How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. This week, Michelle talks with Pam Nielsen and Adrienne Bolinger about the vocation of grandmother and how it upholds life both in and out of the home. 

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You can contact Pam Nielsen on Facebook or Instagram or by email at pamjniel@aol.com. 

You can contact Adrienne Bolinger by email at abolinger@holycrossfw.org. 

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org. 

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. This week, Michelle talks with Rev. Ryan Wendt and Jordan Patterson about the vocation of father and how it upholds life both in and out of the home.

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You can contact Rev. Ryan Wendt by email at pastorwendt@gmail.com.

You can contact Jordan Patterson by email at jordanpatterson2012@gmail.com.

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. This week, Michelle talks with April Ann Wofford and Emily Nehrt about the vocation of mother and how it upholds life both in and out of the home.

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You can contact April Ann Wofford by email at wofford.aprilann@gmail.com

You can contact Emily Nehrt by email at enehrt@gmail.com.

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. This week, Michelle talks with Mr. Dan Mau about the work that cantors (kantors) do to uphold life in churches, schools, and communities.

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Mr. Dan Mau is currently serving as Kantor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbus, IN. You can reach him by email at kantor@stpaulcolumbus.org.

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. This week, Michelle talks with Mr. Matt Nieman and Mrs. Mackenzie Christmas about the work that Directors of Christian Education (DCEs) do to uphold life in churches, schools, and communities.

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Mr. Matt Nieman is currently serving Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seymour, Indiana as Director of Youth Ministry. You can connect with Mr. Matt Nieman by email at mnieman@immanuelseymour.com.

Mrs. Mackenzie Christmas is currently serving Immanuel Lutheran Church in Valparaiso, Indiana as Director of Christian Education. You can connect with Mrs. Mackenzie Christmas by email at mchristmas@immanuelvalpo.org.

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. This week, Michelle talks with Mrs. Jen Probst, Mr. Jesse Muehler, and Mrs. Lindsey Vorthmann about the work that teachers do to uphold life in churches, schools, and communities.

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Mrs. Jen Probst is currently serving as the director of St. Paul Lutheran Early Childhood Ministry at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbus, Indiana. You can connect with Mrs. Probst by email at director@stpaulcolumbus.org.

Mr. Jesse Muehler is currently serving as the middle school English and literature teacher at St. John - Emmanuel Lutheran School in Monroeville, Indiana. You can connect with Mr. Muehler by email at jessem@stjohn-emmanuel.com.

Mrs. Lindsey Vorthmann is currently serving as the Spanish teacher at Trinity Lutheran High School in Seymour, Indiana. You can connect with Mrs. Vorthmann by email at ltrah@trinitycougars.org.

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. This week, Michelle talks with Deaconess Sarah and Deaconess Miller about the work that deaconesses do to uphold life in churches, schools, and communities.

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Deac. Sarah Longmire serves as deaconess at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

Deac. Patti Miller serves as deaconess at Village Lutheran Church in Ladue, Missouri.

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. This week, Michelle talks with Pastor Schneider and Pastor Keller about the work that pastors do to uphold life in churches, schools, and communities.

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Rev. Schneider serves as pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Brownstown, Indiana. You can reach him with questions at pastor@stpetersbrownstown.org.

Rev. Keller is a retired LCMS pastor, currently serving as a vacancy pastor for churches in Southern Indiana. You can reach him with questions at revkeller219@gmail.com.

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

How do we uphold life through our vocations? Join Michelle Bauman, Director of Y4Life and YA For Life, as she explores how vocation and life are connected. The first episode of this series features an interview with Lutherans For Life Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Aric Fenske about his work as executive director of a for-life ministry.

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The Rev. Dr. Aric Fenske is a 2011 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Since that time, he has served as the pastor of two dual parishes in the North Wisconsin District – LCMS, where he has been active in several different pro-life organizations. Dr. Fenske earned his Doctor of Ministry in 2019, again from Concordia Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Marie, have four daughters—Madison, Alexis, Hailee, and Marta—along with two grandsons, James and Rustyn. Dr. Fenske assumed his duties as Executive Director of Lutherans For Life on May 1, 2025.

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Lutherans For Life and Y4Life are funded by donors like YOU. To support the mission and ministry of LFL and Y4Life, you can donate at LutheransForLife.org and Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Join Y4Life Director Michelle Bauman and Y4Life Assistant Cori Meier as they discuss how youth and young adults can get involved 4 Life in their schools, churches, communities, and world! 

Find resources and events mentioned in the episode at y4life.org, yaforlife.org, and lutheransforlife.myshopify.com.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Join the Y4Life team as they dive into answering YOUR questions! The Y4Life Mailbag episodes will feature questions asked by youth with answers from the Y4Life team. Episode five focuses on marriage.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Join the Y4Life team as they dive into answering YOUR questions! The Y4Life Mailbag episodes will feature questions asked by youth with answers from the Y4Life team. Episode four focuses on family.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Join the Y4Life team as they dive into answering YOUR questions! The Y4Life Mailbag episodes will feature questions asked by youth with answers from the Y4Life team. Episode three focuses on Christian dating.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Join the Y4Life team as they dive into answering YOUR questions! The Y4Life Mailbag episodes will feature questions asked by youth with answers from the Y4Life team. Episode two focuses on abortion contemplation and abortion healing.

Organizations referenced in the episode:

Word of Hope - Word of Hope exists to bring healing found in Christ to those whose hearts have been broken by abortion. Learn more about Word of Hope at word-of-hope.org.

Let Them Live - Let Them Live works to ensure no woman feels forced to choose abortion due to financial hardship. Learn more about Let Them Live at letthemlive.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Join the Y4Life team as they dive into answering YOUR questions! The Y4Life Mailbag episodes will feature questions asked by youth with answers from the Y4Life team. Episode one focuses on how to have pro-life conversations.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

What are you insecure about? Your looks? What you're good at? Who would ever be attracted to you? There are answers, but they direct you to an unattainable past or a super-human stone skin. What security can we actually find for the insecurities which plague each of us? Join Michelle and Rev. Michael Miller to learn what a precious foundation and identity God gave you in Baptism. Take comfort, too, in how He continues to uphold you whenever you are racked by doubt.

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Rev. Michael Miller is pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lebanon, OR.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

What does biblical marriage look like? How does biblical marriage reflect the Gospel? What should you look for in a future spouse? Michelle chats this week with Pastor Brett Simek about marriage and how it reflects Christ's marriage to His Bride, the Church.

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Pastor Brett Simek is the pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, SD. 

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

What do you look for in a spouse? How long should you know someone before you start dating? How long should you date before getting engaged? Should you have a long engagement? Most importantly - how do you date in a way that upholds God's gift of LIFE? Y4Life Director Michelle and Y4Life Intern Emma talk all things dating, relationships, and preparing for marriage.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Y4Life Director Michelle and Y4Life Assistant Cori chat about what dating looks like in our current culture and how Christians can navigate dating, dating apps, looking for a spouse, and more.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Y4Life Director Michelle and Y4Life Media Resource Assistant Diana chat about the importance of friendship, how worldly friendships differ from Christ-centered friendships, how to have conversations about life issues with friends, and more.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

After a baby is born, we immediately think about caring for the new baby. But what does it look like to care for mom and the rest of the family? Michelle chats with Deaconess Rachel Geraci this week to talk about postpartum mental health and what it means to uphold the lives of mother and baby.

