The Tim Ahlman Podcast
The Tim Ahlman Podcast is your go-to resource for inspiring conversations that equip leaders to thrive in every vocation, inside and outside the church. With three primary focuses, this podcast dives deep into:
Leadership: Learn from experts across diverse fields as we explore how their insights can shape and sustain a healthy culture in the local church and beyond. Over 60% of listeners expressed a desire for practical discussions on cultivating thriving environments—and that's exactly what these conversations will deliver.
Learn: Engage in deep theological discussions with scholars who illuminate how Christ is revealed on every page of Scripture. Together, we’ll bridge theology to the realities of a post-Christian America, ensuring practical application for today’s world. This segment aligns closely with the themes of the American Reformation Podcast and resonates with the 60% of you who crave more exploration in this area.
Live: Discover healthy habits that empower leaders in all vocations to become holistically healthy. As followers of Jesus, we’re called to lead not only with faith but also with physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Join Tim Ahlman as we navigate leadership, learning, and living with purpose, so you can lead with strength, wisdom, and a Christ-centered vision.
The Tim Ahlman Podcast
Introducing the Tim Ahlman Podcast - A New Adventure
The Tim Ahlman Podcast will have three primary focuses.
- Leadership: Learning from “experts” in a variety of vocations (within and outside of the LCMS) and applying their expertise to leadership life in the local church. These conversations will largely focus on developing and maintaining a healthy culture in our various vocations. Over 60% of you in the recent survey said you wanted to talk about healthy culture.
- Learn: Deep Theological Discussion. I will host many scholars to aid in our understanding of Christ popping off every page of Holy Scripture. We will work hard to apply our theological discussion to the post-Christian America where we find ourselves. 60% of you in our recent survey said you wanted to hear more on this topic. This is where there will be consistency with the American Reformation podcast.
- Live: Highlighting Healthy Habits for leaders in all vocations. I truly believe Jesus followers should be the holistically healthiest leaders on planet earth.
• Tim Ahlman announces the rebranding of the podcast from American Reformation to the Tim Ahlman Podcast
• Importance of deep theological conversations applied to contemporary issues
• Discussion on the idol of certainty and its risks in church leadership
• Biblical examples of risk-taking from figures like Abraham and Esther
• Highlighting the need for healthy habits in personal and communal church life
• Preview of Tim's upcoming book "Confessing Jesus Mission" and its themes
This is Tim Allman and today marks a switch in my podcast life. Starting on January 8th, which is today 2025, the American Reformation podcast will be renamed the Tim Allman Podcast. I've been blessed to lead a podcast called Lead Time for the past eight years and here's a little shout out Lead Time is going to continue and grow and get better. It's going to be so fun. We're going to continue to release two podcasts a week. One will be focusing on current events in the life of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. We'll continue to interview guests that we agree with and hopefully, in the coming year and years, hopefully more that we don't in the hopes of growing collectively as a church body that can grow up into Jesus who is our head or leader or Lord, and we can learn to disagree agreeably and then unite across our context to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here's what I've said in so many podcasts the world needs this theology, the Jesus-centered, christocentric, missiology, confessing message that the Lutheran Church of Missouri Synod has today Confessional, conservative, historic but hopefully on our best days mission-oriented church body. We want to be one of those communities Lead Time does that lovingly, holds us together when there are certainly satanic forces that want to pull us apart. We're also responding to 100 of you who took our survey recently. 64% of you said that conversations around functional or dysfunctional LCMS cultural currents are what you want to hear more about. So we're going to continue to do that and we promise to maintain as much neutrality as possible as we grow together as a church body. And I do say as much neutrality as possible because Jack and I are certainly biased towards God's mission to get all of his kids back. Jack Calberg will continue to be my co-host and Jack and I were not neutral on the mission of God being the driving force for the local church. Second, jack and I will be collaborating on a weekly, shorter podcast aimed at mission and ministry practitioners. These podcasts will be between I don't know 10 to 20 minutes a year on that drive to work. You can maybe take in one of these per week. We'll share some of the teachings of the Unite Leadership Collective as well as curate other best practices in these shorter, very practical podcasts. So lead time off and running into 2025.
