The Tim Ahlman Podcast

Hosted by Unite Leadership Collective

Religion Spirituality Christianity

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Episodes

214

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The Tim Ahlman Podcast is your go-to resource for inspiring conversations that equip leaders to thrive in every vocation, inside and outside the church. With three primary focuses, this podcast dives deep into: Leadership : Learn from experts across diverse fields as we explore how their insights can shape and sustain a healthy culture in the local church and beyond. Over 60% of listeners expressed a desire for practical discussions on cultivating thriving environments—and that's exactly what these conversations will deliver. Learn : Engage in deep theological discussions with scholars who illuminate how Christ is revealed on every page of Scripture. Together, we’ll bridge theology to the realities of a post-Christian America, ensuring practical application for today’s world. This segment aligns closely with the themes of the American Reformation Podcast and resonates with the 60% of you who crave more exploration in this area. Live : Discover healthy habits that empower leaders in all vocations to become holistically healthy. As followers of Jesus, we’re called to lead not only with faith but also with physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Join Tim Ahlman as we navigate leadership, learning, and living with purpose, so you can lead with strength, wisdom, and a Christ-centered vision.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 9, 2026Episode 8649 min

21 Tiny Homes, Zero Government Money: A Church’s Answer to Homelessness

Laurie McClellan shares the remarkable story of La Mesa Ministries—a ministry serving home-cooked meals and building genuine relationships with hundreds of people experiencing poverty and homelessness each week. What began with a small group of committed volunteers helped transform Christ Greenfield from a financially anxious, internally focused congregation into a church energized by mission. That same heart has now inspired Eden Village of Arizona, a 21-home community being built for chronically homeless people living with disabilities. Laurie recounts the extraordinary provision behind the project: sponsored homes, major grants, donated labor, unexpected breakthroughs—and no government funding. Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

September 2, 2026Episode 851 hr 3 min

He Went Back to Scripture—and Rediscovered Lutheranism | Branden Hempelman

Branden Hempelman grew up Lutheran—but for years, it was simply the faith in which he had been raised. Then a theological conversation with a friend sent him back to Scripture with a fundamental question: What do I actually believe about salvation, baptism, election, and the work of Christ? In this conversation, Branden joins Tim Ahlman to share how studying Scripture led him into a deeper appreciation of confessional Lutheran theology. They explore why salvation must remain entirely God’s work, what the Bible says baptism actually gives, how Christians can understand election without turning inward, and why the Lutheran distinction between Law and Gospel offers profound assurance. Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

August 26, 2026Episode 841 hr 5 min

Why So Many Sermons Don’t Stick | Bob Hiller

Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date. Tim sits down with Rev. Bob Hiller, senior pastor of Community Lutheran Church in Southern California, content editor for 1517’s Craft of Preaching, co-host of White Horse Inn, and a longtime friend from his Denver Lutheran days. Together they explore why preaching is both the work of the Holy Spirit and a craft that deserves serious preparation. Bob and Tim discuss collaborative sermon writing, biblical literacy, preaching to a distracted culture, and why Law and Gospel should be the foundation of a sermon rather than a predictable formula imposed on every text. They also wrestle with one-point versus multi-point sermons, the danger of turning proclamation into a lecture, and the responsibility pastors have to honor the attention of their hearers by giving them Christ. Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

August 19, 2026Episode 831 hr 5 min

AI Won’t Replace God—But It Could Numb the Church | Mark Junkans

Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date. Artificial intelligence can answer theological questions, draft sermons, automate difficult work, and increasingly imitate human conversation. But can it form a Christian, embody the love of Christ, or replace the church? Tim sits down with Mark Junkans—author of *The Return of Mystery: Faith in the Age of Machines*—to examine the deeper spiritual questions surrounding AI. They discuss transhumanism, the dream of a “digital god,” AI-generated faith, the loss of critical thinking, and why instant access to information is not the same thing as spiritual formation. Learn more about Mark’s work with Cross Connect at https://www.crosscm.org/ Mark's Book https://www.amazon.com/Return-Mystery-Faith-Age-Machines/dp/B0GD7NDY6Z Like, subscribe, and share this conversation with someone thinking seriously about faith in the age of artificial intelligence. Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

August 12, 2026Episode 8248 min

Why the Church Must Stop Waiting for People to Walk In | Randy Larson

Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent What if people aren’t rejecting spiritual conversations—they’re simply waiting for someone willing to have one? Tim sits down with Rev. Randy Larson, Church Partnerships Director at FiveTwo, to discuss the growing spiritual hunger in our communities and why churches can no longer wait for people to walk through their doors. Randy explains how congregations can build a compelling vision, develop the next generation of leaders, and embrace thoughtful strategy without compromising their biblical mission. Randy also shares the simple practice that transformed his relationship with his neighbors: taking “five-minute mission trips” across the street. From cultivating a thick skin and soft heart in ministry to bringing the church onto front porches and around fire pits, this conversation offers practical encouragement for pastors and everyday Christians ready to join Jesus in their own neighborhoods. Learn more about Randy and the work of FiveTwo: https://fivetwo.com Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

August 5, 2026Episode 8158 min

How Do We Know Our Interpretation of the Bible Is Right?

Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date. Who gets to decide what the Bible means—and how can Christians recognize when an interpretation has crossed the boundaries of historic Christian faith? Rev. Roland Weisbrot joins Tim Ahlman to explore the regula fidei, or “rule of faith”: the apostolic summary of Christian truth preserved in Scripture, confessed in the historic creeds, and passed down through the worshiping life of the Church. They discuss why sola Scriptura does not mean reading Scripture in isolation, how the creeds protect the Church from theological distortion, and why Christ must remain at the center of all Christian interpretation. Read Roland’s article Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

July 29, 2026Episode 8049 min

Why Most Church Change Fails | Dr. Keith Haney

Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date. Why do so many attempts at church change stall, divide congregations, or leave pastors exhausted? Reverend Dr. Keith Haney joins Tim Ahlman to explain why compelling vision alone isn’t enough. Drawing from his book, Guided by Grace: A Narrative to Lead Organizational Change, Dr. Haney identifies the foundations churches frequently overlook: creating genuine urgency, building a diverse guiding team, defining the destination, measuring meaningful progress, and maintaining relationships when change becomes painful. Tim and Keith also discuss why servant-hearted pastors can struggle to lead change, the danger of leadership isolation, the value of mentors and coaches, and how churches can remain united across racial and political differences. This is a practical and encouraging conversation for pastors, ministry leaders, and congregation members who want to move their churches forward without losing sight of grace—or one another. Learn more about Dr. Keith Haney, his writing, and his podcast at https://becomingbridgebuilders.org/ Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

July 15, 2026Episode 791 hr 17 min

Why Most Christians Don’t Share Their Faith—and What Jesus Did Instead

https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date. Why are so many Christians uncomfortable sharing their faith? Randy Loubier believes it’s because we’ve turned evangelism into a formula Jesus never gave us. Randy spent 50 years as an anti-Christian before personal tragedy led him to open the Bible for himself. What began in Genesis—and unexpectedly came alive in Leviticus—ultimately transformed his life and sent him into the streets to share the hope he had found. Tim and Randy explore how Jesus approached unbelievers, the proper place of sin and repentance, Lutheran law-and-gospel theology, and simple ways ordinary Christians can bring the love of Christ into grocery stores, workplaces, neighborhoods, and everyday conversations. Evangelism doesn’t have to begin with pressure or a perfectly memorized presentation. It can begin with prayer, curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to notice the person in front of you. Learn more about Randy’s work and discipleship resources at https://www.72disciples.com/ Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

July 8, 2026Episode 7851 min

Why End-Times Anxiety Is Missing the Point | Erick Sorensen

https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) Stay up to date. Is the church getting distracted by end-times speculation, rapture anxiety, and geopolitical fear? In this episode of The Tim Ahlman Podcast, Tim sits down with Erick Sorensen from 1517 to talk about Israel, dispensationalism, Revelation, and why Christians should greet Christ's return with hope rather than fear. The conversation doesn't stop there — Tim and Erick also dig into signs of spiritual awakening in the West, Word and Sacrament ministry, the role of hospitality in a healthy church, why organizational leadership is unavoidable for pastors, navigating change without burnout, and safeguarding ministries from moral failure. This is a wide-ranging, honest, gospel-centered conversation for pastors, church leaders, and Christians who want clarity, courage, and hope in a confusing time. Jesus is enough — the church is changing, but the core message remains unchanged. Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

July 1, 2026Episode 7753 min

Your Church Needs More Than a Pastor

What if the next great leader in your church is already sitting in the pews — but no one has invited them to step forward? In this episode, Tim Ahlman sits down with Pamela Dickerson, Executive Director of The Harbor Leadership Collective, to talk about raising up the next generation of Christian leaders. Pamela shares her own story of coming to faith, her passion for college-age discipleship, and how The Harbor is helping young adults connect their identity in Christ to real-world vocations, ministry opportunities, and everyday mission. This conversation explores the LCMS leadership pipeline, intergenerational mentorship, bridge ministry, collaboration between congregations, and why churches must become places where young people are noticed, developed, and released. If you care about the future of the Church, this conversation will encourage and challenge you. Learn more about The Harbor Leadership Collective: https://www.theharborstl.com/ Support the show Watch Us On Youtube! Stay up to date by Joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

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