Zach Zehnder's Blog

Ben Haupt unpacks the challenges of pastoral formation, why decentralization matters for the future of the LCMS, and how Lutheran theology is deeply relevant for today’s culture. We dive deep on some of the pastoral challenges in the LCMS today and what can be done in the future. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

   

Today’s episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International. 

Thanks to this week’s sponsor: Child Beyond International (CBI), a ministry dear to my heart. Based in Guatemala, CBI transforms the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and abused children by offering a Christ-centered new beginning. A dedicated team of caregivers, doctors, and social workers provides round-the-clock care, faith lessons, and prayer. Children are later reunited with safe relatives or adopted into loving Guatemalan families, with ongoing support beyond their time at CBI.

For only $40 a month, you can help change a child’s life. Because of the intensive care, it takes 20 people to fully sponsor one child. This season, we’re using our podcast platform for good—we want Season 9 to sponsor a child through Red Letter Living. Could you be one of the 20? Visit www.childbeyond.org/rll. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive—this is a chance to experience that joy.

Resources mentioned in the episode

Pastoral Leadership Institute: plileadership.org

 

Acton Institute

 

Not Being There study (ATS) on online theological education

 

The Lutheran Confessions (Book of Concord)

 

Voices mentioned: C.F.W. Walther, Wilhelm Löhe, Friedrich Brunn, Jordan Peterson

 

Ben’s Podcast: Bitcoin Reformation Podcast

 

Red Letter Living resources

 

Voices of the LCMS VideosKey insights from the episode“I’ve only grown in appreciation for the Lutheran confessions and how they articulate what the Bible means. I’m actually pretty comfortable in my Lutheran clothes.” – Ben Haupt“I don’t think the main dissatisfaction is with the curriculum. The real challenge is that congregations feel like if they send their best and brightest to seminary, they might never get them back.” – Ben Haupt“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The more you centralize control, the worse it stinks. Decentralization is key for the church.” – Ben Haupt“Our Lutheran theology is so relevant because it meets people in the darkest pits of life. Christ climbs down into the pit to find us.” – Ben Haupt“The debate over online vs. residential misses the point. The Word itself forms people, whether face-to-face or through a letter like Paul to Timothy.” – Ben Haupt“Leadership, not theology, is often what makes or breaks ministries. Seminary should teach theology deeply, but leadership growth must continue in the parish.” – Ben Haupt“Instead of forming pastors for one rigid model, we should free pastors with deep theology so they can meet people in their local context.” – Ben Haupt“Please don’t coerce or cajole us with regulations. Lead with the Gospel. Lead with the Scriptures.” – Ben HauptBen Haupt’s Challenge of the Week

Engage in conversation. Start something—a podcast, a video, or a local group—that invites real dialogue. Don’t retreat. Lean into Scripture and confessions, and talk with those who see things differently.

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here. 

The post 105: Ben Haupt on the “Gold Standard” vs. New Paths in LCMS Pastoral Formation—Residential, SMP, Colloquy, and the Future of Training Pastors appeared first on Red Letter Living.

Bryan Stecker shares his journey from business to ministry, why the Lutheran voice matters online, and how the sacraments and entrepreneurial spirit can shape the future of the church. Plus, how do we stay both confessional and missional as a church body. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

   

Today’s episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International. 

Thanks to this week’s sponsor: Child Beyond International (CBI), a ministry dear to my heart. Based in Guatemala, CBI transforms the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and abused children by offering a Christ-centered new beginning. A dedicated team of caregivers, doctors, and social workers provides round-the-clock care, faith lessons, and prayer. Children are later reunited with safe relatives or adopted into loving Guatemalan families, with ongoing support beyond their time at CBI.

For only $40 a month, you can help change a child’s life. Because of the intensive care, it takes 20 people to fully sponsor one child. This season, we’re using our podcast platform for good—we want Season 9 to sponsor a child through Red Letter Living. Could you be one of the 20? Visit www.childbeyond.org/rll. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive—this is a chance to experience that joy.

