An Incomplete Field Guide to Ministry

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware reflect on some of the challenges and opportunities facing institutions, professors, and students within theological education today. How do we adjust to the economic and financial realities of current students? Do we imagine theological education as mainly vocational or mostly formational? Please note that this episode was recorded before Russia invaded Ukraine. Our guest today Carrie Ballenger, assistant to the bishop at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and Pastor to the English Speaking Congregation at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem. Pastor Ballenger is also an LSTC Alum.Mentioned this episode:Dr. Ted Smith's 2021 Sprunt Lectures presentation entitled “No Longer Shall They Teach One Another: The End of Theological Education.” After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging by Willie JenningsKnit Purl Pray Preach, Carrie Ballenger's blog Carrie Ballenger's recorded sermons The Upper Room, an organization supporting Palestinian Christians, especially women and young people, to stay in Jerusalem.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our producer and editor is Eric Fowler.This podcast is brought to you by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that seeks to build up the Body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation.If you or someone you know is interested in seminary, you can learn more about LSTC at lstc.edu/admissions

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware finish the series on Overwhelm, centering our inherent gifts and capacities in the face of a lie that we will never be enough or that we are failures for having limits. Our guest today is Dr. Eunyung Lim, Assistant Professor of New Testament at LSTC, and author or the recently published book Entering God's Kingdom (Not) Like a Little Child: Images of the Child in Matthew, 1 Corinthians, and Thomas.Mentioned this episode:Chicago Society of Biblical ResearchWe'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our producer and editor is Eric Fowler.This podcast is brought to you by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that seeks to build up the Body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation. If you or someone you know is interested in seminary, you can learn more about LSTC at lstc.edu/admissions

