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
37episodes
Episodes
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Is the LCMS Too Strict? Closed Communion, Pastor Shortage & Confessional Courage
4d ago01:36:04Tap 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)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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Should the LCMS Stop Selling Off Church Property?
1w ago00:35:09Tap 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)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →The CMPL Controversy in the LCMS | Dr. Jeff Kloha Responds
2w ago00:46:15Tap to summarizehttps://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrentJoin the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date.Dr. Jeff Kloha joins Tim Ahlman for a timely Lead Time conversation in the middle of a heated LCMS convention season.They discuss the Center for Missional Pastoral Leadership, the accusations and misunderstandings surrounding CMPL, Floor Committee 6, SMP costs and pastoral formation, social media division in the LCMS, worship debates, and what it means for the church to follow the Holy Spirit rather than fracture from within.This episode is not about stirring up division. It is about clarity, trust, mission, and asking whether the LCMS can speak honestly about hard things while still treating one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.If you care about the future of pastoral formation, local congregations, church planting, LCMS convention conversations, or the witness of the church in a divided season, this is an important conversation.Share this with a pastor, delegate, lay leader, or anyone trying to understand what is really being debated right now.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →CUWAA Leaders Respond | What Really Happened to Concordia Ann Arbor?
2w ago00:57:46Tap to summarizehttps://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrentJoin the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date.What really happened with Concordia Ann Arbor?In this special Lead Time conversation, Tim Ahlman sits down with Rev. Dr. Erik Ankerberg, President of Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor, and Rev. Dr. Aaron Moldenhauer, Vice President for Mission and Church Relations, to address the hard questions surrounding the future of Concordia Ann Arbor.They discuss what they believe has been misunderstood, the financial realities behind the decisions, the City on a Hill proposal, the sale of part of the Ann Arbor campus to the University of Michigan, why communication broke down, and what they wish had been done differently.This is a timely and important conversation for the LCMS as the church continues to wrestle with Concordia University System governance, Lutheran higher education, institutional trust, and the future of church worker formation.Please listen with charity, clarity, and a desire for truth in love.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →Did the LCMS Give Up on Concordia Ann Arbor Too Soon?
3w ago00:33:29Tap to summarizehttps://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrentJoin the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) The Concordia Ann Arbor story continues to raise painful questions for many in and around the LCMS.In this episode, Tim Ahlman sits down with Paul Pollatz from Ann Arbor City on a Hill to talk about the group’s behind-the-scenes efforts to preserve a Christian presence on the Concordia Ann Arbor campus. Paul shares how the group formed, what they hoped to build, why they submitted a letter of intent, and why they believe multiple Christian alternatives were not seriously considered before the sale to the University of Michigan.This is a conversation about mission, money, transparency, forgiveness, leadership, and what the church must learn before the next institution reaches a crisis point.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →The LCMS Election Is Down to 14 Votes | Round 3 Could Change the LCMS
3w ago00:30:46Tap to summarizeThe LCMS presidential election has moved into historic territory.After two rounds of voting, President Harrison’s lead has narrowed from 228 votes to just 14 votes, while hundreds of eligible voters still have not cast a ballot. In this special timely edition of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman is joined by Tania Hilton and Pastor Jeremy Jacoby to talk about why Round 3 matters, what the numbers reveal, and why disengaged pastors and lay voters may now play a decisive role in the future direction of the LCMS.This conversation is not about attacking a person. It is about honest engagement, faithful leadership, pastoral formation, mission, unity, and the future of our church body.If you are a registered voter, please check your inbox — and your spam folder — when voting opens. Your vote matters.Round 3 voting: June 20–23And if you want to stay up to date on all things Lutheran Church Missouri Synod from the perspective of our team and network of trusted leaders - Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrentSupport the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →Is LCMS Bureaucracy Holding Back Ministry?
4w ago01:07:23Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman welcomes back Jim Sanft, former President and CEO of Concordia Plans, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, trust, Lutheran education, lay leadership, LCMS bureaucracy, and what it means to steward faithfully in a changing church.This conversation is honest, hopeful, and deeply practical for pastors, school leaders, commissioned ministers, lay leaders, and anyone who loves the church enough to want her to flourish.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →LCMS Runoff Shock: Can Biermann Beat Harrison?
4w ago00:33:11Tap to summarizeThe LCMS presidential election is heading to a runoff — and the numbers are impossible to ignore.President Matthew Harrison received 43.8% on the first ballot. Dr. Joel Biermann received 39.0%. For the first time in this election cycle, the Synod is now moving into a second round of voting, and the future direction of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is very much in the balance.In this special joint episode of Lead Time and Red Letter Living, Tim Ahlman and Zach Zehnder unpack what this moment reveals about the LCMS: pastoral formation, vacant pulpits, trust, leadership, the Eighth Commandment, church growth, unity, and the urgent need for honest conversation.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →The Future of the LCMS: Generosity and Tithing
Jun 901:04:30Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg sit down with Philip Meinzen, a longtime LCMS educator and creator of The Grace Formula, for a powerful conversation about stewardship, generosity, tithing, debt, vocation, and the mission of the local church.Philip argues that the church has often allowed the culture to disciple Christians in money, resources, debt, and scarcity — while Scripture gives us a much richer vision of life under grace. The question is not, “How much does the church need?” The better question is, “What does God’s grace mean to us, and how does it shape the way we live?”Learn more about Philip’s work at https://graceflows.orgSupport the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
Transcribe →The LCMS Pastor Pipeline Problem
Jun 500:47:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman talks with Jim Simpson, a retired higher education leader with decades of experience in curriculum development, administration, accreditation, and student success. Together, they explore what higher education has learned about adult learners, hybrid models, mentorship, internships, and competency-based formation — and what those lessons might mean for Concordia seminaries and pastoral training in the LCMS.This conversation touches on residential seminary, SMP, hybrid learning, accreditation, prior approval, faculty development, and the need for local churches to identify, develop, and deploy leaders for mission.This is not about cutting corners. It is about asking whether the LCMS can adapt faithfully so more people are formed, equipped, and sent to proclaim the Gospel.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org
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