Podcast
Lead Time
Hosted by Unite Leadership Collective · EN
Lead Time is a podcast of the Unite Leadership Collective, hosted by Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg. The ULC envisions a future in which all congregations fully equip the priesthood of all believers through world-class leadership development at the local level. Lead Time taps into biblical wisdom for practical solutions to today's burning issues. Each podcast confronts real-time struggles facing the local church in a post-Christian culture. Step into the action with the ULC. This is Lead Time
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Episodes
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The Culture War Won’t Save Us: Faithful Ministry in Post-Christian America
2w ago01:00:18Tap to summarizeJoin Lead Time+ to continue the conversation: https://app.echometric.org/go/lead-time-plus-audioLearn more about Lead Time+: https://www.uniteleadership.org/support/leadtimeplusIn a hyper-political, post-Christian culture, what is the church actually called to do? Should Christians retreat from the world, fight to reclaim the culture through political power, or continually adapt the church’s message to fit whatever society currently values?Minnesota South District President Lucas Woodford joins Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg for a wide-ranging conversation about faithful ministry in a rapidly changing America. They explore the dangers of allowing the church to be co-opted by political parties, the difference between healthy contextualization and reshaping Christianity around a target market, and why modern secularism may be less atheistic than it is a return to ancient paganism.Lucas also explains why Christians are not called to evangelize a collapsing culture, but to bring the hope of Christ to the people living within it. The conversation examines Lutheran worship, cowboy and culturally specific churches, the work of the Holy Spirit, pastoral formation in the LCMS, institutional adaptation, and what it means to be “in the world and of the Word.”The culture may be changing—but the Word of God still works. Where the Word is sown, its culture is grown.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →LCMS Pastor Shortage Continues to Grow. What Has to Change?
3w ago00:56:38Tap to summarizeJoin Lead Time+ to continue the conversationLearn more about Lead Time+: https://www.uniteleadership.org/support/leadtimeplusThe LCMS needs more pastors—but can it expand the pastoral pipeline without sacrificing theological depth?Rev. Dr. Andrew Bartelt and Rev. Dr. James Voelz join Tim Ahlman to trace the history of DELTO and the Specific Ministry Pastor program, explain why SMP was never designed to be equivalent to a residential MDiv, and confront the growing tension between maintaining rigorous formation and reaching congregations and communities that lack pastoral leadership.The conversation moves beyond filling vacant pulpits to ask what the church’s entire ministry ecosystem could become. Could deacons and evangelists recover meaningful roles? Should SMP lead into broader certification or an online MDiv? How can residential education, contextual formation, and lifelong supervision complement one another rather than compete?The church must get the message right—and get the message out. This conversation explores what may need to change for the LCMS to do both.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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The Convention Pushes Back | Elections, Worship & Lutheran Identity
3w ago00:18:07Tap to summarizeJoin Lead Time+Learn more about Lead Time+One of the clearest moments of pushback at the LCMS Convention came when the body rejected a proposal that would have moved the Synod presidential election to the convention floor—choosing instead to preserve and strengthen the broader congregational voting process.Jack Kalleberg and Pastor Joe Beran explain why that vote mattered, what it revealed about authority and trust within the LCMS, and how President Harrison handled a result that went against the committee’s recommendation.They also enter the deeper debate underneath several convention decisions: Is Lutheran identity defined by Scripture and the Confessions alone, or is it also connected to a particular style of worship? What should worship look like at the Concordias? Is the LCMS prepared to reach people across America’s different cultures—or are we asking people to first conform to a culture we have labeled “Lutheran”?The episode concludes with the complicated relationship between the LCMS and the AALC, the limits of what delegates were able to know before voting, and a reminder that even through a messy convention process, Jesus remains Lord of His Church.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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Unity or Uniformity? What the 2026 LCMS Convention Is Revealing (Day 4)