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Deaconess Rachel Geraci is a wife, mother, and most importantly, Baptized Child of God. Living in Milan, MI, Rachel supports her husband, Coleman, who is a called Pastor to two LCMS congregations as well as to the US Army Reserves as a military chaplain. Together, they delight in the raising of their three children, Augustana (6), Simeon (4), and Magdalena (2), and daily marvel at the richness of God's goodness. Rachel is a deaconess in the Lutheran Church and previously served as the Mission and Ministry Director at Lutherans For Life from 2018-2020. Her Masters in Deaconess Studies degree came from Concordia Theological Seminary - Fort Wayne, of which she is a proud 2017 alumnus. She also has a background in nursing and graduated from Indiana University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2011.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

When we encounter the life issue of abortion, we often wonder how to best help the mothers choose life for their unborn children. Operation Saving Life offered a tangible solution to those wondering how they could help mothers with unplanned pregnancies or who were in situations where they felt forced into abortion. Rev. Patrick Darnell was a driving force behind Operation Saving Life, connecting pastors and congregations in Tennessee with abortion minded women who desired to choose life for their babies. Join us this week as we chat with Rev Darnell and learn more about Operation Saving Life and the work it carried out in Tennessee.

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Rev. Patrick Darnell is a Lutheran pastor based out of Nashville, Tennessee. He is ordained with the North American Lutheran Church as well as the Lutheran Church in Mission for Christ. He has served congregations across the United States, led multiple non-profit organizations, and has spoken on several national platforms. Until recently, he also served as the Executive Director of Operation Saving Life - a faith-based non-profit committed to providing physical, financial, and Spiritual support for abortion minded women who have chosen life. This organization, recently acquired by a national partner, continues its mission today for women and families across the country.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

What does God’s Word say about organ transplant and organ donation? How do we as Gospel-motivated voices respond to questions about organ donation and transplant? What can we do to uphold the live of those waiting for organ donation? Y4Life Director Michelle and Y4Life Intern Emma answer these questions and more in this Y4Life Staff Chat!

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

What does it mean to be human in the digital age where we can get lost in online worlds and create internet identities separate from our bodies? And what about transhumanism and AI? In this episode, Y4Life Director Michelle and Y4Life Assistant Cori chat with Vicar Josh Pauling, analyzing these challenging issues, how we must ground our identity in the wonders of the created and redeemed body, and how the incarnation of Christ is the ultimate answer to such questions. From this proper foundation, Vicar Pauling gives practical tips to help better serve and love our neighbors in body and soul and be prepared to sacrifice and suffer, too.

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Joshua Pauling is vicar at All Saints Lutheran Church, contributing editor at Salvo, columnist at Modern Reformation, and has written for a variety of other publications including Areo, Forma Journal, Front Porch Republic, Logia: A Journal of Lutheran of Lutheran Theology, The Lutheran Witness, Mere Orthodoxy, Merion West, Public Discourse, Quillette, The Imaginative Conservative, Touchstone Magazine, among others. He is a frequent guest on Issues Etc. Radio Show/Podcast. Josh also taught high school history for thirteen years in the public school setting and now spends a portion of his time as a classical educator and running his own business making custom furniture and restoring vintage machinery. He also speaks and writes at the intersections of Christianity and culture. He studied at Messiah University, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Winthrop University, and is continuing his studies at Concordia Theological Seminary.

Read Are We All Cyborgs Now?: Reclaiming Our Humanity from the Machine by Josh Pauling and Robin Phillips

Other books referenced in the episode:
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman

The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World by Rosaria Butterfield

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

As the loneliness epidemic continues to spread, a new trend of AI powered friendships, familial relationships, and even romantic affairs is sweeping the globe. Sounds like a sci-fi novel gone wrong, doesn't it?

The truth is, artificially generated images, text, voice (and soon video) present major challenges for distinguishing what is real from what is false. AND...as more and more of the essential activities of all human relationships are conducted through the disembodiment of a screen, the difference between a genuine human interaction and its artificial replacement becomes harder and harder to distinguish.

Join us as we chat with Rev. James Neuendorf about the not-so-impossible world of AI relationships and hot to respond to the reality from a Christian perspective in this episode of the Youth4Life Podcast.

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Originally from Michigan and a graduate of both Concordia University Ann Arbor and the Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, the Rev. James Neuendorf is a missionary and church planting pastor in Puerto Rico serving with the LCMS Office of International Mission. He lives in Ponce on the south of the island together with his wife Christel who serves alongside him as a deaconess. The Neuendorfs have worked in Latin America as LCMS missionaries for more than 15 years.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Technology is just a tool, they say.  We should make good use of tools, and almost all tools have a good use, they say.  But, what about artificial intelligence? Is artificial intelligence just a tool, or is there something more we should consider?

You are made in the image of God. You are one for whom Christ died. All else flows from this, including our use of technology, but especially our use of artificial intelligence.  If you do a concordance search for “artificial intelligence,” you won’t find those words in your Bible, but God actually has much to say about this ever-changing technology. Mrs. Jocelyn Benson joins us to teach us about the theology of technology this week on the Youth4Life Podcast.

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Jocelyn Benson grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa, attending Lutheran school through 8th grade. She has a B.A. in English-teaching and an M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa. She also completed three and a half years of doctoral work in Educational Psychology with emphases in Technology and Education and History/Foundations of Education at the University of Iowa. She loved teaching English and coaching many sports at the high school level before returning to school full time. Jocelyn lives in Chatfield, MN, with her husband, Justin, and their four children—Asher, Malachi, Ephraim, and Miriam.

In her free time, Mrs. Benson enjoys spending time with her family, reading, watching sports (especially college football), and spending time outside. 

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Social media was created to connect us, to make communication easier. But one quick glance at X, Instagram, or Tik Tok, and we see how easily social media divides us. What are some best practices for engaging in life-affirming ways on social media? How can you be a Gospel-motivated voice for life? How can you be a witness of God’s grace and goodness as you interact with others? Join us as we talk with Rev. Trevor Sutton, an expert author on the intersection between social media and Christianity, to discover some of the best ways you can uphold life in public and on-line forums.

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Rev. A. Trevor Sutton is Senior Pastor at St. Luke Lutheran Church, a multi-campus congregation with locations in downtown Lansing and Meridian Township, Michigan. Sutton began his path toward ministry with a soccer scholarship to play at CUAA. At CUAA, Sutton earned an English degree (2008), served as captain of the soccer team, and was a proud resident of Hannah dorm. Sutton went on to earn an M.Div. degree from Concordia Seminary (2012), an MA degree (Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing, 2017) from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. (Doctrinal Theology, 2023) from Concordia Seminary.  

Rev. Sutton has written several books including Redeeming Technology (co-authored with Dr. Brian Smith, MD, 2021), Clearly Christian (2018), Authentic Christianity: How Lutheran Theology Speaks to a Postmodern World (co-authored with Dr. Gene Veith, 2017), and Being Lutheran (2016). Sutton’s writing has appeared in Houghton-Mifflin’s Best American Essays Anthology, the Washington Post, Relief Journal, Christian Century, Concordia Journal, Religion and Liberty - The Acton Institute, Faith and Leadership - Duke Divinity, and Religion New Service.  

In addition to serving as pastor and writer, Sutton also occasionally teaches courses at Concordia University – Ann Arbor, Concordia Seminary, and Lutheran Theological Seminary in Twshwane (Pretoria, South Africa) and is a frequent speaker at conferences.  

Rev. Sutton is married to Elizabeth Sutton and they have two daughters, Grace and Hannah. The Sutton family enjoys fly-fishing, hiking, literature, and dance parties in their living room. You can connect with Rev. Sutton through his website, www.atrevorsutton.com.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Recorded live at the 2024 Y4Life in Washington, D.C. conference. The panel discussion titled “Just As…I Am as Male or Female” featured panelists Katy Faust, Rev. Brian Barlow, Rev. Jonathan Petzold, and Christa Petzold. The four address questions and discuss the life issue of identity, focusing on gender and sexuality, from a biblical perspective.

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Katy Faust is Founder and President of Them Before Us, a global movement defending children's right to their mother and father. She publishes, speaks and testifies widely on why marriage and family are matters of justice for children. Her articles have appeared in Newsweek, USA Today, The Federalist, Public Discourse, WORLD Magazine, The Daily Signal, the Washington, Examiner, the American Mind, and the American Conservative. She is on the advisory board for the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship. Katy helped design the teen edition of CanaVox which studies sex, marriage, and relationships from a natural law perspective. She detailed her philosophy of worldview transmission in her book, Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City. She and her pastor husband are raising their four children in Seattle.