Resources mentioned in the episode

Red Letter Living resources On The Line Podcast: https://ontheline.net Lutheran Institute of Theology: https://lutheraninstitute.org The Lutheran Confessions (Small Catechism, Large Catechism, Formula of Concord) Jordan Peterson Bishop Robert Barron Pints with Aquinas Byran Wolfmueller Voices of the LCMS VideosKey insights from the episode “I grew up as a pastor’s son, and in high school and college, that was the last thing I wanted to do. But within six to eight weeks, I knew God was calling me into ministry.” – Bryan Stecker

“We should have something like Pints with Aquinas in the Lutheran church. If we do this right, it can be a front door for people to learn theology and connect with local churches.” – Bryan Stecker

“Young people are really latching onto the sacraments, especially under 35. Being able to articulate them with depth is essential, and it’s very attractive to this generation.” – Bryan Stecker

“Healthy churches shouldn’t pit confessional against missional—every pastor should want to be both.” – Bryan Stecker

“I think what we need is to be confessionally rooted, and then entrepreneurial. How do we improve it? How do we do things in the best way?” – Bryan Stecker

“The LCMS is actually very good at evangelism—we just tend to evangelize other Christians who are looking for deeper theology.” – Bryan Stecker

“Young people are looking for stability. They’re tired of everything shifting like a leaf in the wind, and Lutheran theology offers that rootedness.” – Bryan Stecker

“If your time is spent tearing others down instead of building something up for the Gospel, that’s a spiritual issue.” – Bryan Stecker

“We need to stop talking about splits in the Synod. Fragmentation is a recipe for disaster—the world needs a unified witness of Christ.” – Bryan Stecker

“If you want to have a strong outreach, it needs to be beautiful. Truth needs to be wrapped in beauty.” – Bryan SteckerBryan Stecker’s Challenge of the Week

Add one spiritual discipline into your weekly rhythm. It could be prayer, fasting, or something else. Start small, be consistent, and see how God uses it to shape your discipleship.

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here. 

The post 104: Bryan Stecker on Media, Sacraments, and Strategy to Help the LCMS Grow Again—While Staying Both Confessional and Missional appeared first on Red Letter Living.

Three LCMS pastors (Tim Niekerk, Scott Giger, and Brad Hubbard), share how their congregations are growing amid Synod decline, why confessional and missional belong together, and how to raise more leaders without losing our Lutheran soul. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

   

Today’s episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International. 

Thanks to this week’s sponsor: Child Beyond International (CBI), a ministry dear to my heart. Based in Guatemala, CBI transforms the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and abused children by offering a Christ-centered new beginning. A dedicated team of caregivers, doctors, and social workers provides round-the-clock care, faith lessons, and prayer. Children are later reunited with safe relatives or adopted into loving Guatemalan families, with ongoing support beyond their time at CBI.

For only $40 a month, you can help change a child’s life. Because of the intensive care, it takes 20 people to fully sponsor one child. This season, we’re using our podcast platform for good—we want Season 9 to sponsor a child through Red Letter Living. Could you be one of the 20? Visit www.childbeyond.org/rll. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive—this is a chance to experience that joy.

Resources mentioned in the episode

Salem Lutheran Church (Tomball, TX) — Tim Niekerk

 

Cornerstone Lutheran Church (Central Indiana) — Scott Giger

 

St. Lorenz Lutheran Church (Frankenmuth, MI) — Brad Hubbard

 

LCMS Youth Gathering (New Orleans)

 

Best Practices Heartland Conference

 

Best Practices for Ministry in Phoenix

 

King of Kings (Omaha, NE)

 

“Voices of the LCMS” Videos

Key insights from the episode: 

Tim Niekerk: “I see it more like guerrilla warfare, that if you spend three years with us, you’re gonna become a Lutheran and you don’t even know it.”

 

Scott Giger: “It’s perfectly aligned to achieve the results it’s achieving.” (on current pastoral formation)

 

Brad Hubbard: “The word of the Lord stands forever… We’ve tried to deliver that as best as we can, as truthfully and faithfully as we can.”

