The Coffee Hour from KFUO Radio

How does Numbers point us to Christ, our conqueror and redeemer? The Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing (Professor of Theology & Ministry, Paul Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and Director of The Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 3 of our series on his book Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers to talk about the account of Moses striking the rock to receive water, why God barred Moses from the Promised Land, the account of the bronze serpent and how this points to Christ, what we learn about Israel's relationship with other nations, and an introduction to Balaam and Balak. Find Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers from Concordia Publishing House at cph.org/hope-in-the-wilderness-practical-insights-from-the-book-of-numbers. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What are the pillars of fire and cloud, and what is the Israelites' attitude in the wilderness? The Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing (Professor of Theology & Ministry, Paul Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and Director of The Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 2 of a series on his book "Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers" to talk about the place of the Passover in Numbers, the pillar of cloud and fire, the attitude of the Israelites when they have been out of Egypt and slavery for a little over a year, and the accounts of the call to march, the spies in Canaan, and Korah's rebellion. Find Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers from Concordia Publishing House at cph.org/hope-in-the-wilderness-practical-insights-from-the-book-of-numbers. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How do we determine what is important? The Rev. Dr. Jon Furgeson (Senior Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in St. Louis, MO) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 5 of our “Prepared with a Reason” series to talk about what axiology is and why it's important, how we even know what is important, how humans determine their values, how our approach to assigning value to something might change throughout our lives, worldly assumptions about what gives something value or importance, and what God's Word says about determining our values. Find the “Prepared with a Reason” curriculum at cph.org/prepared-with-a-reason-leaders-guide-digital-edition. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How can we view the medical and theological questions of IVF through the lens of Scripture? Dr. Donna Harrison (Director of Research, American Association of Pro-Life OBGYNs) and the Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer (Associate Professor of Theology and Bioethics, Concordia University Irvine) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what in vitro fertilization (IVF) is and how it works, whether there are medical risks, how we define humanity according to Scripture, the moral and ethical complications surrounding IVF, alternatives to IVF, and how we can care for our neighbors who wish for children but have not been given that gift. Read the Lutheran Witness articles from both Dr. Harrison and Dr. Stiegemeyer at witness.lcms.org/tag/ivf. Also mentioned in this episode: Lutheran Ladies' Lounge episode on infertility: kfuo.org/2025/10/17/lutheran-ladies-lounge-episode-316-one-question-interview-infertility/ As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How are church workers formed at Concordia University Chicago (CUC)? Dr. Russell Dawn (President of Concordia University Chicago) and Kyle Thoms (Assistant Vice President for Undergraduate Enrollment at Concordia University Chicago) join Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about why they love being at CUC, the church work programs available at CUC and how each of them serves the church, why church work programs are important to CUC, and what makes CUC a unique experience for college students. Learn more about Concordia University Chicago at cuchicago.edu. Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers. Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations. Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS: 1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers. 2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers. 3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation. To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How does the theme of “in between” that appears in Numbers relate to our present-day lives? The Rev. Dr. Reed Lessing (Professor of Theology & Ministry, Paul Edwin F. and Esther L. Laatsch Chair of Old Testament Studies, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and Director of The Center for Biblical Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 1 of a series on his book Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers to talk about why we would want to read or study the book of Numbers, what this theme of "in between" is and how it relates to our lives, how the Lord speaks and what happens when He speaks, how the Lord's Word is different from the words of others, and what we learn from the words "holy" and "bless" in Numbers. Find Hope in the Wilderness: Practical Insights from the Book of Numbers from Concordia Publishing House at cph.org/hope-in-the-wilderness-practical-insights-from-the-book-of-numbers. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What comfort can believers find in the book of Revelation? The Rev. David Fleming (Associate Pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church and School in Grand Rapids, MI, and Executive Director for Spiritual Care with Doxology: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about why someone might invest time in reading the book of Revelation this time of year, where we find the real presence of God in Revelation, how we can prepare to read Revelation, themes to look for and helpful ways to approach the figurative language that is used, common pitfalls to avoid when reading Revelation, and how Revelation brings comfort to believers in Christ. Resources mentioned in this episode: Companion to Revelation (Martin Franzmann), ebook: cph.org/the-revelation-to-john-ebook-edition Concordia Commentary (Louis Brighton) on Revelation: cph.org/revelation-concordia-commentary As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What is a human being, and why do we exist? The Rev. Dr. Pete Jurchen (Assistant Professor of Lutheran Education and Faith Formation at Concordia University, Nebraska) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 4 of our “Prepared with a Reason” series to talk about what anthropology is and why he finds it interesting, some common assumptions in the secular view of origins and history of humans, how these views shape us even if we don't claim to believe the worldviews, why it's important to know where to properly place our identity, and how we can faithfully reply to secular assumptions of the history of humans. Find the “Prepared with a Reason” curriculum at cph.org/prepared-with-a-reason-leaders-guide-digital-edition. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How does Lutheran Counseling and Family Services of Wisconsin (LCFS) support families through adoption programs? Carol Flanary, MS, LPC (CEO of Lutheran Counseling and Family Services of Wisconsin) joins Andy and Sarah during National Adoption Month to talk about the history of LCFS of Wisconsin, what brought them to the Youth Gathering over the summer and what they learned from interacting with the young people there, the services available through LCFS today, how they support the community through these services, why this work is important to Carol personally, and how they support pastors in their vocations. Learn more about LCFS of Wisconsin at lcfswi.org. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What makes church worker formation programs at Concordia University, Nebraska (CUNE) unique for students? Dr. Bernard Bull (President of Concordia University, Nebraska) joins Andy and Sarah for our Set Apart to Serve series to talk about how long he has served at CUNE and what he enjoys most about his role, the church work programs available at CUNE, why these programs are so important to him and to CUNE, what makes CUNE a unique place for students to be formed for future vocations, and how people with different personalities and skillsets can serve the church. Learn more about Concordia University, Nebraska at cune.edu. Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers. Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations. Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS: 1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers. 2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers. 3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation. To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

It's the 3rd Annual KFUO Radio Pie Social! The Rev. Dr. Matthew Clark (Senior Pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church in St. Louis, MO; Co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio; Card Carrying Member of The American Pie Council) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about pie! They eat varieties of pie and discuss favorite pie memories, favorite pie recipes, and why pie and food are good for connecting with others. ------------------------------------ Ode to Pie by Lisa Clark Apple, pumpkin, peach and cherry Baked inside a flaky crust . . . Choc'late silk and glazed strawberry, Rich black bottom is a must! Cream, meringue, and creamy custard, Crumb and lattice: works of art. With such options, don't get flustered; You could simply choose a tart! Twenty-third of January, Or the fourteenth day of March, Twenty-ninth of February, Underneath the Gateway Arch, Church potluck or at a wedding, Even on KFUO: Where you're from or where you're heading, Pie is ev'rywhere you go! (c) 2025 Lisa M. Clark ------------------------------------ Cranberry Jam Pie from Sarah Gulseth Crust: 1.5 cups almond flour (superfine ground) 3 Tablespoons maple syrup 1 Tablespoon almond butter 1/4 tsp cardamom 1/4 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp salt Filling: 1 12oz bag cranberries (frozen) 2/3 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup water For the crust: Mix dry ingredients, then mix in maple syrup and almond butter. Mix until very stiff. Spread into 9" pie pan. Bake at 375 (regular oven) or 400 (convection bake) for 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove and cool. For the filling: Heat cranberries, maple syrup, and water in a saucepan on high heat until cranberries begin to pop. Turn heat down to medium-low, using a potato masher to smash the cranberries. When cranberries are fully mashed, turn heat to low and simmer while stirring until water is boiled off and the sauce is very thick. Remove from heat, let cool, and put it bowl to keep in refrigerator until ready to use. For serving: Scoop cold cranberry into pie crust and serve. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