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware continue the series on Overwhelm, looking at the intersection of systemic evil and isolation. How does our drive towards competition and individualism impact overwhelm. What do we lose when isolation overshadows mutuality? Our guest today is Emily Moentmann, dual degree student at LSTC (MDiv) and The University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration (MSW).Mentioned this episode:The Door, which Emily co-edits with previous podcast guest and LSTC student Katie Mueller. Contact them at TheDoor@lstc.eduWe'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our producer and editor is Eric Fowler.This podcast is brought to you by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that seeks to build up the Body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware continue the series on Overwhelm, looking at intersecting oppressions and marginalizations, and ministry in the midst of different identities. How does our beautiful, expansive diversity as people also connect to divisions and isolation? Our guest today is Vance Blackfox, ELCA Desk Director, American Indian Alaska Native Tribal Nations, Founder and Director of Other+Wise, and LSTC alum.Mentioned this episode:Kimberlé CrenshawVine Deloria Jr. Theological Symposium: November 16 and 17We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our producer and editor is Eric Fowler.This podcast is brought to you by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that seeks to build up the Body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware continue the series on Overwhelm. Today: Control will not save us. What does fear of losing control encourage us to do? What institutions and practices lure us with false promises of control? What if we imagine God's power as presence instead of control? How does an orientation of control encourage us to treat our bodies and those of others?What might our leadership and lives look like if we give up control?Our guests today are Pastor Franklin Golden of Durham Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC, and Pastor Veronica Mwakasungura, graduate and returning student of LSTC, ordained pastor with the Lutheran Church of Tanzania, serving with the Lutheran Church of Rwanda. Mentioned this episode:Willie James JenningsMichel FoucaultAaron Antonovsky and Salutogenesis We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our producer and editor is Eric Fowler.This podcast is brought to you by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that seeks to build up the Body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware tackle a series on Overwhelm. How do we anchor ourselves while caring for trauma in the midst of trauma? What strategies do we turn to? And what joys do we turn to in order to nurture ourselves? Whether it's travel, baking and making croutons with the mistakes, or reading Star Wars books and playing video games, we cannot ignore care for self and others. Our call is important. So is our care.Our guest today is 2nd year M.Div LSTC student Katie Mueller, who brings compassionate skepticism, laughter, and a deep commitment to our ecological interconnections to her studies and life.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our producer and editor is Eric Fowler. This podcast is brought to you by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that seeks to build up the Body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware are back for another season of an Incomplete Field Guide to Ministry, covering lessons from our summer about rest, holding joy and sorrow, and facing exhaustion. "You can only do as much work as you can do. You're not created to run yourself into the ground for the sake of whatever your work is," Marvin reminds us.Our guest today is Eric Fowler, our editor and producer, who shares how he got involved with podcasting and audio production. Eric also spent 6 years working in workforce development and economic justice with the Chicago Jobs Council, and is currently working for an equitable, carbon-free future at Fresh Energy in Saint Paul, MN. Eric is the spouse of LSTC grad Reed Fowler. They live together in Minneapolis, MN. Mentioned this episode:Laziness Does Not Exist, by Devon PriceThe Nap MinistryDriver's license suspension in Illinois: License2Work.orgRhubarb House, an emerging Housing Co-operative in the Twin Cities, MNCommunity Development Corporation of Pembroke Hopkins ParkWe'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our producer and editor is Eric Fowler. This podcast is brought to you by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that seeks to build up the Body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware wrap up a season and a semester. They reflect on lessons learned, the value of speaking outside a narrow area of expertise, and the bold exploratory conversations we've shared. This year, we've accompanied Ministerial Leadership 1, taught by Dr. Wagner in the Fall, and Public Church 1, taught by Dr. Wickware in the Spring. The podcast started as an experiment to provide asynchronous content to students during remote learning. And as far as we can tell, it was a success!  We're all full of gratitude for the rich conversations, thoughtful guests, and reflective listeners. There are so many questions to keep asking, conversations to have, and thoughtful work to lift up at LSTC and in the Church. So we're going to do it again! Look out for Season 2 in August, when we'll keep adding to this Incomplete Field Guide to Ministry.  We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our editor is Eric Fowler. This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware discuss accountability. How can our ministry be accountable, not just to the church that hires the pastor, but to the broader community as well? How do we go beyond inviting a one-off guest speaker? Are we willing to lose some control by bringing more people into leadership? Our guest today is the Reverend Senator Kim Jackson, Vicar of the Church of the Common Ground in Atlanta, and Georgia State Senator for the 41st District. Mentioned this episode:Fair FightWe'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our editor is Eric Fowler. This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware discuss church and society, community organizing, and power. What's so scary about power anyway? Where does it show up in Christian community? And how can preachers approach politics in sermons? (Can sermons even be apolitical?)Mentioned this episode:Rita Nakashima BrockWe'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. Our editor is Eric Fowler. This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware discuss mass shootings, preaching, and anti-Asian racism in the United States. What's the role of our words as Christian leaders before and after mass shootings? What historical threads connect to the shooting in Atlanta on March 16? Our guest today is Rev. Charles M. Straight of Faith United Methodist Church in Dolton, Illinois. He is also chair of the People’s Lobby Faith Liberation Movement.  Mentioned this episode:Disciplined by Race: Theological Ethics and the Problem of Asian American Identityby Ki Joo ChoiThe Faith Liberation Movement is hosting an action on Saturday, April 17 at the Cook County Jail (26th and California in Chicago) from Noon to 1PM, highlighting the particular injustices related to COVID and COVID relief spending in and around the jail. We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was edited by Eric Fowler. This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware continue their multi-week conversation about the pandemic, reflecting particularly on  work. How has our labor changed, and not changed, during the pandemic? What does that have to do with our faith or relationships?Our guest today is Will Tanzman, Executive Director at the People's Lobby. He also serves as  Council President at First Lutheran Church of the Trinity in the Bridgeport. Mentioned this episode:The Sabbath by Abraham HeschelIllinois' Pretrial Fairness ActWe'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was edited by Eric Fowler. This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware continue their multi-week conversation about the pandemic, looking particularly at relationships. Our guest today is LSTC faculty member Rev. Dr. Benjamin Stewart, who shares his perspective on public church, liturgy, and creation.Mentioned this episode:2021 Institute of Liturgical Studies Virtual Seminar SeriesDr. Wickware's sermon from February 24th at LSTCArticle IV of the Augsburg ConfessionWe'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was edited and mastered by Eric Fowler (Halvorson). This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware continue their multi-week conversation about the pandemic, looking particularly at Healthcare. What inequities does the pandemic reveal? How does medical trauma (re)emerge during a public health crisis? And what does it mean to call people "frontline" workers? Our guest today is LSTC faculty member Dr. Eunyung Lim, who shares her perspective on public church as a New Testament scholar and teacher.Mentioned this episode:Organizing to save Mercy HospitalMarch 11: World Mission Institute (register or learn more )We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was edited and mastered by Eric Fowler (Halvorson). This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware begin a multi-week conversation about the pandemic. How do we think about the pandemic from a faith perspective? What does it reveal, and what does it change? Our guest today is none other than Kimberly R. Wagner, who switches chairs so that Dr. Wickware can interview her about trauma, preaching, and her almost-too-relevant research.Mentioned this episode:The Festival of Homiletics, coming up May 17-21, 2021. We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was edited and mastered by Eric Fowler (Halvorson). This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