 

Scott Giger: “I absolutely want laypeople involved in ministry of the word, ministry of the church—yeah, absolutely.”

 

Tim Niekerk: “We have this ridiculously disproportionate focus on 60 minutes a week… Being a Lutheran Christian in our world is so much bigger than that.”

 

Brad Hubbard: “We don’t have to be all things to all people… We can be a Synod together.”

 

Scott Giger: “If our church fights are about who ‘wins,’ we’ve already lost—that’s not how the kingdom advances.”

 

Tim Niekerk: “SMP lets us raise up pastors from within—men already serving our people and shaped by our context.”

 

Brad Hubbard: “In a large church, your staff becomes a congregation within the congregation—you’ve got to pastor and equip that team.”

 

Scott Giger: “Plan 95% of an event to be solid, then add a 5% extravagant touch people can’t stop talking about.” The LCN Pastors’ Challenge (this week)Encourage a church worker who needs it (text/call someone today).

 

Keep the main thing the main thing: lead with love, preach Christ, meet people where they are.

Know your community: identify one tangible need outside your walls and serve it in Jesus’ name.

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here. 

The post 103: Three Large-Church LCMS Pastors on Growing in a Declining Synod, Being Confessional and Missional, and How to Raise Up Leaders for the Future appeared first on Red Letter Living.

Dr. Gerald Kieschnick, the 12th president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, reflects on his years of leadership, how he led through the 9/11 terrorist attack, what he has learned about unity in the church, and why the next generation needs courageous, faithful leaders more than ever. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

   

Today’s episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International. 

Thanks to this week’s sponsor: Child Beyond International (CBI), a ministry dear to my heart. Based in Guatemala, CBI transforms the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and abused children by offering a Christ-centered new beginning. A dedicated team of caregivers, doctors, and social workers provides round-the-clock care, faith lessons, and prayer. Children are later reunited with safe relatives or adopted into loving Guatemalan families, with ongoing support beyond their time at CBI.

For only $40 a month, you can help change a child’s life. Because of the intensive care, it takes 20 people to fully sponsor one child. This season, we’re using our podcast platform for good—we want Season 9 to sponsor a child through Red Letter Living. Could you be one of the 20? Visit www.childbeyond.org/rll. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive—this is a chance to experience that joy.

Resources mentioned in the episode

Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)

Waking the Sleeping Giant by Gerald Kieschnick

Lutheran Hour Ministries

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

LCMS Foundation

GBKIES@gmail.com

Voices of the LCMS Videos

Key insights from the episode: 

You could have contracted out with a research firm and spent more than $250,000 and waited two years to get responses that will be within 10% of what you got.” – Matt Engel

“I would much rather be accurate than precise with surveys because accuracy gets me in the ballpark while precision takes forever: time, money, energy.” – Matt Engel

“If data is only interesting but not actionable, it’s a waste of time. We want to turn interesting into actionable.” – Matt Engel

“Data should help you see people, not just numbers.” – Matt Engel

“If you measure only attendance, you’ll get only attendance.” – Matt Engel

“Technology can’t make disciples, but it can support those who do.” – Matt Engel

“Healthy churches don’t just count heads; they count stories.” – Matt Engel

“The right metrics clarify your mission, not compete with it.” – Matt Engel

“We are called to be Spirit-led, Christ-centered, and data-informed.” — Matt Engel

Jerry Kieschnick’s Challenge: Look around you and find somebody who needs to be loved. And love them with the love of Jesus.

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here.

The post 102: Jerry Kieschnick on Leading the LCMS Through the 9/11 Terrorist Attack, Making Tough Decisions, Dealing with Criticism, and Clinging to Hope appeared first on Red Letter Living.

In this episode, Matt Engel, a data expert from Gloo, unpacks the survey data of 1054 Lutheran leaders that recently completed “The State of the LCMS” survey through Red Letter Living. He talks about if the survey is reliable, and what the results mean for the future of our LCMS denomination. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

   

Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. We create resources to help the church produce greater disciples. This season, we are launching a series of videos on our YouTube channel called “The Voices of the LCMS.” 