With over 20 plus years ministering to the sexually and relationally broken, Rev. Brian Barlow addresses the necessity of keeping a clear gospel when walking along side individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who desire freedom in Christ. His personal journey out of a disfigured life is a testimony to Ephesians 3:20. God in His mercy continues to do more than Brian and the world could imagine. He married his bride Nichole in 2012 and together they are raising their four sons ages 10, 8, 4, and 1. In addition to pastoring, Rev. Barlow serves with many local and national ministries, including Lutherans For Life, Y4Life, and LINC-LA. Pastor Barlow is invited often to share his story and give hope to both large and small venues across the U.S.

Rev. Jonathan Petzold holds an MDiv from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He serves as the sole pastor at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Antioch, Illinois. Christa Petzold holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics and Lutheran secondary education from Concordia University Wisconsin, an MA in theology from Concordia University Irvine, and is currently pursuing a PhD in church history through Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. She works as a stay-at-home mother, homeschooling their four children. Jonathan and Christa have been married since 2010 and enjoy learning and teaching God's Word together. They also love coffee, Star Wars, traveling, and quiet evenings at home.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

The sinner divides his neighbors into groups and factions and classes that keep "those" people over there and "these" people over here. While the sinner can and does divide people based on many things, one of the most egregious ways in which it is done is based upon what society would call "race." But to know someone only by their race is to no longer see him or her as an individual but as a caricature; and our Lord would not have this of us because our Lord knows nothing of race except the human race, of which He has made Himself one in nature. Join Y4Life Director Michelle and Rev. Eli Lietzau as they have a conversation about the evils of racism, hatred, bigotry, and the ways in which Christ has overcome this by His human nature and delivers the victory through His Body, the Church.

Check out the resources mentioned by Michelle and Pastor Lietzau:
Y4Life Lesson Plan 4 Life: Racism Part 1 (Part 2 coming soon!)
The Graff Theses on Marriage - Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller & Rev. Warren Graff (specifically interracial marriage)

Support the show

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Young adults are identifying as "spiritual" rather than "religious." Why is that? Have new age influences started to creep into Christianity? How important is it to be together as the Body of Christ? Y4Life Director Michelle and Y4Life Media Resource Assistant Diana chat this week about new age idols and how we as Gospel-motivated voices 4 Life should respond.

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Humans are part of creation. God created not just our atoms but also our reason and all our senses. We use these senses to perceive the Word and Sacraments and also to understand the created world. But can our senses be trusted? Can we use science to understand God and His creation? What are the commonalities between God, humans, and the rest of creation? How can an infinite God communicate with us as finite beings? Learn how to use your reason and senses as Godly Gifts, serving our neighbors and being stewards of creation with Dr. Michael Young.

Follow along with Dr. Young's slides here.

LCMS CTCR Report "Together With All Creatures"

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Dr. Michael Young is a faculty member at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon, Wisconsin.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Where do intrusive thoughts come from? Are intrusive thoughts connected to life issues? How should we as 4 life Christians go about navigating intrusive thoughts? Join Y4Life Director Michelle and Y4Life Media Resource Assistant Diana this week as they chat about intrusive thoughts and how to respond as Gospel-motivated voices 4 life.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

The world will tell you that there is no order or purpose in life and that your life has no real meaning. This is simply not true. God created the world with order and design, and every part of creation serves a purpose. You also were created for a purpose, and your life has real meaning and an eternal goal. Rev. Thompson guides us through Psalm 104 in this episode, discussing the revealed purpose of God in creation and what it means for us as Gospel-motivated voices 4 Life.

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Pastor Matt Thompson was born and raised in Romeo, Michigan and has earned degrees at Hope College, Holland, Michigan; Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia; and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. Pastor Thompson served for seven years as the Associate Pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Park Rapids, Minnesota and for two years as a church planter for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in Bismarck, North Dakota, founding Holy Cross Lutheran Church in 2010. Pastor Thompson now serves the Dual Parish of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Bismarck, North Dakota, and St. John’s Lutheran Church, McClusky, North Dakota.

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Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Youth4Life Podcast Favorite - Surrogacy with Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer

Guest Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer returns to talk about where surrogacy came from, the different ways surrogacy is used in our culture, and the practical and ethical issues with this practice. 

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Reverend Doctor Scott Stiegemeyer teaches theology and ethics at Concordia University, Irvine, California. Scott is originally from Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan (B.A.); Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (M.Div.); Trinity International University, Deerfield, Illinois (M.A.); and Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois (D.Bioethics). Prior to coming to Concordia University, he served as a pastor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Director of Admission at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, and as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Elmhurst, Illinois. In addition to teaching at Concordia, Scott serves the students at his university in a variety of capacities, writes, and speaks regularly across the Church.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Youth4Life Podcast Favorite - Beginning of Life Bioethical Issues with Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer

Talking about in-vitro fertilization and other assistive reproductive technologies can be confusing. In this episode, Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer, Associate Professor of Theology and Bioethics at Concordia Irvine, breaks down some of the big ethical concerns in the conversation about IVF, egg donation, etc. and explains why for-life Christians should care.

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Reverend Doctor Scott Stiegemeyer teaches theology and ethics at Concordia University, Irvine, California. Scott is originally from Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan (B.A.); Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (M.Div.); Trinity International University, Deerfield, Illinois (M.A.); and Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois (D.Bioethics). Prior to coming to Concordia University, he served as a pastor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Director of Admission at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, and as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Elmhurst, Illinois. In addition to teaching at Concordia, Scott serves the students at his university in a variety of capacities, writes, and speaks regularly across the Church.

Support the show

Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Youth4Life Podcast Favorite - Godly Womanhood with Deac. Rose Adle

Deaconess Rose Adle is on the podcast this week to teach us about what godly womanhood looks like. She starts in Genesis with Eve, who she was created to be, and how the fall into sin altered her relationship with Adam and with God. She also talks to us about how first and foremost, a woman finds her identity as a daughter of God, and that doesn’t change even if her roles in life do. Rose wraps up by talking about how women can support each other as sisters in Christ and as friends. Whether you are a woman or you know a woman, this is an episode that is important for everyone to listen to and understand God’s role for women in the world.

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Deaconess Rose Adle began her deployed work as an online instructor for Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW), Fort Wayne, in 2010. She serves as assistant director of Deaconess Studies, working primarily with the distance program. She graduated from Valparaiso University, Valparaiso in 2003 with a BA in Spanish. She earned an MA (2006) in Deaconess Studies and Systematic Theology from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. She and her husband, Rev. Scott Adle of Zion Lutheran in Imperial, NE, have six children.

Find the booklet Deaconess Adle wrote for Lutherans For Life here.

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Discover your Gospel-motivated voice 4 Life at Y4Life.org.

Youth4Life Podcast Favorite - Biblical Manhood with Rev. Jeff Hemmer

Pastor Jeff Hemmer, author of the book Man Up!, joins us on the podcast this week to teach us about Biblical manhood. He presents his definition of masculinity, then takes us to Scripture to dive into what it says about masculinity and manhood.

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Jeffrey Hemmer is the husband of (in his opinion) the most wonderful woman in the world, the father to the five most delightful children he's ever met, the pastor of Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, Illinois, a wannabe farmer, maker of some things, fixer of some other things, grower of beards, and general curmudgeon. His big truck is probably a sign of his insecurity.

You can find Pastor Hemmer's book Man Up! at Concordia Publishing House.

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Youth4Life Podcast Favorite - Addressing Gender Brokenness with Rev. Brian Barlow

Pastor Brian Barlow (vicar at the time of recording) discusses gender identity, homosexuality, and what role the Gospel has in addressing the brokenness of sexual confusion. He shares his testimony with us and gives us the hope that can be found in the Gospel.

