Under the Fig Tree

In the season 2 finale of Under the Fig Tree Ben and Micah sit-down with President Dr. Thomas J. Egger, 11th President of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, to talk about his recent inauguration, and how President Egger sees CSL moving into the future. If you like this episode and know someone who you think would make a good church worker someday, please make sure to share Under the Fig Tree with them.

In this episode Ben and Micah sit-down with Dr. Ely Prieto, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Associate Dean of Urban and Cross-Cultural Ministry at CSL, to talk about Ely's path to ministry in the LCMS and his role here at Concordia Seminary. If you like this episode, and know someone that you think would be a good church worker, please make sure to share this episode with them.

In this episode Ben and Micah sit-down with guest Dr. Gill Bond, Director of Deaconess Studies at CSL, to talk about how she became a deaconess, and what's going on in our deaconess programs today. If you like this episode and know someone that you think would make a good church worker someday, please make sure to share it with them!

In this episode Ben and Micah sit-down with Dr. David Schmitt, Professor of Practical Theology, to talk about preaching the parables. If you like this episode and know someone that you think would make a good church worker, please make sure to share it with them!

In this episode Ben and Micah sit-down with Dr. Jeff Oschwald, Professor of Exegetical Theology, to talk about the parable of the "Shrewd Manager" found in Luke 16:1-13. If you like this episode and know someone that you think would make a good church worker, please make sure to share it with them!

In today's episode, Ben and Micah sit-down with Dr. Dave Lewis, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology, to talk about two short but impactful parables in Mark 4:26-34. If you like this episode and know someone that you think should hear it, please share it with them! Thank you for joining us Under the Fig Tree.

In this Episode Ben and Micah sit-down with Dr. Joel Elwosky, CSL Professor of Historical Theology, to talk about the parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21-35. If you like this episode and know someone, who you think would make a good pastor or deaconess, please make sure to share it with them! Have a blessed day!

In this episode Ben and Micah sit-down with guest Rev. Bruce Kesemen, pastor at Christ our Savior Lutheran in - Freeburg, IL & CSL Regent, to discuss the Parable of the Good Samaritan. If you like this episode, and know someone that you think would make a good church worker in the future, please make sure to share it with them!

In this episode hosts Ben and Micah sit-down and talk with Dr. Jeff Gibbs, CSL Professor Emeritus of Exegetical Theology, to discuss parables, and how we should interpret them. If you like this episode and know someone that you think should listen to it, please make sure to share it with them!

In this episode Ben and Micah have a chat with Dr. Roosevelt Gray, Director of Black Ministry for the LCMS, to talk about the history of Black Ministry in the LCMS, Dr. Gray's experience recruiting black pastors, and more. If you like this episode and know someone who you think might make a good church worker someday, please make sure to share this Podcast with them!

In this episode Ben and Micah have a conversation with Dr. Rick Marrs, CSL Professor of Practical Theology, and highlight Dr. Marrs's book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered. Thanks you for listening, and please make sure to share this episode with someone who you think might make a good church worker.

In today's episode Ben and Micah chat with Deaconess Sarah Longmire, current president of the Concordia Deaconess Conference, to see what the "Blue Tornado" is up to these days, and to continue the conversation of the blessing the deaconesses are to the church. If you like this episode and know someone who should hear, please make sure to share Under the Fig Tree with them!

IN this episode, Ben and Micah have a discussion with Dr. Leo Sanchez about the Holy Spirit in the call process. Make sure to share this episode with someone, especially if you think they would make a good pastor or deaconess.

In today's episode Ben and Micah catch-up after the summer, talk about the inauguration of President Tom Egger, and reflect on their confirmation verses. Welcome back friends. Please make sure to share this episode with someone, and let us know if there's a topic you want us to cover in the future.

In this final episode of season one, we chat with the new President of Concordia Seminary, Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Egger. He shares his joy of proclaiming Christ, his love for pastoral ministry, his scholarship on Exodus, and why someone should consider coming to Concordia Seminary.

