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

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.

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