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Rev. Brian Barlow offers a clear voice of hope and perspective to pastoral care having been called out of a life disordered by homosexuality. With over 20 plus years ministering to the sexually and relationally broken, Rev. Barlow addresses the necessity of keeping a clear Gospel when walking alongside individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who desire freedom in Christ. He and his wife have four boys ages 11, 9, 5 and 8 months. Brian is the Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Banning, CA. In addition to pastoring, Rev. Barlow serves with many local and national ministries including Lutherans For Life, Y4Life, and LINC-LA.

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It’s time for an update! Where do states stand on the abortion issue? Which laws are being challenged and which challenges have been overturned? And have there been any other major victories since the Dobbs case? And our questions don’t end there! What about medication abortion? What is the current status of this pill? What is the argument for its restriction, and will those restrictions be upheld? We have lots of questions, and our guest speaker Carol Tobias has the answers!

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Carol Tobias is the President of National Right to Life Committee (NRLC). A native of North Dakota, Carol Tobias has served on the NRLC board of directors since 1987. From 1983 to 1991, she was executive director of North Dakota Right to Life, and in 1991 was hired as National Right to Life’s political director, a position she held until 2005.

During her tenure as political director, pro-life majorities were elected to both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. In 2000 and 2004, she oversaw the efforts of National Right to Life’s political action committee on behalf of George W. Bush.

In 2014, she testified before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary in opposition to the so-called “Women’s Health Protection Act.”

Tobias has been seen on most major national news networks and several internationally. She is regularly quoted by various news outlets around the nation and across the world.

Learn more about National Right to Life and how you can be a voice for life at nrlc.org.

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Life issues have a tendency to become controversial topics. Take, for example, the issues of abortion, co-habitation, promiscuity, pornography, and gender ideology - they’re probably not the first topics you’d broach at the lunch table. It’s easy to remain silent. If we do, there’s no accusation of hypocrisy or self-righteousness, no one implying we should mind our own business. And don’t we all struggle with sin anyway? Yet, no matter how easy it might be to remain silent, we know Christians are called to be light and salt in the world. Even more, the Gospel reminds us that God has showered us with such an abundance of love that it overflows onto others. We get to be Gospel-motivated voices for life! Join us as we talk with Dr. Gene Veith and explore whether or not a Christian is called to a confession, especially in the realm of life issues, and, if so, how he or she should carry out that calling.

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Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Jr., is a writer and a retired literature professor.  He is Provost Emeritus at Patrick Henry College and the Director of the Cranach Institute at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  He previously served as Culture Editor of WORLD MAGAZINE and Professor of English and Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Concordia University Wisconsin. He is the author of 28 books, including Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture, The Spirituality of the Cross: The Way of the First Evangelicals, Classical Education, and God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life.

Dr. Veith graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1973 and received a Ph.D. in English from the University of Kansas in 1979.  He has honorary doctorates from Concordia Theological Seminary (2005), Concordia University California (2014), and Patrick Henry College (2016).  He has taught at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and was a Visiting Professor at Wheaton College, Gordon College, and Regent College (Vancouver).  He was also a Visiting Lecturer at the Estonian Institute of Humanities in Tallinn, Estonia. He and his wife Jackquelyn have three grown children and twelve grandchildren.  They live in Blackwell, Oklahoma.

Read Dr. Vieth's article from Tabletalk magazine here.

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Table Talks 4 Life are BACK! This week the Y4Life Team is joined by Lizzie Gatchell from CUC4Life to talk about what's been in the news recently. From the 'Dignitas Infinita' recently released by the Vatican to a 28 year old woman opting to end her life through euthanasia to what actor Aaron Taylor Johnson has to say about fatherhood, we'll discuss a wide variety of life issues from a Gospel-motivated perspective. Join us as we talk about what's on the table!

Michelle's news stories:
Vatican's 'Dignitas Infinita' Draws 'Clear Line' on Gender Theory, Receives Widespread Praise
Declaration of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith “Dignitas Infinita” on Human Dignity, 08.04.2024

Lizzie's news story:
Woman, 28, Opts for Euthanasia Rather Than Living with Mental Illness: 'I'm a Little Afraid of Dying'

Cori's news story:
Hollywood Actor's Fatherhood Reflection: 'It's Your Duty to Be Their Role Model'

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What’s all the fuss with Alabama? Perhaps you’ve heard about a court decision in Alabama that’s just a little bit (okay, more than a little bit) controversial. Perhaps you’ve heard  that the court’s decision declares embryos created through IVF are human beings. And perhaps you’re wondering, What exactly does that mean? Join us as we talk with Pastor Michael Salemink, Executive Director of Lutherans For Life, about the topic of IVF and what the Alabama court decision really means.

Pastor Salemink has served Lutherans For Life since 2015. His prior parish experience includes a decade at a large congregation with a vibrant day school and lots of catechism classes, chapel services, and Bible studies. A father of three boys, fan of sports and music, and avid runner, he writes regularly and speaks nationwide - including youth gatherings and teachers' conferences - equipping Lutherans and their neighbors to be Gospel-motivated voices For Life. Learn more about Lutherans For Life at lutheransforlife.org.

Find the resources referenced by Pastor Salemink below:
A Snowflake Named Hannah
Them Before Us

Check out our Y4Life resources about IVF below:
In Vitro Fertilization: The Basics
A 4Life View of IVF 

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Homelessness. Visit any major city (and most smaller ones!) and you’ll find people struggling with housing insecurity. Perhaps it looks like a high school student floating from one couch to the next. Or maybe you see evidence of homelessness under an overpass or on a park bench. In some places, homelessness has become so prevalent that entire communities exist. How do we support those who are experiencing housing insecurity? Pastor Tyler Crokright joins us on the podcast this week to tell us how we can serve and support the homeless populations around us.

Rev. Tyler Cronkright lives in Mt. Clemens, Michigan with his wife Brandi and serves as the Associate Pastor of both Family of God Lutheran Church and St. Stephen Lutheran Church in southwest Detroit, Michigan. As a complement to teaching, preaching, and writing, he also co-hosts the Suffering Servants podcast. In his down time he loves cycling, reading and learning, traveling up north, and cheering for the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, and Michigan Wolverines.

Learn more about Family of God's ministry at fogdetroit.com.

Listen to the Suffering Servants Podcast, hosted by Rev. Tyler Cronkright and Rev. James Hill.

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"Our suffering reminds us that Jesus has suffered in our place." -Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller

The Gospel is dangerous to those who would rather reside in the dark, but Christians are called to be carriers of the light, and to carry that light even unto death. Countless confessors of the faith throughout history have suffered for this confession. And their suffering, their martyrdom, affirms life. This week we’re going to study the life-affirming confessions of martyrs. Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller joins us on the Youth4Life podcast to share with us the stories of the martyrs for the faith. Join us to be affirmed and strengthened for life by the martyrs who have gone before us and now surround the throne of heaven.

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller is pastor of St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX. He is the author of Take They Our Life: Martin Luther’s Theology of Martyrdom (2019), A Martyr’s Faith for a Faithless World (CPH, 2019), Has American Christianity Failed? (CPH, 2016) and Final Victory: Contemplating the Death and Funeral of a Christian (CPH, 2010). He is host of What-Not, The Podcast, posts videos on YouTube at wolfmueller1, and has a number of other theological projects that all end up on his blog, www.wolfmueller.co. Bryan is a member of the Doxology Collegium. He and his wife Keri live with their children in Round Rock, TX.

Find Pastor Wolfmueller's work at his website, wolfmueller.co.

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Being for life can be risky, and that risk sometimes comes with very real consequences. Just ask Melanie Standiford, a for-life Christian who lost her job because of her for-life views. Was it worth it?

Join us this week to hear Melanie’s story and find out how you can prepare for and stand with hope in the face of persecution. Be reminded of why you are called to be a Gospel-motivated voice for life!

