In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, host Elizabeth Pittman speaks with Jim Sanft, new author and CEO and president of Concordia Plan Services. In his new book with CPH, Leading by Faith: Practical Insights for Christian Leaders, Jim shares his reflections along his leadership journey as a means of encouraging you on yours.
Leading by Faith will be available on May 28. Pre-order the book on the CPH website at cph.org/leadingbyfaith.

Show Notes
As a Christian leader, you can trust that God is in control of your leadership journey, even when you can't see around the bend to know what's coming next. In this episode, we're joined by Jim Sanft. Jim is the CEO of Concordia Plan Services and the author of Leading by Faith: Practical Insights for Christian Leaders. During the conversation, Jim shares the lessons he’s learned from his more than 25 years of executive leadership experience. He also talks about the importance of leading by faith (not by sight) and learning to lead with God’s grace.

Check out Leading by Faith on…
cph.org
Amazon
Goodreads

Questions
What’s it like being a first time author?
Every leader has a story. Tell us about your story and what led you to a place where you were ready to tell it and help other leaders.
Explain what it means to lead by faith, not by sight.
Tell us about the windshield fallacy.
Explain the leadership lesson you use from Indiana Jones.
How did your educational background in mathematics prepare you for leadership and what lessons have you brought into your current roles because of that?
Tell us a little bit about accountability and how that plays into a leader's role.
Tell us about a leadership lesson that you took away from the Lion King.
What advice do you have for leaders who encounter crisis in their leadership journey?What has it been like traveling around the country talking to different groups about leadership?
What encouragement would you like to leave our listeners with?

About the Guest
Jim Sanft has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience, including being CEO of Concordia Plans, a complex financial services non-profit agency of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. He led his organization through the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 to 2009 as well as the global pandemic of 2020. Throughout his career, Sanft has developed a high-performing team that has been recognized both locally and nationally. He is an established leader among his colleagues from other denominations and serves as chair of The Church Alliance, an organization that advocates for employee benefits for faith leaders and their families. Away from the office, Jim is a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

On this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Edward Riojas joins us as our guest to discuss his new book A Complete Guide to Christian Symbols. Edward dives into the importance and history behind sacred symbols and how they can deepen our faith.

Get a copy of his book at cph.org/christiansymbols.


Show Notes

Listen now as author and artist Edward Riojas dives into the world of Christian symbols.

Edward joins host Elizabeth Pittman to talk about his new volume of more than 600 historic Christian symbols. The pair explore how in today’s church, we now use these same symbols throughout the sanctuary and in worship materials that Jesus Himself used in his teachings. Edward emphasizes the importance of symbols and art in understanding Scripture and why church leaders should carefully treat each symbol they use during worship. He also talks about how this volume came to be, some of his favorite symbols to investigate, what young artists should know, and more.

Edward’s website
Edward’s Facebook Page

Questions

- Tell us about your life as an artist in the Christian and secular space.

- Talk about the impact that art in general and symbols have on our faith and understanding of Scripture.

- Where do you see symbols being used well in the church today?

- How have you seen some denominations embrace or shy away from using symbols?

- How long ago did you start this project? Tell us a little bit about how this book started.

- Who else is this book for besides pastors and worship leaders? How will history buffs benefit from reading this?

- Did anything surprise you while working on the book?

- Do you have a favorite symbol from the book? Or three that you gravitate towards?

- Why is it important for us as Christians to understand these symbols rather than just passing by them?

About the Guest

Edward Riojas graduated summa cum laude from Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a BFA degree. He has worked professionally for more than forty years, including thirty-one years in the newspaper industry. Riojas has returned to his fine-art roots, creating sacred art for commissions and collaborations with various Lutheran entities. His work can be found in sanctuaries, institutions, private collections, and markets throughout the United States and across the globe.

Easter Hymns | Part 2 | Peter Reske

In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Peter Reske, senior editor of Music/Worship at Concordia Publishing House, returns to share his insight into some of his favorite hymns during the Easter season. Peter highlights three hymns and discusses the themes found in each piece.

Shop all the different editions of the Lutheran Service Book by visiting cph.org.

Show Notes

Guest Peter Reske and host Elizabeth Pittman dive into three Easter hymns from the Lutheran Service Book in the newest episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast. Peter’s selections may surprise you but will certainly enrich your understanding of how music is used throughout the Easter season. Peter goes into the history behind each of his selected hymns, explains the themes throughout each hymn’s text, and even mentions the way he is commemorating the 500th anniversary of Lutheran hymnals in 2024. Listen to the full episode now to hear what Peter has to say about these favorite Easter hymns.

Learn more about the Europe Music Tour that Peter is leading with Christian Travel Planners on their website at christiantravelplanners.com/tours/best-music-tour-072024.

About the Guest

Peter C. Reske, senior editor of music/worship at Concordia Publishing House, holds degrees in English literature and historical musicology from Marquette University and Pennsylvania State University. He was the editor of the Lutheran Service Book and its attendant resources.