In this episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman returns from sabbatical with a candid conversation about the changing landscape of ministry in the LCMS. From re-organizing senior staff and shifting governance models, to the biblical case for pastoral sabbaticals, to the urgent realities of pastoral formation, this episode doesn’t shy away from the hard questions.

Tim shares personal reflections from his sabbatical and his upcoming book release, while Jack dives into the tough realities facing small congregations, bivocational ministry, and the need for fresh approaches to leadership. Together they recap the Pacific Southwest District convention, explore resolutions around SMP pastors and Lutheran identity, and call the church to unity rooted in Scripture and Confession.

👉 Topics include:

Why Christ Greenfield restructured its leadership model.
The benefits of sabbaticals for pastors (and congregations).
Governance models that help or hinder ministry.
Urgent challenges in pastoral formation and SMP pathways.
What really defines Lutheran identity.
How property development and mission innovation can shape the future.

This is a hopeful yet challenging look at where we are and where we’re headed as the LCMS seeks to unite for the sake of the gospel.

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The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod often talks about vocation—but are we living it out? In this powerful episode, Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg sit down with Dr. Travis Guse, executive coach and author of Called to Be, to challenge the assumption that “calling” is only for pastors and church workers.

Travis shares his journey through burnout, identity crisis, and rediscovering Luther’s radical teaching that every baptized believer has a holy calling—whether they’re pastors, parents, accountants, or baristas. The conversation explores:

✅ Why so many in the LCMS struggle with identity and purpose
✅ How Luther’s view of vocation can transform ordinary life
✅ Why coaching may be the key to raising up healthier leaders and congregations
✅ The controversial question: Does the LCMS undervalue the callings of everyday believers?

This episode will make you rethink what it means to follow Jesus in the LCMS—and why discovering your God-given calling may be the most urgent issue facing the church today.

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If you care about the future of the LCMS, you won’t want to miss this one.
Your perspective matters, let's have discussion that honors Christ!

New LCMS data reveals a stunning reality: nearly three-quarters of congregations worship fewer than 100 people each week. Tim and Jack unpack what this means for the future of our pastors, our mission, and our very identity as a church body. Are we facing an “emerging emergency” in staffing, sustainability, and representation? From micro-church struggles to the influence of large congregations, this candid conversation doesn’t shy away from the hard truths — and the hopeful opportunities.

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If you care about the future of the LCMS, you won’t want to miss this one.

🔔 Save Lead Time to your library for real talk about leading in the LCMS today. Your perspective matters, let's have discussion that honors Christ!

As the LCMS heads into another round of district and national conventions, big questions loom: Who actually holds influence in shaping our Synod’s future? Pastor Tim Ahlman sits down with Emily Pacyga and Josh Salzberg for a behind-the-scenes look at overtures, resolutions, and the politics of convention floor committees.

From lay delegate engagement to the missing voices of commissioned ministers, from “omnibus” rejections to open hearings, this candid conversation wrestles with participation, representation, and whether the LCMS truly welcomes diverse perspectives.

Whether you’re a seasoned delegate, a curious layperson, or someone who’s never heard the word “overture” before, this episode pulls back the curtain on how decisions are made—and how YOU can have a seat at the table.

📌 Topics include:
Why many LCMS members don’t understand (or use) their full voting power
How overtures get killed in “omnibus” before ever being discussed
The politics of floor committees and representation
Ideas for giving commissioned ministers a real voice
Building coalitions for meaningful change in the LCMS

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Subscribe to Lead Time for real talk about leading in the LCMS today.

Why are so many LCMS churches stuck in cycles of insecurity, burnout, and unhealthy culture? In this episode, Dr. Kirk Triplett joins Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg to expose the deeper issues plaguing leadership culture in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. From toxic feedback loops to forgotten celebration, from unclear mission to constant comparison—this conversation digs deep into what’s quietly killing joy and mission in our churches.

We explore:
- How the LCMS avoids clarity by hiding behind “love God, love people”
- The difference between behavioral values and organizational values
- Why too many pastors are driven by insecurity and the 2% who complain
- What the church can learn from Starbucks, big toes, and baby baptisms

It’s time to rest, rejoice, and relax—without losing momentum.

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Whether you're a traditionalist, a missional reformer, or somewhere in between, this episode will challenge your assumptions and stir your heart for unity, clarity, and bold gospel witness.

Rod Zwonitzer—a second-career pastor with a background in corporate marketing—joins Lead Time to drop some hard truth: the LCMS is great at feeding the sheep but terrible at fishing for the lost. In this rich, candid conversation, Rod explores the tension between doctrinal purity and outreach, confessional liturgy and contemporary music, and why the term “church growth” sends some Lutherans into panic mode.

From defending contemporary worship (with his Stratocaster in hand) to later questioning whether pop culture fits in the sanctuary, Rod shares his journey through marketing, ministry, and the Book of Proverbs—all while urging the church to stop fighting and start fishing.

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Are 10,000+ commissioned ministers in the LCMS being overlooked at the highest levels of church leadership? In this eye-opening episode, Tim Ahlman sits down with Bob McKinney, Dr. Jonathan Laabs, and Audrey Duensing-Werner to confront the decades-long tension around voting rights and representation for commissioned ministers in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Why, after 16 attempts across multiple conventions, is the Synod still resisting change? What's really holding us back: polity, fear, or a misunderstanding of power and ministry?

This conversation isn’t about titles. It’s about team, honor, and advancing the gospel in a post-Christian age. Whether you're a pastor, lay leader, DCE, teacher, or simply love your local church — this is a conversation the entire Synod needs to hear.

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Is the small church model dead? In this explosive episode of Lead Time, Tim Ahlman and Jack Kalleberg sit down with Pastor Rob Myallis (ELCA) for a brutally honest conversation about the economic realities choking the life out of mid-sized churches. With rising costs, unsustainable pastoral expectations, and shifting cultural engagement, Rob unpacks why churches averaging 80–120 in attendance may not survive without radical change.

We tackle everything:

• $30,000 health insurance costs
• Why 150 people is the relational ceiling
• The burnout crisis among solo pastors
• Why people treat church like a rec center, not a sanctuary
• And the hard truth: your old church model probably isn’t working

If you’ve ever asked, “Why are so many churches declining?” or “What future does my congregation really have?”—this one’s for you.

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Join the Lead Time Newsletter! (Weekly Updates and Upcoming Episodes)
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