Melanie's Bio:
Melanie Standiford is a life long Nebraska girl, born on an Army base in Texas after her dad was in Vietnam. At one month old Melanie and her parents went to their home in Nebraska where the family grew with two more daughters. Melanie has nine biological children and four bonus children from a second marriage. She homeschooled for years and was a freelance journalist and professional portrait photographer before deciding to encourage her children by finishing her associate degree at age 30.
It became a bit of a challenge between her and her children to keep going in her own studies, particularly with her son Lukas. She would get her bachelor degree before he graduated high school, her master degree before he graduated college and so on. She got a Bachelor of Science in Leadership in 2017, and a Master of Science in International Security and Intelligence in 2019. She is now a PhD student in Forensic Psychology. A fun side note, Lukas graduated with his Bachelor degree in Criminal Justice in 2022 and is now a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army stationed in Georgia USA. She has stories similar about all her children too numerous to share.
In 2017 Melanie started a job with KNOP-TV, a GRAY Media station in Nebraska as a multimedia journalist. In 2017, Melanie lost her mom to cancer. In December 2019, she lost her oldest daughter, 25-year-old Brooklynne and her unborn baby (she was 8 months pregnant). COVID hit right after that and by May 2020 Melanie was the News Director of the television station in North Platte. She continued to edit, produce, report, plus take on all the sole responsibilities of managing the station.
With over 700 published stories, approximately 30 of those written over the years by Melanie were about the abortion topic, each of which were acceptable to be published and considered non biased. In fact, local prolife groups thought she was pro choice because she was careful to quote both sides.
In September 2022 a Nebraska news outlet included her activities from her small Nebraska town (as a private citizen not as a journalist) in their coverage of towns looking to possibly become “Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn.” When the article made its way across her employer’s desk Melanie was fired for “practicing partisan politics.” A week after being fired, each of the stories Melanie wrote on the topic of abortion in any manner was removed from the Gray Media websites.
Melanie now manages her own media platform called, Midwest Media by Melanie, covering a plethora of Nebraska issues and topics and when faced with the topic of abortion she is unapologetically pro life. She believes 100% and without exception that life begins at conception and is precious through natural death.
Melanie lives in Curtis, Nebraska with her husband Shawn and four youngest children still at home, Louie, Giavanna, Kael, and Houston. She also has six living grandchildren.

Follow Melanie on Facebook at Midwest Media by Melanie.

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This week, Aimee Cima joins us all the way from Cambodia! She and her family have been serving in southeast Asia for more than 15 years where they are actively involved in upholding the lives of those they serve.  Aimee will show us what life and mercy work looks like in Cambodia and Asia as a whole.

J.P. and Aimee, along with their children (Celeste, 16; Bella, 13; and Isaac, 6), have served in southeast Asia for more than 15 years, currently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. J.P. serves the Cambodia Lutheran Church (CLC), a growing collection of Lutheran congregations. J.P. travels throughout Cambodia to equip and empower the leaders of the CLC with informal mentorship and formal theological education, that they might boldly announce and demonstrate the Gospel to the people of Cambodia.

Aimee serves as the Mercy Manager for the Asia region. She supports the other personnel serving in this region and works with local church partners to coordinate mercy work. The rest of J.P. and Aimee’s time is spent learning Khmer language and whizzing around on motorbikes with their children.

J.P. was born and raised in Richmond, Va., and received his undergraduate degree in theology from Lenoir-Rhyne College in North Carolina. He received his Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, where he is now enrolled as a Doctor of Philosophy student. Aimee (Crawford) was born in Tulsa, Okla., and raised in Richmond, VA. She has both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in dietetics from James Madison University in Virginia.

Learn more about how you can support the Cima family in Cambodia at LCMS.org/Cima.

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India is a land of more than a 1.5 billion people and 333 million gods. Its people speak 1,652 different languages and endure caste discrimination. The vast majority of Indians are Hindu or Muslim; only 2% of the population is Christian.
 
Yet Christians make a visible impact on society through their approach to life issues – an approach that depicts the Gospel truth that every life is valuable because every human was made and redeemed by God.

Interested in finding out how this takes place? Join us to learn how one pastor, Rev. Benerjee Duggi, cares for both body and soul as he upholds life.

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The transition from high school to college or from college to career, is an exciting one. Yet, it can also cause uncertainty, especially when those transitions change relationships within our families. Society would suggest that transitioning into adulthood precludes and even exempts us from responsibility to family. Is that really true? What role does family play in our lives as we become more independent? And are there any lessons we can learn as we contemplate starting a family of our own? We are joined by Josh Pauling this week to answer these questions and more!

Josh Pauling is a contributing editor at Salvo Magazine, a columnist at Modern Reformation Magazine, and a frequent guest on Issues, Etc. Mr. Pauling previously taught history in a public school setting prior to becoming a Classical Lutheran Educator. Josh also runs his own business making custom furniture and restoring vintage machinery. He and his family attend All Saints Lutheran Church where he serves as head elder.

Amusing  Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman

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How can having a large family be a blessing? How do children help to create strong marriages? How do parents mold and shape children in a large family? Rev. Adrian Sherrill and his wife Linda join us this week to help answer these questions and more.

Rev. Adrian Sherrill is senior pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Denver, Colorado. He and his wife Linda have been married for 25 years, and together they have thirteen living children, ages 4 to 23.

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Have you wondered what it might be like to be a birth doula? Do you have questions about midwives versus OBGYNs? What does it look like to be in a vocation that upholds life at birth? We'll explore all of these questions and more in this special edition of the Youth4Life Podcast! April Ann Wofford, a birth doula, joins us at the table this week to talk all things midwives, doulas, and more.

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Chad Bird joins us on the podcast this week to talk about when families face loss. He tells us about his son Luke, who died unexpectedly as a young adult, and the changes it brought about for his family. Chad will tell us about the ways that he finds strength in the midst of grief and how we can comfort and support those who are experiencing the loss of a family member.

Chad Bird is a Scholar in Residence at 1517. He has served as a pastor, professor, and guest lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew. He holds master’s degrees from Concordia Theological Seminary and Hebrew Union College. He has contributed articles to Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Modern Reformation, The Federalist, Lutheran Forum, and other journals and websites. He is also the author of several books, including The Christ Key & Limping with God. Learn more about 1517.

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This week, we head back to the table to discuss stories in the news, except this time, we're joined by two of our Y4Life college leaders! Emma and Anna join us this week as we discuss abortion laws, IVF, and the modern U.S. family.

Emma is a student at Concordia University Nebraska and is active with the Bulldogs 4 Life Y4Life chapter on campus.

Anna is a student at Concordia University Wisconsin and is active with the Students For Life group on campus.

Emma's news story: Right to Life sues to block Michigan abortion rights law

Anna's news story: First IVF baby born in the UK with DNA from three parents in major trial to avoid defective genes

Cori's news story: Almost 90 % of Americans think families should have multiple children, but it's increasingly expensive to raise a child

Michelle's news story: Beautifully moving song about brother with Down syndrome

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What does a family look like at its beginning? What does a couple do to prepare for the gift of a newborn? What are the gifts and joys a new baby brings? What are the difficult realities?  Emilyann Wert, deaconess and teacher in Grand Rapids, Michigan, joins us to help answer these questions.

Emilyann Wert teaches 1st and 2nd grade at Our Savior Lutheran School and also serves as Deaconess at Our Savior Lutheran Church. She graduated with her BA in Liberal Arts and Culture from New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho and graduated in May of 2021 from Concordia Theological Seminary with her MA in Deaconess Studies. Emilyann is passionate about instilling a love of learning into her students, and introducing them to the wonderful world of great books. She lives in Grand Rapids with her husband, Jake, and daughter, Ella. She enjoys reading (everything), exploring farmers markets and thrift stores, and the Pacific Ocean when she can get there. She is thankful for the opportunity to teach the students God has entrusted to her care, and excited to learn and grow alongside them in the knowledge and love of their Creator! (Emilyann's bio is from the Our Savior Lutheran School website.)

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We often think about the right that all children have- the right to life. But what about a child's right to his or her biological parents- both mother and father? Katy Faust, author of Them Before Us, joins us this week to discuss the life issues that surround children, marriage, and families.