View the playlist here.

In these videos, we are unpacking data from our survey of 1054 Lutheran leaders. In my conversation with Matt, we dive into many different topics, and the weekly YouTube videos are meant to go deeper into specific issues. These videos are opening up questions, conversations, and opportunities to help us walk together in the future.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here so you don’t miss a video. 

Resources mentioned in the episode

Gloo / Church analytics platforms

Barna Research

LifeWay Research on discipleship metrics

Data-Driven Ministry (Matt Engel’s research/work)

Red Letter Living resources

Voices of the LCMS Videos

Key insights from the episode: 

“You could have contracted out with a research firm and spent more than $250,000 and waited two years to get responses that will be within 10% of what you got.” – Matt Engel

“I would much rather be accurate than precise with surveys because accuracy gets me in the ballpark while precision takes forever: time, money, energy.” – Matt Engel

“If data is only interesting but not actionable, it’s a waste of time. We want to turn interesting into actionable.” – Matt Engel

“Data should help you see people, not just numbers.” – Matt Engel

“If you measure only attendance, you’ll get only attendance.” – Matt Engel

“Technology can’t make disciples, but it can support those who do.” – Matt Engel

“Healthy churches don’t just count heads; they count stories.” – Matt Engel

“The right metrics clarify your mission, not compete with it.” – Matt Engel
“We are called to be Spirit-led, Christ-centered, and data-informed.” — Matt Engel

Matt Engel’s Challenge: Ask (and answer) three questions: 1) Where did you innovate? 2) What did you learn? 3) Who are you developing?

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here.

The post 101: Does the LCMS Have a Future? Data Expert Matt Engel on What 1,054 Lutheran Leaders Revealed—and What the Church Can Learn from Uber appeared first on Red Letter Living.

John Ortberg unpacks what the Gospel according to Jesus is, how Dallas Willard’s theology informs us still today, why all of us should strive to be apprentices of Jesus, and why churches need to take the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous back. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

   

In the conversation with John Ortberg, we address the importance of spiritual disciplines. Why not practice the spiritual disciplines of Jesus? To help you go deeper into leading yourself (and your church) to building the habits of Jesus, we’d love to introduce you to the 40-Day Being Challenge.

Many Christians today aren’t great at maintaining the habits of Jesus. 

Even the most “mature” Christians struggle with opening up in community, prioritizing prayer, and seeking regular solitude. But that doesn’t have to be your story. 

Being Challenge guides you through 40 days of practical, simple-to-understand challenges to help you learn, develop, and grow in the five keystone habits of Jesus.

You can learn more about the challenge here!

Resources mentioned in the episode

becomenew.com

Steps by John Ortberg

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg

Soul Keeping by John Ortberg

The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard

Renovaré & Spiritual Formation resources

Red Letter Living resources

Voices of the LCMS YouTube Videos

Key insights from the episode: 

“Spiritual formation is not optional; it’s happening all the time.” – John Ortberg

 

“Everyone is being formed by something. The question is: who are you apprenticed to?” – John Ortberg

 

“Transformation starts inside and naturally flows outward.” – John Ortberg

 

“AA got the 12 steps from the church, and now the church needs them back.” – John Ortberg

 

“Apprenticeship to Jesus is the best way to be human.” – John Ortberg

John Ortberg’s Challenge: Do the next right thing.

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here.

The post 100: John Ortberg on What the Gospel is According to Jesus, Dallas Willard’s Theology in a Lutheran Frame, and Why Churches Should Be More Like AA Meetings appeared first on Red Letter Living.

John Ortberg unpacks what the Gospel according to Jesus is, how Dallas Willard’s theology informs us still today, why all of us should strive to be apprentices of Jesus, and why churches need to take the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous back. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

   

In the conversation with John Ortberg, we address the importance of spiritual disciplines. Why not practice the spiritual disciplines of Jesus? To help you go deeper into leading yourself (and your church) to building the habits of Jesus, we’d love to introduce you to the 40-Day Being Challenge.

Many Christians today aren’t great at maintaining the habits of Jesus. 