In this episode, we interview Deaconess Cheryl Naumann who serves with her husband, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Naumann, as LCMS missionaries based in the Dominican Republic. Cheryl discusses her own training to become a deaconess and also shares what diaconal ministry is like in a missionary setting. Deaconess Naumann is the author of In the Footsteps of Phoebe: A Complete History of the Deaconess Movement in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

In this episode our guest, Dr. David Lewis, tells us his story of coming to faith, his decision to apply to seminary, and what it was like for him to be a parish pastor and then professor of New Testament. We walk through the rest of Paul's epistle to Titus and discuss chapter three.

In this episode of our miniseries on Titus we break down the second chapter with Dr. Tim Saleska, Professor of Old Testament and Dean of Ministerial Formation at Concordia Seminary. Dr. Saleska helps us especially understand how to read this particular text and any text with abstract language so that we can be formed by the Word of God. We also discuss being formed as a student at seminary.

In this episode on Titus chapter 1, Micah and Ben talk with Dr. Peter Nafzger, Assistant Professor of Practical Theology. Dr. Nafzger discusses how the themes of doctrine and life hang together in Titus, especially in the qualifications for elders or pastors in congregational ministry. How these two hang together in studying theology at Seminary and out in the parish is essential to doing ministry in the name of Jesus.

Over the next four episodes, Micah and Ben dive deep into the Pauline Pastoral Epistle to Titus. Titus is a fantastic book of the Bible for those who are considering studying to become pastors or deaconesses. In this episode, we spend some time learning from world renowned Pauline scholar, Dr. Mark Seifrid. Dr. Seifrid discusses the background of the epistle and gives an overview of the basic themes of the letter.

In this episode Ben, Micah, and Dr. Erik Herrmann talk about Martin Luther and his hilarious sense of humor. If you never imagined that the Great Reformer would make fart jokes, think again.

In this episode Ben and Micah sit down with Alum, Deaconess Kristina Paul, to talk about diaconal ministry. Join us to hear about the vital work that Deaconesses provide the church.

In this episode, we discuss Matthew 9:9-13 and Jesus' calling of Matthew, an unlikely candidate to be a disciple. Joining us is Dr. Leopoldo Sánchez, Director of Concordia Seminary's Center for Hispanic Studies and the Werner R.H. Krause and Elizabeth Ringger Krause Professor of Hispanic Ministries and Systematic Theology. If you see yourself as marginal, an outsider, a sinner, or an unlikely candidate to come to seminary and study to become a pastor or deaconess, this episode is for you. Born in Chile and raised in Panama, Dr. Sánchez tells his own story of how we grew up among Roman Catholics and Pentecostals and ended up being confirmed as a Lutheran and then studying to be a pastor in the LCMS.

In this episode, we discuss Luke 24:13-35 and Jesus' conversation with two disciples about the crucifixion and resurrection. Then we talk with current Student Body President and concluding seminarian, Mason Vieth, who shares about growing up outside the Lutheran church and what that was like when he came to seminary. The conversation then moves to the student experience at Concordia Seminary both inside and outside the classroom.

In this episode, we talk about barbecue, WandaVision, and more importantly Acts 6:1-7. Then we talk about the theology of the call to pastoral or diaconal ministry and its implications for thinking about coming to seminary.

In this episode we take a look at Luke 2:41-52, where Jesus is learning in the temple. Then we take a walk down memory lane into our time learning at the Seminary.

In this first episode, you'll hear a bit about Rev. Micah Glenn and Dr. Ben Haupt and their own paths to studying at Concordia Seminary. At the beginning, you'll get an introduction to other things they love to follow in life - sports and Star Wars. But the main events in this episode are a discussion of John 1:43-51 on the calling of Nathanael who was "under the fig tree" and our own stories of how the Lord worked to bring us to study at the seminary.

This is the opening trailer for Under the Fig Tree. Stay tuned for the first episode!