Katy Faust is the Founder and President of Them Before Us, a global movement defending children’s right to their mother and father. She publishes, speaks, and testifies widely on why marriage and family are matters of justice for children. Her articles have appeared in Newsweek, USA Today, The Federalist, Public Discourse, WORLD Magazine, The Daily Signal, the Washington Examiner, the American Mind, and the American Conservative. She is on the advisory board for the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship. Katy helped design the teen edition of CanaVox which studies sex, marriage and relationships from a natural law perspective. She detailed her philosophy of worldview transmission in her book, Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City. She and her pastor husband are raising their four children in Seattle.

Find Katy's book Them Before Us: Why We Need a Global Children's Rights Movement here.

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Have you ever been involved with your local pregnancy resource center? Would you like to be involved with your local center? Join us as we talk with Katie Willman, pregnancy resource center director in Indianapolis. She'll teach us about the gift of pregnancy resource centers and how they serve moms, dads, and babies, especially in our Post-Roe world. ⁠

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Have you ever thought about participating in foster care? Rev. Robert Franck, pastor at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Duluth, Minnesota, joins us to teach about the importance of foster care in our society today. He gives us a variety of ways that we can serve foster children, whether it is becoming a foster parent, supporting foster parents and children in your communities, or praying for foster families. 

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Pastor Dennis Di Mauro joins the podcast to teach us about how life has been viewed by the church for the past 2000 years. He will use his book “A Love for Life: Christianity’s Consistent Protection of the Unborn” to guide us through the timeline of how society has viewed abortion and how the church fathers responded.

Find Pastor Di Mauro's book here.

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How can we prepare for dating and marriage in a society that doesn’t prioritize either? Pastor Jonathan and Christa Petzold, co-authors of “Male & Female: Embracing Your Role in God’s Design” join the Y4Life Team this week to help answer that question. The group will discuss the societal views of men and women, sex, and love, then contrast that with what God has to say about those things. The group will also give tips for how young men and women can prepare to be life affirming spouses when the time comes.

Read the Petzold's book "Male & Female: Embracing Your Role in God's Design"

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What is sidewalk counseling and how can we as for-life Christians get involved? Rachelle Highley, Chief of Staff with Coalition Life, and Pam Nielsen, Director of Community Engagement with Coalition Life, join the Y4Life Team this week to answer that question. Rachelle and Pam will help us navigate sidewalk counseling, how to engage with the women who are seeking abortions, and how we can support sidewalk counselors. They will also give guidance as to how you can get training to become a counselor yourself!

Learn more about Coalition Life and training to be a sidewalk counselor.

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Pastor Sean Kilgo, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church, joins the Y4Life Team to answer the question, “What’s so great about my body?”. The group will discuss how society views the body versus how God views the body, as well as address the issue of Gnosticism when it comes to our bodies.

Find "Wonderfully Made: A Protestant Theology of the Body" here.

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This week, the Y4Life Team dives back into the news this week and takes a look at two more news stories. The ladies will discuss the newly FDA approved Opill, the over-the-counter birth control pill, and the social media trend of “lazy girl jobs.” 

Story #1: FDA Approves First U.S. Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

Story #2: Antiwork Trends Like 'Lazy Girl Jobs' Show How Young People Are Rallying Against Burnout Culture

Birth Control Resources: AAPLOG Website

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Is sex and gender just a construct? Pastor Michael Salemink, Executive Director of Lutherans For Life, and Pastor Brian Barlow, pastor at Resurrection Lutheran Church, join the table to work to answer that question this week. They will help the Y4Life Team uncover the truths behind sex and gender and how we as life-affirming Christians should share that truth with those in our lives.

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This week the Y4Life team takes a break from the tough topics to talk about their life-affirming favorites. From books and movies to activities, the ladies of Y4Life will cover it all. Check out our Instagram page to see the full list of each person’s favorites mentioned in the podcast!

Check out the Y4Life Swag Store!

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Pastor Hans Fiene, pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Crestwood, MO, creator of Lutheran Satire, and up-and-coming stand-up comedian, joins us on the podcast this week to discuss what it looks like to be in a family. The group will talk about when the gift of family was established and how God’s design for families is the best design. The group will also discuss the trend of pet “parents,” how families are uniquely life-affirming, what it means to be in a family, and the importance of foster and adoptive parents in the lives of children who need them most.

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This week, the Y4Life Team takes another look at what’s in the news. The ladies will discuss mental health, the new movie “The Sound of Freedom,” and Demi Lovato’s new song “Swine.” The second half of this episode may not be suitable for young listeners.

The Teen Mental Health Crisis Also Afflicts Parents

Demi Lovato Drops New Song 'Swine' Inspired by 1-Year Anniversary of 'Roe v. Wade' Reversal

Anxiety and the Sacraments

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Pastor Harrison Goodman, Content Executive for Higher Things joins us at the table this week to talk about how for-life Christians should engage the culture. He and the Y4Life team will talk about what culture is, how we interact with it, when we should stand outside of culture, and how to wade through the gray areas that culture presents. 

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The Y4Life Team is joined this week by Lutherans For Life CFO/COO Pastor Scott Licht to talk about Y4Life as a whole. The group will discuss the history of Y4Life, the resources that Y4Life offers, the updates to Y4Life in the past year, and the favorite resource of each Y4Life team member.

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It’s been a year since the Dobbs case was decided in the Supreme Court and Roe v. Wade was overturned. So what now? Michelle and Cori are joined this week by Virginia Flo, Director of Volunteer Relations for Lutherans For Life, and Chrissie Gillet, Word of Hope Director, to discuss how we can continue to advocate for life in a Post-Roe world.

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This week, the Y4Life Team takes a look at the news and brings four stories they thought were interesting to the table. From Safe Haven Baby Boxes to decades old criminals, the team will discuss each story from a Gospel-motivated perspective.

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What does it mean to have a Gospel-motivated voice? What do we need to consider when thinking about life issues? The Y4Life Team is joined by Lutherans For Life Executive Director Pastor Michael Salemink this week to talk about what a Gospel-motivated voice is.

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In the first episode of the Youth4Life Summer Podcast series, the Y4Life team will discuss what’s to come this summer on the show. The ladies will talk about their experiences with Y4Life, preparing to have conversations about life, and which episode each is most looking forward to.

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Pastor Harrison Goodman and Erica Jacoby from Higher Things talk with us this week about what trauma is, what can trigger that trauma in us, and how it ties into our faith. We learn about how to address trauma, either in our lives or the lives of our friends, what can trigger trauma responses, and finally how we can address our trauma responses with faith and Jesus’ work in our lives. They also remind us that trauma and its triggers are life issues and give us Gospel reminders to help address them. 

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Pastor Tim Eckert, pastor at Word of God Deaf Lutheran Church in Iowa District East, joins us on the podcast this week to talk about Christianity and politics. He gives us three points for addressing politics from a Christian perspective: stay more focused on God’s Word and less on politics, start thinking about issues in terms of what God says, not what the world says, and that your faith should influence your politics, but your politics shouldn’t impact your faith. His presentation will start by looking at the big picture of the relationship between church and state and then move into what individuals can do in their relationship with the government. 

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Michelle Bauman, director of Y4Life, gives us the tools we need to have conversations with those who may not share our life-affirming beliefs. She will help us to see how we can engage in conversations with others about life and how those conversations can be of benefit for us and for those we are interacting with.

You can find Michelle's presentation here. 

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Abigail Lorenzen, the Education Coordinator at Northeast Indiana Right to Life, joins us to teach us about Abortion Apologetics in a Post-Roe World. She gives us a brief embryology lesson, statistics behind abortion and how it connects to other health issues, and tips for having conversations with those who are pro-choice. You can find Abigail’s presentation here. 

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Pastor Michael Salemink, Executive Director of Lutherans for Life, talks to us this week about what we need to do as for-life Christians in a Post-Roe world. He explains to us the history of Roe v. Wade, the ramifications of the Dobbs decision, what the pro-choice side gets wrong when it comes to miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy, and several myths about the laws passed since the Dobbs decision. Pastor Salemink will also help answer the questions we have as Christians now that Roe has been overturned. 