We're back for the spring semester at LSTC! Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware talk about what it means to be a public church, and share examples of communities that live this calling out in particular ways. Dr. Wickware will guide the podcast to accompany his Public Church 1 class this spring. Our guest today is LSTC President, Dr. James Nieman.Mentioned this episode:Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA.Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, one of the founders of Rutba House in Durham, NC.The busy LSTC calendar with plenty of opportunities for learning and community, which you can find at lstc.edu/events.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Fowler (Halvorson). This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware talk Advent, podcasting, and what we've learned so far. We've been accompanying the Ministerial Leadership 1 course by Dr. Wagner during the Fall semester. Season 1 will resume in February to accompany Dr. Wickware's Public Church 1 course.Our guest today is LSTC fourth year Master of Divinity student Kelsey Fauser (she/her/hers), who did her internship at the Bratislava International Church in Bratislava, Slovakia. Serving as both a vicar and a teacher, Kelsey also started a podcast for the church, which you can find here.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was mixed and edited by Eric Fowler (Halvorson). This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware talk about modeling care and justice, preaching hard messages, and resisting white supremacy. Our first guest today is not a guest! Marvin Wickware takes the guest seat to discuss his research into white supremacy, race relations, and what makes racial reconciliation work succeed and fail. Our second guest is Vicar Carolyn Lawrence, an LSTC student on her final year internship in Upstate New York. Lifted up today:Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the US by Lenny DuncanSurviving a Dangerous Sermon by Frank A ThomasWritings from Lenny Duncan, including a 5 part series on "Why the ELCA Needs to Start a Reparations Process."Visit lstc.edu/events for information on the upcoming Vine Deloria Jr. Theological Symposium, November 17-18th.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Fowler (Halvorson). This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware talk Christian education and evangelism at the half-way point in the semester. How can evangelism be accountable? How can Christian education be accessible? What is the goal of either, and what do they have in common?Our first guest today is Rev. Dr. Stephanie Crumpton, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Lifted up in this conversation:The Chicago Torture Justice Center,Nurturing the Sanctified Imagination of Urban Youth by Annie Lockhart-Gilroy,Nobody Cries When We Die by Patrick B. Reyes.Our second guest is Dr. Elizabeth Corrie, Associate Professor in the Practice of Youth Education and Peacebuilding & Director of the Religious Education Program at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. Lifted up in this conversation:Youth Theological Initiative at Emory,Yale Youth Ministry Institute.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Halvorson. This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware talk, and listen, about the many ways ministerial leaders are called to listen. What are we listening for? What if we don't know how to solve the challenges we're listening to? (Hint: that's ok, and often you can't.)Our first guest today is Rev. Dr. Brooke Petersen, Director of MDiv and MA Programs, Coordinator for Candidacy, and Lecturer at LSTC, as well as a practicing therapist. We're also excited to have LSTC academic senior Melissa Hrdlicka.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.Our music is by Keith “Doc” Hampton. Thanks to Frantisek Janak and Michael Liotus for technology support. This episode was produced and edited by Eric Halvorson. This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware talk about the moral document of our schedules. How do we use time and approach administration in our ministry? When do we say no? What happens when plans change? Thanks to the Rev. Dr. Kadi Billman for the term "Administry!"We're excited to welcome guests, Pastor Erin Coleman Branchaud of Saint Luke's Lutheran Church of Logan Square, and LSTC Senior Kelsey Kresse. Mentioned by Pastor Erin: check out the Chicago Illuminated Scripture Project, a handwritten collective effort of Chicago area people writing out the Bible in their own hands.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.This episode was produced and edited by Eric Halvorson. Recording and technology support by Michael Liotus. Music by Keith “Doc” Hampton.This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware talk about models and inspirations for ministry. What are foundational theologies and approaches to different types of ministries?We're excited to welcome LSTC Pastor to the Community & Director of Worship, Rev. Erik Christensen, as well as student Michael Markwell as guests.We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.This episode was produced and edited by Eric Halvorson. Recording and technology support by Michael Liotus. Music by Keith “Doc” Hampton.This podcast was made possible by the Lyn C. and Stewart W. Herman Jr. Fund for Innovation in Theological Education.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware talk context, neighborhoods, relationships, and getting to know the sages in your community. Our guests today are Rev. Ruben Duran, Director of Congregational Vitality for the ELCA, and Pastor Heidi Torgerson, Lead Pastor of Grace Lutheran in LaGrange, IL. We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions or feedback to lstcpodcast@gmail.com.This episode was produced and edited by Eric Halvorson. Recording and technology support by Michael Liotus. Music by Keith “Doc” Hampton.

Our hosts Kimberly Wagner and Marvin Wickware discuss denominational organization, what it's like to be ordained, and how to get involved in LSTC chapel services with Pastor Erik. Our guest today is Pastor Ramie Bakken, Candidacy & Leadership Manager for Region 5 of the ELCA.

Kimberly Wagner is the Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Axel Jacob and Gerda Maria (Swanson) Carlson Chair in Homiletics at LSTC.Marvin Wickware is the Assistant Professor of Church and Society and Ethics at LSTC.Our first guest is Eric Kyle, Associate Professor and Director of Contextual Education at LSTC.