Even the most “mature” Christians struggle with opening up in community, prioritizing prayer, and seeking regular solitude. But that doesn’t have to be your story. 

Being Challenge guides you through 40 days of practical, simple-to-understand challenges to help you learn, develop, and grow in the five keystone habits of Jesus.

You can learn more about the challenge here!

Resources mentioned in the episode

becomenew.com

Steps by John Ortberg

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg

Soul Keeping by John Ortberg

The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard

Renovaré & Spiritual Formation resources

Red Letter Living resources

Voices of the LCMS YouTube Videos

Key insights from the episode: 

“Spiritual formation is not optional; it’s happening all the time.” – John Ortberg

“Everyone is being formed by something. The question is: who are you apprenticed to?” – John Ortberg

“Transformation starts inside and naturally flows outward.” – John Ortberg

“AA got the 12 steps from the church, and now the church needs them back.” – John Ortberg

“Apprenticeship to Jesus is the best way to be human.” – John Ortberg

John Ortberg’s Challenge: Choose one practice of Jesus this week (silence, solitude, prayer, or service) and live into it daily as His apprentice.

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here.

The post John Ortberg on What the Gospel is According to Jesus, Dallas Willard’s Theology in a Lutheran Frame, and Why Churches Should Be More Like AA Meetings appeared first on Red Letter Living.

6 Steps to Help Pastors Crush Advent This Year!Did you know that Advent is cool now?! 

Pastors and church leaders, if you are not planning to implement a daily Advent practice at your church, your people will practice Advent somewhere else. In fact, they already are. This is a significant opportunity that we cannot afford to miss. In light of that, we’d love to partner with your church for a powerful 25-Day Advent experience called Red Letter Advent. 

Advent calendars have been making a significant impact in recent years, with a staggering 1738% increase in page views for beauty advent calendars in November 2023 over just 45 days. In 2022, beauty calendars accounted for 31% of all advent calendar sales, surpassing the popularity of traditional Christmas greeting cards. This trend is not limited to beauty products, as other categories, such as beer, chocolates, wine, jewelry, Lego, and hair products, have also seen a surge in popularity.

As a church, have we seized this unique opportunity to guide our congregation’s understanding of Advent amidst the growing fascination with advent calendars? We must ensure our people comprehend the true essence of Advent, not just its surface-level appeal.

Even though the average person may not be able to define Advent, it’s attracting customers by the truckloads. One of the reasons is the routine. Each day, a surprise awaits as we countdown to Christmas. It’s not a complex concept to grasp, and it’s surface-level stuff. A 25-day numbered box with perforated-edge windows to open each day and some trinkets inside is pretty simple to figure out. Things don’t have to be complicated to be catchy. But what if we could show them the depth of meaning and the essential part that Advent plays in all our lives? Not to complicate Advent, but it’s still a simple message, after all:

“For unto us a child is born. Unto us a Son is given.”

But let’s give Advent some grip, some stickiness. Let’s make it more than just a ten-second activity. The real meaning and intent of Advent will provide people with some real hope behind the hype.

People Want (And Need) A Challenge!

Last year, Barna shared results from a survey asking people what their most meaningful church experience was. They overwhelmingly answered that the day-to-day mentoring and studying the practice of following Jesus meant the most.

While many pastors hope people will remember the carefully crafted sermons they spent weeks crafting or the beautiful music they rehearsed for hours and hours, Barna shows us that service and discipleship are the two most meaningful acts for a Christian. You know what that means? It means people want (and need) to be challenged to actually walk out the faith they claim to have.  

Your most devoted people are looking for mentoring in discipleship, and a clear path of celebrating and practicing Advent can provide that opportunity.

It’s been proven that people’s habits are more open to change during Christmas. So,

1) if the idea of Advent is trending in our culture,

2) if people are more likely to adopt a new habit during the holidays,

3) and if discipleship is what 70% of your faithful church attendees are looking for,

It only makes sense that you go all in on celebrating Advent.