November brings us to the end of another church year, which focuses our attention on the last things, on death and resurrection, on heaven and hell. We confess in the creeds, “I believe in … the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting”; “I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” It is remarkable that these creedal truths were already as good as accomplished thousands of years ago, with prophecies inspired by the Holy Spirit and written down by men such as Job (19:25–27), Daniel (12:2–3) and Isaiah (26:19). Some Christians take Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel and other prophetic books of the Bible to be “guidebooks to the end times.” However, careful study of both the Old and New Testaments shows that their focus is on comforting the church on earth with knowledge of the victory of Jesus Christ over sin, death and the devil and His promise to take us to Himself for eternity. As we open the Old Testament and see our present and future revealed there, we will need to keep in mind the “prophetic perspective” that could be observed in Jeremiah 31:31–34 and Joel 2:28–32, in which some predictions have been fulfilled in the messianic age but others must wait until the end of time. Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Sarah to talk about the “Searching Scripture” feature in the November 2025 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “The New Heavens and New Earth” on Isaiah 65-66. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Opening the Old Testament” and will walk through ways that the Old Testament witnesses to Jesus Christ and His grace, mercy and peace, delivered through the holy Christian church. Follow along every month and search Scripture with us! Find online exclusives of the Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org and subscribe to the Lutheran Witness at cph.org/witness. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How do we know that things exist? The Rev. Dr. Mark Wood (Pastor of Shepherd of the Canyon Lutheran Church in Gold Canyon, AZ, former managing director of Church Planting, Renewal and Support for the LCMS Office of National Mission) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 3 of our “Prepared with a Reason” series to talk about how we know that things exist, what we do with the supernatural, when our cultural perceptions or understandings of the relationship between the natural and supernatural change, what makes existence purposeful and meaningful, and how to respond to worldly assumptions about existence. Find the “Prepared with a Reason” curriculum at cph.org/prepared-with-a-reason-leaders-guide-digital-edition. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What do the Formula of Concord and Scripture have to say about election? The Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District and host of KFUO Radio’s Concord Matters, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the Formula of Concord reading plan he created for 2025, including the questions concerning election that are addressed in November's readings. What were the disagreements on election at this time? What are important distinctions to remember when studying election? What other parts of Scripture should we study when meditating on election? Where do we see different views of election in church bodies today? Find the full reading plan from The Lutheran Witness at witness.lcms.org/2024/reading-plan, and find correlating Concord Matters episodes at kfuo.org/formulaofconcord. November | Election Week 1: Ep XI 1 (p. 497–498) SD XI 1–12 (p. 602–604) (Romans 1-2) Week 2: Ep XI 2–15 (p. 498–499) SD XI 13–32 (p. 604–607) (Romans 3:1-5:21) Week 3: SD XI 33–49 (p. 607–609) (Romans 6-8) Week 4: Ep XI 16–23 (p. 499–500) (Romans 9-11) As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What's it like to be a student in a church work program at Concordia University Irvine? The Rev. Dr. Jonathan Ruehs (Assistant Dean of Christ College at Concordia University Irvine) and Carrie Donohoe (Director of LCMS Recruitment, Christ College Program Coordinator, and Assistant Director of LCMS Placement at Concordia University Irvine) join Andy and Sarah to talk about what they love about working at Concordia Irvine (CUI), why church worker formation is important to them and to CUI, the church work programs available at CUI and what makes them unique, what students would experience on a visit day, and how to take the next steps to learn more. Find Concordia University Irvine online at cui.edu. Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers. Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations. Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS: 1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers. 2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers. 3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation. To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What do we learn about disability and the resurrection body from the works of Flannery O'Connor? The Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer (Associate Professor of Theology and Bioethics at Concordia University Irvine and author of "Disability and the Resurrection Body in Light of the Works of Flannery O'Connor" in the Concordia Theological Quarterly) joins Andy and Sarah to talk about who Flannery O'Connor was and the Southern Grotesque style she wrote, what value we find in reading things that shock us to reality, how Flannery O'Connor reacts to the Enlightenment personal autonomy mindset through her writing, what we learn from her perspective on disability and suffering, what we learn from Scripture and the Church Fathers on suffering and the resurrection, and where we find our ultimate hope. Download a PDF of Dr. Stiegemeyer's article at ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/StiegemeyerDisabilityAndTheResurrection.pdf or find the landing page for the article at media.ctsfw.edu/Text/ViewDetails/21656. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What does it look like to step into the role of Regional Business Manager in Eurasia? Sean McHugh (LCMS Regional Business Manager for Eurasia) along with his wife Hanna, and Anne Gonzalez (Manager, Lay Missionary Recruitment, LCMS Office of International Mission) join Andy and Sarah to share Sean and Hannah’s stories of coming to Lutheranism, how they learned about opportunities to serve as missionaries with the LCMS, their journey to accepting the appointment as Regional Business Manager, what they’ve found valuable in their training and preparation to deploy in 2026, and what they’re looking forward to as they get ready to serve. Learn more about the McHughs and how to support their work at lcms.org/mchugh. Find your opportunity to serve at servenow.lcms.org and lcms.org/careers! As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What is truth, and how can we know it? The Rev. Dr. James Pierce (pastor of Emmaus Lutheran Church in Pasco, WA, and Messiah Lutheran Church in Basin City, WA) joins Andy and Sarah for Episode 2 of our “Prepared with a Reason” series to talk about how we define truth and how we know it's true, whether talking about truth is too academic for real life discussion, why it matters if we know what truth is, what we know about the study of truth (epistemology), and how we respond to worldly assumptions about truth from the Word of God. Find the "Prepared with a Reason" curriculum at cph.org/prepared-with-a-reason-leaders-guide-digital-edition. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

What makes leadership training for youth in the church so valuable? Julianna Schults, DCE and Program Manager of Resources and Leadership for LCMS Youth Ministry, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what happens during YouthLead training, why it’s important, and how empowering youth equips them to lead in their communities. She also shares details about the upcoming YouthLead Training and YouthLead Servant Event happening in 2026. Learn more and register at lcms.org/youthlead. As you grab your morning coffee (and pastry, let’s be honest), join hosts Andy Bates and Sarah Gulseth as they bring you stories of the intersection of Lutheran life and a secular world. Catch real-life stories of mercy work of the LCMS and partners, updates from missionaries across the ocean, and practical talk about how to live boldly Lutheran. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.

How did two brothers both end up in church work programs at Concordia University, Nebraska? Daniel Ascher (sophomore at CUNE in Secondary Education, Science) and Luke Ascher (freshman at CUNE in Elementary Education) join Andy and Sarah to continue our conversation with the Ascher siblings! The brothers share where they grew up and when they began to consider church work, who encouraged them to pursue church work in college, how growing up in a ministry family (along with their sister Elizabeth) influenced them to consider church work vocations, what life is like for them at CUNE, and their advice for other young adults considering church work vocations. Hear our previous conversation with Elizabeth (Ascher) Henschen at kfuo.org/2025/09/12/coffee-hour-091225-set-apart-to-serve-formation-to-serve-as-a-high-school-teacher. Christ’s church will continue until He returns, and that church will continue to need church workers. Set Apart to Serve (SAS) is an initiative of the LCMS to recruit church workers. Together, we pray for workers for the Kingdom of God and encourage children to consider church work vocations. Here are three easy ways you can participate in SAS: 1. Pray with your children for God to provide church workers. 2. Talk to your children about becoming church workers. 3. Thank God for the people who work in your congregation. To learn more about Set Apart to Serve, visit lcms.org/set-apart-to-serve. Have a topic you'd like to hear about on The Coffee Hour? Contact us at: listener@kfuo.org.