Lead Time

Hosted by Unite Leadership Collective

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418

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

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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August 14, 2026Episode 1521 hr 16 min

Why Faithful Families Are Quietly Leaving the LCMS | Jerry Kieschnick

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Join Lead Time+ to continue the conversation⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️Why are faithful families quietly leaving the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod—even when their children still love Jesus, worship faithfully, and raise their own families in the Christian faith?Former LCMS President Rev. Dr. Jerry Kieschnick joins Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg for a candid conversation about the future of the LCMS. Jerry shares the message he prepared—but was not given the opportunity to deliver—at the 2026 LCMS Convention. It begins with the story of one LCMS family whose four adult children remain committed Christians, yet none will attend an LCMS congregation.Can the LCMS remain deeply confessional while becoming more relational, charitable, and missionally focused? Join the conversation—and help us pursue courageous, faithful dialogue for the future of the church.⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org

August 13, 2026Episode 15329 min

Lead Time Removed Its CUAA Interview with Casey Salminen | Tim Ahlman Responds

Lead Time was asked to remove our recent conversation with Casey Salminen concerning Concordia University Ann Arbor. We have done so.In this personal response, Tim Ahlman addresses the decision, acknowledges what he does and does not know, and reflects on the sadness of conflict and litigation among fellow Christians. He emphasizes that the story of CUAA is complex, that no one should be reduced to either hero or villain, and that he continues to pray for Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor, their leaders, and everyone affected.But this response is also about something larger: Should difficult matters within the church be discussed publicly? Tim explains why Lead Time has sought to elevate the voices of pastors, commissioned workers, and lay leaders—even when their stories are uncomfortable. ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org

August 13, 2026Episode 15129 min

Millions Were Given to CUAA. Was the Donor’s Intent Honored? | Casey Salminen

Lead Time was asked to remove this conversation with Casey Salminen concerning Concordia University Ann Arbor. We have done so.In this personal response, Tim Ahlman addresses the decision, acknowledges what he does and does not know, and reflects on the sadness of conflict and litigation among fellow Christians. He emphasizes that the story of CUAA is complex, that no one should be reduced to either hero or villain, and that he continues to pray for Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor, their leaders, and everyone affected.⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org

August 7, 2026Episode 1501 hr 4 min

What “Preach” Actually Means...& More! | Rev. Dr. Mike Middendorf

Stay up to date by joining the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter) What if words Christians use every week—like law, preach, prophecy, confess, obey, sanctification, and sacrament—do not always mean what we assume they mean?Rev. Dr. Mike Middendorf joins Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg to examine how these familiar theological terms are actually used in Scripture. The conversation challenges the idea that preaching belongs only to pastors, prophecy primarily predicts the future, confession is mostly about admitting sin, and sanctification begins with what Christians accomplish.They also explore law and Gospel, the priesthood of all believers, Zionism and dispensationalism, the biblical meaning of Israel, the relationship between pastors, elders and deacons, and why careful exegesis matters for the life of the church. Throughout the conversation, one concern rises above the rest: when Christians misunderstand biblical language, the richness of the Gospel can become obscured.Support the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org

August 4, 2026Episode 1491 hr 3 min

This Story Simply MUST Be Shared… | The Carter Nath Story

Join Lead Time+ to continue the conversationThis story simply must be shared.Carter Nath was already serving his rural Iowa congregation when its pastor announced his approaching retirement. As two neighboring Lutheran Church Missouri Synod churches searched for a path forward, Carter was willing to pursue pastoral formation and continue serving the people and community he loved. Then he learned that his age could prevent him from entering the Specific Ministry Pastor program.Carter joins Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg to tell the deeply personal story behind an approaching church closure—and to explain what is truly lost when a rural congregation disappears. This is not merely a conversation about institutional policy. It is about people, communities, pastoral formation, and whether the LCMS can develop faithful local leaders before more Gospel outposts reach their final Sunday.Carter’s story deserves to be heard by anyone who cares about rural ministry, the pastoral shortage, and the future of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.If you have a story to share, email: tahlman@cglchurch.orgSupport the show⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org

July 31, 2026Episode 1481 hr 0 min

The Culture War Won’t Save Us: Faithful Ministry in Post-Christian America

Join 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

July 28, 2026Episode 14756 min

LCMS Pastor Shortage Continues to Grow. What Has to Change?

Join 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

July 24, 2026Episode 14618 min

The Convention Pushes Back | Elections, Worship & Lutheran Identity

Join 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

July 22, 2026Episode 14519 min

Unity or Uniformity? What the 2026 LCMS Convention Is Revealing (Day 4)

Join 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?⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️Care about the future of the LCMS?Join the LCMS Current! (LCMS Current Events Newsletter)⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️To learn more, visit uniteleadership.org

July 21, 2026Episode 14428 min

600+ Empty Pulpits—What Is the LCMS Plan? | Convention Day 2 and 3 Debrief

Join 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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Listen to episodes

Why Faithful Families Are Quietly Leaving the LCMS | Jerry Kieschnick

Lead Time Removed Its CUAA Interview with Casey Salminen | Tim Ahlman Responds

Millions Were Given to CUAA. Was the Donor’s Intent Honored? | Casey Salminen

What “Preach” Actually Means...& More! | Rev. Dr. Mike Middendorf

This Story Simply MUST Be Shared… | The Carter Nath Story

The Culture War Won’t Save Us: Faithful Ministry in Post-Christian America

LCMS Pastor Shortage Continues to Grow. What Has to Change?

The Convention Pushes Back | Elections, Worship & Lutheran Identity

Unity or Uniformity? What the 2026 LCMS Convention Is Revealing (Day 4)

600+ Empty Pulpits—What Is the LCMS Plan? | Convention Day 2 and 3 Debrief

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