old Testament, the books known as the Apocrypha have been a treasured possession of the Church from very early times. They were widely read and cited by Lutherans from the time of Luther himself to C. F. W. Walther and beyond. This workshop offers an overview of this history and makes a case for a renewed engagement with the Apocrypha in Lutheran congregations today. The topics covered in this workshop include the origins and content of the Apocrypha, early Christian views on the status of these books and their usage among Lutherans.

Dr. John Genter
Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology
Dr. John Genter joined the Concordia University, Nebraska (CUNE), Seward, Neb., department of theology, philosophy and biblical languages in 2021. His scholarly work focuses on the New Testament, Second Temple Judaism and ancient Greek novels. His background in Koine Greek includes editorial work on four volumes in the Baylor Handbook on the Greek New Testament series and collaboration on the recent NRSV-UE translation of Matthew’s Gospel. Genter resides with his wife, Dr. Teddie Genter, and their four children in Seward, Neb.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, Aug. 4
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 5
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 6
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: July 21, 2025
Location contact: Michael Schmidt

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Pietsch in Westminster, MA
2025-08-04 - 2025-08-06 | Our Savior Lutheran Church (Westminster, MA), 1 Hagar Park, Westminster, MA, 01473, United States
Christian Caregiving for People Suffering with Depression and Anxiety
Today mental health struggles affect so many people, draining their energy and joy for life and undermining their confidence. People rightly look for medical and psychological treatment to help them in such struggles. Yet, as researchers are recognizing more and more, a large component of these struggles is spiritual, and people need spiritual care and healing too. In this workshop, Dr. Stephen Pietsch will draw on the long Christian tradition of care and comfort to those in mental distress, looking into Scripture, as well as insights from Luther and his pastoral care of those with mental struggles.

Dr. Stephen Pietsch
Associate Professor of Practical Theology
Dr. Stephen Pietsch has served congregations in both rural and suburban settings in Australia. He completed his graduate and doctoral studies in an interdisciplinary topic, looking at how Martin Luther counseled and cared for people with mental illnesses, specifically depression. His research was published in 2016, entitled “Of Good Comfort” Pietsch joined the faculty of Concordia Seminary St. Louis in 2023. He has an ambition to visit all 50 states while we are living and working in the US. He also loves reading and listening to books, vegetable gardening, cooking and classical music.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, Aug. 4
9:30 a.m.–noon

12:45-4 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 5
9:30 a.m.–noon

12:45-4 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 6
9:30 a.m.–noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: July 21, 2025
Location contact: Peter Gregory

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Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop – Professor Golden in Apex, NC
2025-08-11 - 2025-08-13 | Jordan Lutheran Church (Apex, NC), 1031 Pemberton Hill, Apex, NC, 27502, United States
It Stands Written: The New Testament Appropriation of the Old Testament
Christ and the apostles regularly ground their teaching upon the word of the Lord given through Moses and the prophets. While the fulfillment of prophecy is regularly cited in the New Testament, that is not the only dynamic. At times, the language of Old Testament texts is significantly transformed in New Testament texts. Then there are allusions and echoes of Old Testament texts within the New Testament that stop short of direction quotation yet build on the prior text. We will explore the various dynamics of the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament, consider the Christological significance of those dynamics, and reflect on how our interpretive practice can reflect those dynamics.

Dr. Kevin Golden
Director of Resident Field Education, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology, and Dean of Theological Research and Publication
Dr. Kevin Golden is known as a caring, dedicated parish pastor who has distinguished himself as a preacher and teacher. Golden served as the pastor of Village Lutheran Church in Ladue, Mo., prior to joining the faculty of Concordia Seminary in 2021. Golden’s research experience includes Hosea, biblical usage of the divine name, Genesis 6-9, Jonah, the Book of the Twelve (Minor Prophets) and biblical intertextuality.

Schedule

DAY
TIME

Monday, Aug. 11
1-4 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 12
9-11:30 a.m.

1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 13
9 a.m.-noon

Registration cost: $150
Registration deadline: July 28, 2025
Location contact: Rev. Mike Merker

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