6 Steps to Planning Advent

While it may seem early to plan for Advent in the summer, the Christmas season is closer than we think. In fact, in a survey with more than 200 pastors responding, 86% of those churches have their Advent plans figured out by the end of Q3, so summer is the perfect time to get your Advent plans locked in. Starting early helps you avoid the stress of last-minute planning and ensure a successful Advent season. 

We have six straightforward steps to kickstart your planning process.

1. Pray

Without getting too preachy, Christmas belongs to Jesus. It’s not just His day; it’s His season. So before I begin planning “my” Christmas, spend time asking Jesus how I, my family, and our church can be a part of HIS Christmas. Things suddenly become much clearer and simpler when I look at Christmas that way!

2. Pick a Theme

Sure, the plan and theme are around the birth of Jesus and how it changes everything. But, how do you say this in a new way for this current year you are in? Sometimes, because of the busyness of the pastor’s job, picking a theme for Advent can get your leftovers. It sure has for me in the past. So, after praying, settle on a theme for the year. And, if you need help with a theme, this is why we created Red Letter Advent: 25 Days of Unboxing Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

3. Gather Your Team

I don’t care what size church you have, whether you are on a team ministry of 50+ people or a solo pastor, it may just be you and your secretary, or your wife, or a couple of teen interns who help you out on Sunday morning…but Advent takes a team. You need other people to help you serve. And they need it, too! Begin by making a list. Then, contact each person with a specific request. Don’t just ask them to serve on a team or committee; be specific about what you need them to do. And don’t feel like you need to pitch an easy ask. Remember: the faithful want to be challenged!

4. Share the Plan

Leading up to Christmas, note what dates the four Sundays of Advent are and any other Advent-related midweek opportunities at your church. Once you have a clear plan, create graphics indicating where/when you want your people to show up or be involved. Print them off and share them in your bulletins, printed pieces, and all digital communication. 

5. Do Your Reading and Research

If you have a theme picked, begin your reading. This can be the part that takes months. If you don’t have time (many pastors don’t) consider choosing a resource that comes with a theme already chosen, and a library of FREE resources to go with it. Look for resources that you can use for midweek or small group opportunities, kids curriculum for Sunday mornings, graphics that pop, etc. 

6. Write Your Sermons

Lastly, get your sermons written out early. You may change them later, and that’s totally acceptable. But the more you prepare ahead of time, the better you will feel! I found in the past that writing Advent sermons was the most time-consuming of all sermons to write. Maybe it was because of the busyness of the church and family calendar or because it was too similar a theme each year. Still, I had a difficult time feeling like my material was fresh. Again, this is a significant reason that we created Red Letter Advent for you.

Whether you choose to team with our newest project or not, I pray that this Advent celebration can be powerful for your church. I hope that the fascination with Advent continues to grow, but even more importantly, that you and your people will indeed receive the gifts Jesus gives you in His birthday month.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your Advent plans settled, and breathe a little bit easier knowing that your December plans are way ahead of schedule!

You can find more info about Red Letter Advent here. You can purchase your materials here. The only way to guarantee getting in the 2025 Advent Launch Group is to order your materials early. Also, if you’d like to see an 80-page sample of this work, you can go here.

Blessings!

The post 6 Steps to Help Your Church Crush Advent This Year appeared first on Red Letter Living.

When I think about Memorial Day, I think about sacrifice. I (Allison) think about my grandfathers Lewis Buck who served in the US Army in Belgium and Deahl Williams who served in the Air Force in World War 2.  I think about Zach’s grandfather Elmer Theiroff who went from farmer to serving the US Army in the Philippines. I think about those who gave their lives for freedom, people who were brave and chose courage over comfort. In America, these are the soldiers we remember, the heroes in uniform.

So it might seem strange to have a blog on Memorial Day about two German teenagers growing up and even participating in Hitler’s regime, some of the darkest hours in human history. They were part of the group that our grandfathers were fighting. Why would we write a blog about them? Weren’t they on the wrong side?