3w ago00:19:50Tap to summarizeJoin Lead Time+Learn more about Lead Time+: https://www.uniteleadership.org/support/leadtimeplusRecorded on location at the 2026 LCMS Convention, Jack sits down with Joe Beran for an immediate and honest reflection on what the convention floor is revealing about the direction of the church body.Why do floor committee recommendations carry so much weight? What did the difficult Simple Seminary and Jeffrey Kloha exchange reveal about the way disagreement is handled? And is the LCMS pursuing healthy unity—or moving toward greater uniformity in ministry practice?Jack and Joe discuss pastoral formation, the growing weight of synodical bylaws and resolutions, the newly created worship committee, contextual ministry, proposed changes to the presidential election process, and the realization that entrepreneurial ministry voices may represent a passionate minority within the Synod.Can the LCMS remain deeply confessional while giving faithful leaders the freedom to reach different communities in different ways?Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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600+ Empty Pulpits—What Is the LCMS Plan? | Convention Day 2 and 3 Debrief
4w ago00:28:09Tap to summarizeJoin Lead Time+Learn more about Lead Time+: https://www.uniteleadership.org/support/leadtimeplusRecorded across two days at the LCMS Convention in Phoenix, this 2 part special Lead Time episode captures the conversation both before and after one of the convention’s most consequential debates.Tim Ahlman and Joe Beran discuss the reaffirmation of residential seminary as the LCMS’s primary and preferred pathway for pastoral formation, the convention’s response to unauthorized formation partnerships, and the urgent reality of hundreds of empty pulpits. Can the church maintain rigorous, confessional formation while continuing to explore faithful ways of meeting the leadership needs already confronting local congregations?The conversation also moves beyond resolutions and institutional policy. Tim and Joe address labels, caricatures, communion practice, LCMS history, the future of SMP, and the “narcissism of small differences” that can cause Christians who agree on nearly everything to treat one another as enemies.How can the LCMS disagree honestly, guard its confession, raise up more workers, and continue walking together in love?Share your perspective in the comments—and remember that faithful reform should never produce unhealthy zeal, contempt, or division inside the local church.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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Is $20M at Risk? The Last-Minute LCMS Concordia Debate
4w ago01:13:09Tap to summarizeJoin Lead Time+: https://www.skool.com/leadtimeplus/aboutLearn more about Lead Time+: https://www.uniteleadership.org/support/leadtimeplusJust days before the 2026 LCMS Convention, the debate over the future of the Concordia University System has reopened.Concordia University, Nebraska President Dr. Bernard Bull joins Tim Ahlman to explain why he believes the Synod should preserve the current CUS structure while completing deeper financial, legal and governance due diligence. They examine the proposed $600,000-$1.2 million in savings, Bull's concern that as much as $20 million in designated gifts could become more complicated, and the responsibility of overseeing more than $1 billion in university assets.Beyond the numbers, this conversation asks a much larger question: Will the LCMS pursue an expansive vision for Lutheran higher education, or narrow the Concordia system to only one or two institutions? What should delegates do with Resolutions 7-01 and 7-08? Share your perspective respectfully below.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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The Plan That Could Have Saved Concordia Ann Arbor
Jul 1400:50:12Tap to summarizeJoin Lead Time+: https://www.skool.com/leadtimeplus/aboutLearn more about Lead Time+: https://www.uniteleadership.org/support/leadtimeplusCould a Lutheran medical school have changed the future of Concordia University Ann Arbor—and strengthened the entire Concordia system?In this special 2026 LCMS Convention episode, Tim Ahlman sits down with Dr. Paul Fowler—physician, attorney, LCMS lay leader, and experienced medical-school developer—to hear the plan he believes could have created a Christ-centered College of Osteopathic Medicine, generated substantial long-term revenue, protected pre-seminary education, and expanded the LCMS's capacity for global mercy work.Dr. Fowler explains how medical schools helped rescue struggling Christian colleges in Kentucky and Mississippi, why he believes a fully enrolled program could generate roughly $64 million in annual gross tuition, and why he's concerned about Concordia's proposed partnership with the for-profit Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. This episode presents Dr. Fowler's perspective and concerns—Lead Time welcomes the leaders involved to continue the conversation and respond.Go deeper with Lead Time+, our private community for listeners who want to move beyond the headlines and engage directly with Tim, Jack, and other Lutheran leaders through private episodes, monthly live Zoom conversations, and a space for real discussion.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →LCMS Convention: Kingdom or Castle? What Every Lutheran Should Know
