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Why do some LCMS churches thrive—and others decline?
Pastor Thomas Marcis, 36-year pastor of Zion in Bismarck and a Synodical Reconciler, joins Lead Time to talk about church health, conflict, rural ministry, next-gen engagement, and why pastors must get out of their bubble and into the community.

From coaching high school soccer to navigating LCMS conflict processes to preparing for pastoral succession after nearly four decades, Pastor Marcis shares practical, hard-won wisdom every pastor and church leader needs right now.

In this episode:
• The real reasons churches get stuck
• Why conflict shouldn’t surprise us—and how to handle it biblically
• What suburban pastors don’t understand about rural ministry
• How community engagement changes congregational culture
• Generation Z: what they’re really looking for
• Why long-term pastorates create both blessings and blind spots
• Preparing a congregation for pastoral transition
• What the LCMS gets right—and where we need reform

If you care about the future health of the LCMS, this conversation is essential.

This channel does a deep dive into the scriptures so as to teach what it means to be...

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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Join the Lead Time Newsletter! (Weekly Updates and Upcoming Episodes)
https://www.uniteleadership.org/lead-time-podcast#newsletter

Visit uniteleadership.org

Join the LCMS Current!
(bi monthly newsletter covering relevant LCMS topics!):
https://www.uniteleadership.org/thelcmscurrent

In this episode, Dr. Jamison J. Hardy, President of the Concordia University System, joins Tim to discuss the exciting progress being made across LCMS universities — from record growth in church work enrollment to new scholarship initiatives and strategic partnerships.

Dr. Hardy unpacks the $5,000 Church Work Scholarships, the refocus on Lutheran identity, and how the CUS is working with Set Apart to Serve and the seminaries to strengthen pathways for the next generation of pastors and teachers.

They also discuss:
- The latest on Concordia Ann Arbor
- The push to unite around mission rather than division
- Transparency in the “prior approval” process
- What it really means to uphold “Lutheran identity”
- How the LCMS can move forward together in love, truth, and courage

This candid, hope-filled conversation models how LCMS leaders can engage tough topics with both conviction and grace.

Support the show

Join the Lead Time Newsletter! (Weekly Updates and Upcoming Episodes)
https://www.uniteleadership.org/lead-time-podcast#newsletter

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Information and Registration:
https://www.psd-lcms.org/koinonia-gathering

This special bonus episode of Lead Time features Rev. Dr. Mike Gibson, President of the Pacific Southwest District (LCMS), joining Pastor Tim Ahlman to announce a historic upcoming event — the Koinonia Gathering, January 7–8, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Koinonia Gathering isn’t a debate. It’s a moment for honest, face-to-face conversation among pastors and lay leaders across the LCMS — a space for listening, understanding, and unity in Christ.

Tim and President Gibson unpack:
- The heart and history of the Koinonia Project.
- Why open, charitable dialogue is essential for our Synod’s health.
- What participants can expect from this Las Vegas gathering.

Whether you agree or disagree on issues like pastoral formation, this is an invitation to talk, not type — to model Christlike love in disagreement and pursue the harmony our Synod longs for.

Support the show

Join the Lead Time Newsletter! (Weekly Updates and Upcoming Episodes)
https://www.uniteleadership.org/lead-time-podcast#newsletter

Visit uniteleadership.org