Yes, they started off on the wrong side, but they didn’t end up there. And their faith in Jesus had a lot to do with it. Hans and Sophie Scholl were Lutherans growing up in Nazi Germany. At first glance, they seemed like most college students: idealistic, thoughtful, and excited about their future. But, when faced with evil, they decided to stand up and speak out.

They paid for that courage with their lives.

A Different Kind of Brave

Like many kids in Germany in the 1930s, Hans and Sophie joined the Hitler Youth as teenagers. This was a group that exploded from 100,000 members in 1932 to 4 million youth in 1935, just three years later. At first, it seemed exciting, like joining the Boy Scouts. Community, purpose, uniforms, torch-lit rallies all felt like a fun movement. But underneath the surface, Hans and Sophie’s father Robert saw what was coming. He warned them about the Nazi ideology: “These are wolves. They are misusing the German people terribly.”

As they grew older, Hans and Sophie began to see it too. They loved reading, thinking, hiking, discussing big ideas. But Nazi Germany didn’t want young people to think for themselves. It wanted control. Uniformity. Obedience. One day Hans was caught reading the books of Stefan Zweig, the great Jewish writer. He loved Stefan Zweig’s short stories. But because Zweig was a Jew, Hans was told all of his writing was trash. That made Hans pause. What does race have to do with good writing and stories? It didn’t make sense to him.

Hans and Sophie were Lutherans, the largest protestant group (60%) in Germany at that time. They were raised reading the Bible, going to church, and believing that all people mattered to God. But they soon realized something terrifying: everything the Nazis stood for was a direct attack on the message of Jesus. Where Hans and Sophie believed the Gospel taught that every human life has dignity, Nazism preached power, race, and superiority. Where Christianity calls us to love our neighbors, the Nazis told people to hate and divide. Nazism reduced humanity to animals, and the Scholl siblings just couldn’t accept it. So they, along with a few fellow students and Christian friends, started a secret group.

The White Rose

They called themselves The White Rose. No one knows for sure where the name came from, but their mission was clear: resist the Nazi regime by telling the truth. The group read many Christian authors including Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. In the summer of 1942, pooling their money together, they bought a typewriter, a duplicator, stacks of paper and stamps and wrote thousands of anonymous leaflets. Each one boldly called for Germans to reject Hitler’s lies and return to God.

These weren’t angry rants. There was not a single mention of violence. They were carefully written, deeply theological, and passionate. Here is a part of the very first leaflet the published,

Every individual has to consciously accept his responsibility as a member of western and Christian civilization in this last hour to arm himself as best he can to work against the scourge of humanity against fascism and every other form of the absolute state adopt passive resistance wherever you are block the functioning of this atheistic war machine before it is too late before our last city is a heap of rubble like cologne and before the last youth of our nation bleeds to death of the hubris of a subhuman.

Here is another part of the leaflets they produced,

“Every word that comes from Hitler’s mouth is a lie. When he says peace, he means war… When he speaks of God, he really means the power of evil—the fallen angel, Satan.”

They signed them “The White Rose.” And, for months, these leaflets spread quietly across Germany, hand-delivered, mailed, and even smuggled into other cities. Their voices were small, but they were speaking. They would not be silent.

The Arrest

In February 1943, less than one later, Hans and Sophie brought a suitcase full of leaflets to their university in Munich. As students left class, the siblings scattered the papers from a balcony down into the courtyard. The building’s caretaker, a loyal Nazi, saw them and called for their arrest.

Surprisingly, they didn’t run. Were they wanting to be martyrs? Did they know the jig was up? Were they tired of hiding? Who knows. But they were brave despite the worst happening.

At first the Nazi officers didn’t believe they were guilty. The young adults were well-educated, from good families, middle class, even had been part of the Hilter’s Youth group. Surely they weren’t the culprits. When Sophie was interrogated, the officer even gave her a chance to get off Scott-free by blaming her brother. She refused. “You are wrong,” she said. “I would do it all over again.”

Even in jail, Sophie and Hans were brave. Sophie’s cellmate remembers how she would look out through the barred windows at the sunshine and talk to herself out loud saying, “How many are dying? How many young lives full of hope? What difference will my death make if our actions arouse thousands of people?”