Jul 1000:49:52Tap to summarizeJoin the Lead Time Plus!The LCMS Convention is almost here—and the decisions being made are about more than resolutions, bylaws, and floor committees. They reveal a deeper question facing our church body:Are we building the Kingdom, or are we building the castle?In this special Lead Time episode, Tim Ahlman is joined by Rev. Rob Bailey and Pastor Joe Beran for a practical, honest, and hopeful conversation about the resolutions delegates will face at the 2026 LCMS Convention. They discuss church planting, pastoral formation, worship, open communion questions, the role of floor committees, convention procedure, and whether the Synod is becoming more centralized—or more mission-focused.Whether you are a voting delegate, a pastor, a lay leader, or simply a Lutheran who cares about the future of the LCMS, this conversation will help you think clearly, pray faithfully, and engage wisely.We are also officially launching Lead Time+ with this episode.If you believe conversations like this matter—and you want to help Lead Time keep creating candid, constructive, Christ-centered conversations for the future of the church—you can become a Lead Time+ supporter here: https://www.uniteleadership.org/support/leadtimeplusThank you for helping us encourage faithful leadership, healthy dialogue, and mission-focused renewal in the LCMS.Subscribe to Lead Time for more conversations on Lutheran leadership, mission, theology, church planting, pastoral formation, and the future of the church.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →Is the LCMS Too Strict? Closed Communion, Pastor Shortage & Confessional Courage
Jul 701:36:04Tap to summarizehttps://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrentJoin the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date.Is the LCMS too strict — or is it simply trying to be faithful?In this episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg sit down with Pastor Ben Hollingsead, a former LCMC pastor who colloquized into the LCMS, to talk about close communion, confessional Lutheran identity, pastoral formation, and the future of the church.This conversation gets honest about some of the biggest tensions in the LCMS today: declining membership, pastoral vacancies, alternative routes to ministry, SMP evolution, liturgy, hospitality, and what it really means to guard the altar with love.Can the LCMS raise up more pastors without lowering the bar? Can confessional Lutherans be deeply missional? Can churches practice close communion with both clarity and compassion?This is a charitable but direct conversation for anyone who cares about the future of faithful Word and Sacrament ministry.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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Should the LCMS Stop Selling Off Church Property?
Jul 300:35:09Tap to summarizehttps://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrentJoin the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date.Resolution 9.11 may sound like a technical bylaw issue — but it could have major implications for the future of mission, ministry, property, insurance, and institutional trust in the LCMS.In this special Lead Time episode, Tim Ahlman sits down with Bart Day, President and CEO of Lutheran Church Extension Fund; Kevin Herweck, President of Concordia Plan Services; and Rev. Dr. Mike Gibson, President of the Pacific Southwest District, to bring clarity to one of the most important resolutions heading into the 2026 Synod Convention.They discuss why Resolution 9.11 is being proposed, how it could help LCMS agencies respond more quickly to ministry opportunities, what it means for real estate development and closed church properties, why Concordia Plan Services needed more flexibility for insurance solutions, and whether this resolution impacts RSOs.If you are an LCMS delegate, pastor, church leader, or layperson who cares about the future of mission in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, this conversation is worth your time.This is not just about bylaws. It is about whether the church can steward its resources creatively, responsibly, and missionally for the sake of the Gospel.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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