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Pastor Jerry Lawson and Hayden Rensner join us this week to tell us about being missionaries in Russia and the Czech Republic. Pastor Lawson will tell us about what his roles are as a missionary in Russia and Latvia, as well as teach us about the history of the Lutheran Church in Russia. Hayden tells us about her roles as a missionary in the Czech Republic and how she interacts with other missionaries in Europe, along with how she became interested in being a missionary while still in college. 

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Pastor Jonathan Clausing, missionary in Tanzania, joins us on the podcast this week. He will talk to us about the work he does in Tanzania and the life issues that go along with his work. 

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Dr. Adam Francisco joins us this week to teach us about Islam- its history, its doctrine, and the people who follow the teachings of Muhammad. He gives us ways we can interact with our Muslim neighbors and how we can introduce them to Christianity and the Bible considering what they have been taught in the Quran. 

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Rev. Dr. Todd Peperkorn, professor at Concordia Theological Seminary, joins us this week to discuss suicide with us. He talks to us about how we can help those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts, depression, and other mental health issues.

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Pastor Jeff Hemmer, author of the book Man Up!, joins us on the podcast this week to teach us about Biblical manhood. He presents his definition of masculinity, then takes us to Scripture to dive into what it says about masculinity and manhood.

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Pastor Keith Haney, assistant to the president in missions, stewardship, and human care in the Iowa West District, is on the podcast this week to talk to us about the topic of Critical Race Theory. He will teach us how it impacts our lives, our vocations, and how we can respond as Christians. He also teaches how we can interact with those whose lives have been influenced by CRT. 

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Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller joins us on the podcast this week to talk about suffering. He will teach us what suffering is, how we can address it from a biblical perspective, and how to respond to those who may not share our life-affirming views. He also gives us the reassurance that our trials and sufferings are part of God’s plans for our lives and through them we learn and grow. 

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Dr. Eschelbach from Concordia University Irvine joins us this week to talk about worldviews, specifically how they shape our message and how we can speak to others who have different worldviews than we do. He introduces us to the “red pyramid worldview” that society takes on today, as well as the “green arc worldview” that God has set for us in His Word.

Find Dr. Eschelbach's presentation here.

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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:3-9 

Amy Skogerboe joins us this week to talk about depression. She will tell us about how she has had struggles with depression and how she found hope in those times. She reminds us that everyone experiences depression differently, and that your story shouldn’t be compared to someone else’s. She will also give us ways to find help and hope in our sufferings and the sufferings of those we know. Speak life, speak hope, don’t shy away. 

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Pastor David and Angela Breidenbach from Spiritual Orphans Network (SON) are on the podcast this week to talk about spiritual orphans. They will teach us what a spiritual orphan is, and how we can engage those who are spiritual orphans. They will also talk about the work that SON is doing and how high school and college students can get involved in the missions they do during the summer. 

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How can we best help women who have experienced abortion? What does a woman who has had an abortion look like? Erin Maggard joins us on the podcast this week to help us answer these questions, as well as talk about her journey through abortion recovery. She gives us guidance for how to address the abortion debate as people who are for life, and how we can support those who are struggling with abortion decisions. There is brief description of what happens during an abortion procedure, listener discretion is advised. 

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Deaconess Rose Adle is on the podcast this week to teach us about what godly womanhood looks like. She starts in Genesis with Eve, who she was created to be, and how the fall into sin altered her relationship with Adam and with God. She also talks to us about how first and foremost, a woman finds her identity as a daughter of God, and that doesn’t change even if her roles in life do. Rose wraps up by talking about how women can support each other as sisters in Christ and as friends. Whether you are a woman or you know a woman, this is an episode that is important for everyone to listen to and understand God’s role for women in the world.

Find the booklet Deaconess Adle wrote for Lutherans For Life here.

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Pastor Joel Shaltanis talks to us about God’s gift of sex, from the mandate to be fruitful and multiply to the ways that it’s been twisted to serve our sinful desires, both in the past and present. He’ll also talk to us about how God’s gift of sex can benefit our lives and the lives of others when practiced in the correct context, and will talk about some of the myths of sex and what the truth is. 

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Do you know who you are? Do you know whose you are? Pastor Harrison Goodman is on the podcast this week to talk to us about our image and where we find our identity. He also talks to us about how our identity needs to be rooted in a firm foundation in the midst of a world that is constantly shifting. 

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Pastor Sean Kilgo joins us this week to discuss the Armor of God and why it is so important to understand when it comes to being for life. He talks to us about what it means to be on the defensive and use the Armor of God to our advantage when it comes to addressing life issues, as well as teaching us more about the history behind some of the terms used in the Bible when it comes to standing firm for life. 

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Join us this week as we talk with Jocelyn Benson, the head teacher of Wittenberg Academy. She will teach us about what philosophy is, what the ancient philosophers taught about life, how it applies to what we learn from Scripture, and how it can apply to our lives today.  

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This week on the podcast, we are talking to Pastor Scott Licht, Director of Finance and Operations at Lutherans For Life about Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. He discusses what PAS is, the different types of euthanasia, where PAS and medically assisted death is legal, the distinction between extending life and prolonging death, and what some of the end of life concerns are. He also talks to us about what our Christian response is and how we can love those in our lives who are facing those end of life concerns. Access the slides for this presentation here.

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Jamielynn (Tinkey) Flores joins us on the Youth4Life Podcast this week to talk to us about her experience as a missionary in Latin America. Jamielynn’s role as regional life coordinator and background in nursing give her a unique view on being a missionary in this area, and help us to learn more about what life issues are important to the people who live in Latin America.

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We are joined this week by Rev. Dr. John Bombaro. He speaks to us about the life issue of humanitarianism and how it relates to being for life. He also gives us advice for how we can be voices for life in regards to the issue of humanitarianism, and how we should have discussions with others when it comes to humanitarian issues.

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This week, we talk with college students about how you can get involved with for life organizations on college campuses. They also give tips for how to establish for-life habits in college and how to engage in conversations with people who may not be life affirming.

To get involved with Y4Life Teams in college, check out our website: y4life.org/y4life-teams.

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Life after college will look different for everyone. Join Michelle, Pastor Jeff Duncan, and Hillary Haak this week as they discuss how you can continue to be for life for life. They'll talk to us about how we can be life-affirming in our every day vocations and how we can get involved in Life Teams beyond college.

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Inspirational speaker Heather Ruesch joins us to talk about what it means to be uniquely created, connecting with others, approaching our sexuality, living in our Baptism, and more.

Heather's book: "The Real 'Comprehensive' Behind Comprehensive Sex Ed"

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Deaconess Chrissie Gillett, director of Word of Hope, draws on her wealth of education and practice as a psychologist and deaconess to answer questions like: What specifically puts teens at risk for suicide? What are some warning signs of suicide? How can I practically help my friends who are mentally ill? What role does faith have in mental health struggles?

Suicide Awareness Among Youth Infographic

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Children with Down Syndrome (DS), the most common chromosomal disorder, are specifically targeted by abortion. In large part because of prenatal tests that screen for DS , many babies identified as having DS are aborted. In the U.S., the abortion rate for babies with DS is about 30% and across Europe, it is 54%. Some countries have nearly "eradicated" DS, like Iceland, where the termination rate for babies with DS is nearly 100%. Clearly, many people take equate this diagnosis with a life that is not worth living and can be dispensed with.

In this episode, Deaconess Pat Nuffer joins us to discuss the history of the treatment of people with developmental delays in the U.S. and how we can help support individuals with DS and their families. She also shares how her personal experience raising her son, Carl, who was diagnosed with DS at birth, taught her that Carl and all those with DS are truly indispensable. 
View accompanying slides here.

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Kari Smith of Lutheran Family Service joins us on the podcast to share how to build a healthy relationship with a view toward marriage. 
View accompanying slides here.