A few days later, the siblings were tried, sentenced to death, and executed by guillotine. They were allowed to see their parents one last time. Their mother and father brought them sweets and spoke proudly and lovingly to them. It would be the last time they ever saw each other.

Hans and Sophie were brave to the very end. Sophie was executed first. She left a single word written on a scrap of paper on her bed: 

“Freedom.”

 Hans’ final words before the guillotine fell echoed his sister’s last message:

“Long live freedom.”

Lives for Freedom

Hans and Sophie Scholl were just 24 and 21 years old. They didn’t have guns. They didn’t lead armies. But they had something stronger: faith, conviction, and courage born from the love of Christ. They believed in a God who had already won the ultimate victory.

This Memorial Day, as we honor those who have laid down their lives for our freedom, let’s also remember that there are many kinds of courage. Hans and Sophie remind us that boldness isn’t always about being loud, it’s about being faithful. Sometimes, loving your neighbor means speaking up.

Sometimes, being a disciple of Jesus means standing apart, even when it costs everything.

We, like them, all started off on the wrong side of the tracks according to Jesus. Our sin separated us from ever having a chance at eternal life. But Jesus came and through His life, death, and resurrection brought us back to His side as His children. The stories we tell and the life we show matters. Their Lutheran roots mattered. What their parents taught them and what they learned in church made all the difference in their short lives. And their legacy is a light that still shines.

In a world that still wrestles with evil, injustice, and lies, we need people who live like Hans and Sophie Scholl. People who carry the truth in love. People who know who they are, who they follow, and what they’re willing to give for others. 

That’s what Memorial Day is about, not just honoring the past, but living in such a way that the sacrifice wasn’t in vain.

The post Long Live Freedom: Why We Should Remember Two German Teenagers from WW2 on Memorial Day appeared first on Red Letter Living.

Zach Zehnder is a husband, father, author, 4th-gen pastor, and speaker. He founded Red Letter Living and wrote the bestselling Red Letter Challenge. Since 2018, he’s authored 10 books, including his newest book, coming this Fall, Giving Challenge. He serves as Teaching Pastor and Multisite Director at King of Kings, Omaha, NE. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.

   

Today’s episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living, particularly our newest 40-day book and sermon series called Giving Challenge. This Fall, on October 5, 2025, we are launching this new 40-day series worldwide, and we’d love for your church to get in. To find out more information, to join the first wave, to order some books, and stay up-to-date, visit www.redlettergiving.com.

This 40-day challenge will inspire generosity in your church, and it is well worth your investment. Disciples of Jesus are generous and this book will feature how each one of us can become generous like Jesus. Along with the books come a sermon series, a small group series, kids books, weekly kids Sunday School or kids church curriculum, graphics, and so much more. All of it is available, get in now, at www.redlettergiving.com and let this Fall be the season where the generosity of Jesus is unleashed in your church! Have questions? Email us at hello@redletterchallenge.com.

Resources mentioned in the episode

Giving Challenge Information

Giving Challenge Interest Form

Red Letter Disciple Podcast Episodes

The Cloisters on the Platte

Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn

True Riches by John Cortines and Gregory Baumer

Key insights from the episode: 

Your money precedes your heart. If you want a heart like God’s, give to the causes God cares about. – Pastor Zach Zehnder

A relationship is more complicated than a percentage. – Pastor Zach Zehnder

I wrote this book [Giving Challenge] to help pastors be able to talk about money in a Christ-centered way. – Pastor Zach Zehnder

The way you use your money can bring happiness. – Pastor Zach Zehnder

Donating money creates a similar amount of happiness as doubling your income. – Pastor Zach Zehnder

Some of the happiest kids live in the poorest neighborhoods. – Pastor Chris Johnson

Zach Zehnder’s Challenge: Pray about generosity and then be generous!

Are you following Jesus? 

Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don’t know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.

In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it’s free! You will get results back immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.

You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here.

Watch the entire season for free: 

We’ll be uploading every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube Channel. If you aren’t subscribed already, you can do so here.

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