The Gottesdienst Crowd

In this episode, we confront a growing trend in contemporary Christianity: the desire to have Christ without His Church. Many today seek a personal faith disconnected from any visible communion, doctrine, or shared life with the Body of Christ. But is such a divorce possible—or faithful? We begin by exploring modern attempts to follow Jesus while distancing from the Church, examining the roots of this spiritual individualism and the dangers it poses. Then we turn to the Lutheran Confessions, where Luther clearly affirms that the Church is not only a human community but an article of faith: “I believe that there is on earth a little holy group and congregation of pure saints...” (SA III.XII.1–2; Large Catechism, Creed, III). The Church is where Christ is present with His Word and Sacraments. Finally, we present a better way forward—a way rooted in love for both the Bridegroom and His Bride. To love Christ is to love His Church. To receive Him is to receive His gifts in the fellowship of believers. Join us as we seek a faithful and joyful reintegration of personal faith with the life of the Church, where Christ is truly known and received. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Special Guest: Fr. Mike Grieve ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for St. Peter & St. Paul, Apostles, Matthew 16:13–19. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

This is a recording of the sermon for the Second Sunday after Trinity from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. ----more---- Read by: Fr. Matt Moss ----more---- Become a Patron! WE HAVE MERCH! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

The Augsburg Interim was a tumultuous time in the history of the Lutheran Church. With outside pressure and from within to compromise and capitulate, the time was tumultuous but also revelatory and clarifying. In this first episode, Karl Hess begins to take us through how the Lutheran Church in America is experiencing it’s own Interim. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Special Guest: Fr. Karl Hess ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for the First Sunday after Trinity, Luke 16:19–31. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

This is a recording of the sermon for the First Sunday after Trinity from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. ----more---- Read by: Fr. Matt Moss ----more---- Become a Patron! WE HAVE MERCH! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

In this Book Talk, Mikkel Søtbæk discusses his forth-coming book on the Septuagint called The Seventy-two Servants of the Word of God. You can view more of his work: On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@truthuntogodliness On Twitter: https://x.com/potamopotos Previous episode on Septuagint: https://www.gottesdienst.org/podcast/2024/10/23/tgc-418-septuagintal-superiority?rq=septuagint ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Special Guest: Mr. Mikkel Søtbæk ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for the Feast of the Holy Trinity, John 3:1–17. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

This is a recording of the sermon for The Feast of the Holy Trinity from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. ----more---- Read by: Fr. Matt Moss ----more---- Become a Patron! WE HAVE MERCH! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

In Psalm 119:104, the psalmist declares, "Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." We explore what it means to hate false ways in light of God’s Word, with a particular focus on the topic of women's suffrage in the church and beyond. How does Scripture shape our understanding of order given by God to roles of male and female in life – society, family, and the church? Join us as we discuss the cultural and theological implications of rejecting the false ways of the world and embracing God’s truth in every aspect of life. Link to mentioned paper: http://essays.wisluthsem.org:8080/handle/123456789/5921 ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Special Guest: Fr. Evan Scamman ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for the Feast of Pentecost, John 14:23–31. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

This is a recording of the sermon for The Feast of Pentecost from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. ----more---- Read by: Fr. Matt Moss ----more---- Become a Patron! WE HAVE MERCH! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

In this Book Talk, Joe Rigney discusses his book More Than A Battle: How to Experience Victory, Freedom, and Healing from Lust. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Special Guest: Dr. Joe Rigney ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

Two pastors thinking out loud about the upcoming Gospel reading. This episode is devoted to the Gospel reading for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, John 15:26–16:4. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Regular Guest: Fr. Dave Petersen ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

This is a recording of the sermon for The Seventh Sunday of Easter from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. ----more---- Read by: Fr. Matt Moss ----more---- Become a Patron! WE HAVE MERCH! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

This is a recording of the sermon for The Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord from George Stoeckhardt’s book Grace Upon Grace: Gospel Sermons for the Church Year, reprinted by Steadfast Press. ----more---- Read by: Fr. Matt Moss ----more---- Become a Patron! WE HAVE MERCH! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.

In this episode, we explore how the Book of Concord speaks about the Law’s twofold work—accusation for the unbeliever and mortification for the believer. Drawing from key confessional texts like the Apology of the Augsburg Confession and the Formula of Concord, we discuss how the Law always accuses, but does so differently depending on faith. For the unbeliever, the Law terrifies and condemns. For the believer, the accusation remains, but it drives daily repentance and the mortification of the flesh by the Spirit through the Word. This distinction is not only doctrinally vital but also deeply pastoral, grounding the Christian's struggle in Christ's victory and the Spirit’s ongoing sanctifying work. Join us as we trace how this confessional insight shapes our understanding of sin, repentance, and the Christian life. ----more---- Host: Fr. Jason Braaten Regular Guest: Fr. Gifford Grobien ----more---- Become a Patron! You can subscribe to the Journal here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/subscribe/ You can read the Gottesblog here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/ You can support Gottesdienst here: https://www.gottesdienst.org/make-a-donation/ As always, we, at The Gottesdienst Crowd, would be honored if you would Subscribe, Rate, and Review. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support.