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In this episode, Rev. Brian Barlow (vicar at the time of recording) discusses gender identity, homosexuality, and what role the gospel has in addressing the brokenness of sexual confusion. 

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This week, we hear from Virginia Flo, Regional Director of Minnesota and National Conference Director at Lutherans for Life, about how to care for the elderly in our lives! We live in a fast-paced, function-focused culture that tends to treat older people as a burden on society. It's important for us as Christians to take time to recognize that problem and fight against it by learning how we can reach out to, support, and value elderly people in our communities. 
View accompanying slides here.

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Deaconess Kim Schave joins us on the podcast to talk about child abuse. As the former Chair of the LCMS Taskforce on Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, she comes to us with a wealth of expertise about the seen and unseen affects of abuse on children and how we can best care for children, families, and communities affected by child abuse.
View accompanying slides here.

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Sidewalk counseling: how do you do it? Who should you take with you? What do you say to the women you talk to? Should you hold signs, and if so, what should they say? Renee Gibbs, longtime leader of Concordia Seminary's Life Team in St. Louis and experienced sidewalk advocate, gives her advice on how to best reach and care for those we encounter on their way into abortion clinics.
See accompanying handout here. 

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Guest Rev. Dr. Scott Stiegemeyer returns to talk about where surrogacy came from, the different ways surrogacy is used in our culture, and the practical and ethical issues with this practice. Dr. Stiegemeyer is Associate Professor of Theology and Bioethics at Concordia Irvine.

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How does embryo adoption actually work? How much is it like traditional adoption? What does embryo adoption have to do with IVF? Is embryo adoption okay? Joining Michelle on the podcast today is Kim Laube, Director of Life Ministries at Lutheran Family Service of Iowa, to talk about the nuts, bolts, and ethics of this complicated topic! 

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How are we supposed to treat animals? What rights do animals have? Are humans and animals really any different?
The issue of animal treatment cannot be understood properly without going back to the very beginning to see how humans were created, how animals were created, and what roles God gave to Adam and Eve over the rest of creation.  Retired veterinarians Dr. Barbara Geistfeld (LFL Regional Director of Texas) and her husband Dr. James Geistfeld draw on their wealth of expertise to explain what the Genesis account of creation means for animal treatment today.
Access accompanying slides here.

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Capital punishment is complicated! We know God gives governments the authority to use the sword. We also know God cherishes life. And there are practical considerations, too. What about wrongful convictions? What about the taxpayer burden of funding life sentences in prison? What should we make of it all? In this episode, Rev. Dr. Charles Lamb, former executive director of Lutherans for Life, helps us make sense of what the Bible really says about capital punishment and what it means to see this issue through a gospel-motivated and life-affirming lens.
Access accompanying slides here.

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Talking about in-vitro fertilization and other assistive reproductive technologies can be confusing. In this episode, Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer, Associate Professor of Theology and Bioethics at Concordia Irvine, breaks down some of the big ethical concerns in the conversation about IVF, egg donation, etc. and explains why for-life Christians should care.

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Need inspiration for new team events? Listen to college and high school Y4Life team leaders  share what they've been up to with their groups. They'll even throw out some ideas they've been mulling over but have yet to try out for themselves! From suicide awareness to end of life care to human trafficking  to abortion, you are sure to find event ideas for a range of life issues! 

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November is National Adoption Awareness Month! Want to know more about the unique challenges and blessings of international adoption? On this episode, listen as Mark and Kristy Bridges talk about what it is like to adopt and raise children from other countries, and siblings Nikolai and Lydia Haak discuss their perspective on being adopted from Russia into an American family.  

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Should Christians be worried about bringing too many children into the world? Should we be concerned about the potential for overpopulation? Join Rev. Michael Salemink, Executive Director of Mission and Ministry at Lutherans For Life, as he discusses both the scientific realities concerning population growth and the Christian perspective on new life. 

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How did the world begin, and how does our belief about creation influence our views on LIFE? Join Director of Y4Life, Michelle Bauman, as she discusses just how intimately connected these two beliefs can be!
Access presentation slides here.

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Christians know that God designed the body as a gift, and sexual intimacy is a blessing given in marriage. However, whenever the gift of sexuality is misused, it causes great harm to individuals and families.  Join Dr. Grant Carey, professor at Concordia Texas, as he discusses how widespread pornography use is, how it devalues life, and where to find hope in the face of a pornography addiction. 
Access presentation slides here.

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No matter the size of the city, homelessness is reality. How we think about and interact with this population can either affirm lives or belittle them. Join Rev. Dr. Steven Schave, LCMS Director of Urban and Inner City Mission, as he shares practical, Gospel-motivated insight into caring for the homeless among us.

View the accompanying slides here.

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Human trafficking. Sex trafficking. Human slavery. It's all happening, and it's happening in a city near you. As Christians, we need to be aware of the reality of human trafficking - how it happens and what the warning signs are - so that we can protect our own lives as well as the lives of others.
Map of Human Trafficking Hot Zones 

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Adoption. It's a beautiful gift to both child and family, a gift that affirms and upholds life. But adoption isn't always easy. Join this edition of Chats 4 Life for an honest conversation about the gift of adoption and how God works, despite sin and suffering, to affirm life in all circumstances. 

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Marriage is a life-affirming gift, and God's design for marriage is a GREAT one! But with so much confusion about marriage in society, it's easy to wonder what  a healthy marriage actually looks like. What does the Bible say about marriage, and what exactly should I be looking for in a spouse? Check out this podcast to find out!

View the accompanying slides here.
Heritage Foundation Report on Positive Effects of Marriage
Heritage Foundation Report on Effects of Marriage on Child Poverty

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From the archives of Chats 4 Life, this episode was recorded as a response to the racial tensions America experienced in the summer of 2020. How can we uphold the lives of those with different ethnic backgrounds? How can we be 4 Life even during difficult times? Listen to this episode and find out!

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In this edition, LFL's Executive Director of Mission and Ministry, Rev. Michael Salemink, continues his discussion about same-sex attraction, focusing on how to love and uphold the lives of those struggling with their gender and sexuality.

View the slides used in this live video call.

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Tune in to this edition of Chats 4 Life with LFL's Executive Director of Mission and Ministry, Rev. Michael Salemink, as he addresses same-sex attraction from a scientific and theological viewpoint. 

View the slides used in this live video call.

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Hear from Mona Fuerstenau, chairwoman of the LCMS Disability Task Force and Director of Ministry Partnerships at Bethesda Lutheran Communities, about how Christians should respond to the needs of those with disabilities.

View accompanying slides here.
Debunking the Termination Rate Myth
Disability Information Handout

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Out of the Chats 4 Life archives from June 2020 comes discussion with host Michelle Bauman and guest speaker, Rev. Jeff Duncan, about how vaccines are developed and what that means for the Christian consumer.   

Aborted Fetal Material in Vaccines Handout
View accompanying slides here.

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Join host Michelle Bauman as she explores how a Christian looks at the blessing of marriage and family.  Within that context, how does a married Christian couple view contraception? How should they approach the concept of family planning? And how can they best serve their spouse, family, and neighbors through the Christian vocations found in family?
Recorded live at Chats 4 Life.
Birth Control Reference Guide
Biblical Foundation for Birth Control
LCMS Guidance on Contraceptive Methods

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Tune in to today’s edition of Youth4Life with Michelle Bauman and guest speaker, Deaconess Chrissie Gillet, Psy. D., to learn how to talk with someone who is considering, or has had, an abortion.

Word of Hope  Post-Abortion Syndrome Handout
Post-Abortion Guilt Handout

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Tune in to today’s edition of Youth4Life with Michelle Bauman to learn about what actually happens in medical (aka surgical) and chemical (aka medicinal) abortion procedures.

Fact Sheet: Types of Abortions
Fact Sheet: Abortion Demographics

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Tune in to today’s edition of Youth4Life with Michelle Bauman and guest speaker, Rev. Jeff Duncan, to learn about the history of abortion in America.

View the accompanying slideshow here. 

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