Speaker 1:Here we go, but here's where the switch comes. I was blessed to start a little bit of history. I was blessed to start the American Reformation podcast over two years ago with my missionary friend, eric Fish. Over a year ago, eric had to step down as my co-host and we kept the podcast going. I've loved these conversations. I've learned from so many people within and outside of the Lutheran Church of Missouri Synod. Yet and this is where it's a bit sad these podcasts they often get a fraction of the more controversial lead time podcasts. I guess conflict attracts, doesn't it? It's unfortunate, and I've worked hard, though, to maintain the initial calling of the American Reformation podcast, but we're at a good pivot point right now. So here's the change Starting on January 8th which is today 2025, the American Reformation podcast will be renamed the Tim Allman podcast.
Speaker 1:This is actually episode one of that new podcast. So why have we decided to rename the podcast? Well, we discovered that many people were finding the ULC podcast, unite Leadership Collective podcast, by just Googling Tim Allman, so we're hopeful this renaming makes it easier for people to find our kingdom-expanding creative content. So here's what my podcast will have is three primary focuses. One is leadership learning from experts in a variety of different vocations within and outside the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and applying their expertise to leadership life in the local church. These conversations will largely focus on developing and maintaining a healthy culture in our various vocations.
Speaker 1:Over 60% of you in that recent survey said that you wanted to talk more about healthy, healthy culture, so we're going to do it. So, leadership one, learning. Two, deep theological discussion. I will host many scholars to aid in our understanding of Christ, popping off every page of Holy Scripture. We'll work hard to apply our theological discussions to the post-Christian America where we find ourselves. 60% of you said in the recent survey that you wanted to hear more on deep theology, so we're going to bring it. This is where we hopefully will have some kind of consistency with what you grew to expect in the American Reformation podcast. And last so, leadership learning and then living. We're going to talk highlighting healthy habits for leaders in all vocations. I truly believe Jesus' followers should be holistically the healthiest leaders on planet earth, created in the image of God, the image of living God out into the world.
Speaker 1:So I'm excited for this new season of podcasts connected to the ULC. Thank you for listening, providing feedback and recommending both Lead Time and the Tim Allman podcast to your friends and family. So, finally, I finished my rough draft of my first book, likely titled Confessing Jesus Mission. Thank you for your prayers. It's made my doctorate hopefully more fun to read and we've also got some great insights. A very, very practical book. It's kind of fun, it's a lighter read, but also it's a book that's speaking directly into the current realities that the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod faces. We're currently going through the first round of edits and we're exploring who will publish the book. So thanks for the prayers. And to close off though my first Tim Allman podcast, I'm going to share one of one of these chapters.
Speaker 1:I've been wrestling around the idol of certainty for some time, so this is actually later on in the book. It's called the idol, the idol of certainty. I believe certainty can be an idol. I believe certainty could be hampering local churches from engaging their neighbors with the gospel. Here are some examples we may say do not start that new ministry until we can be absolutely certain it will succeed. Do not run tests that new ministry until we can be absolutely certain it will succeed. Do not run tests in leadership development until we can be absolutely certain it will produce the right types of leaders. Do not engage a brother or sister who has wronged you until you can be absolutely certain the conversation will go well. Do not change anything in your local ministry context until you can be you said it absolutely certain. People won't get upset. Do not risk. Risk is too well Risky. Play it safe. Keep people happy. Stick with the safe and certain status quo. Does that sound familiar? Sins of omission are serious, at least Jesus seems to think so.
Speaker 1:You all know the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. You've likely heard generosity messages about investing your resources A talent was close to 20 years, wages in kingdom expanding initiatives. This is appropriate to have that sort of a message preached about the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. But you've also likely heard messages about personally not living in fear of the master but burying your one talent. That is also an appropriate take on the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. You've probably also heard messages about every person being faithful with the talent or talents they've been giving and not judging the talent or talents of others. The master will do with his talents what he desires to do. This is also an appropriate reading of the parable of the talents. But I don't know that I've ever heard a message connected to risk and certainty connected to this parable of the talents. But I don't know that I've ever heard a message connected to risk and certainty connected to this parable.
Speaker 1:The first two servants risked losing the master's money. When you invest, there's no guarantee right that you'll get a return. The master knew this and was more than fine with this risk. The master expects kingdom risk from his servants. He's not okay with playing it safe. The status quo of simply maintaining what he's giving us is not an option, at least not connected to this parable. Also, jesus tells this parable during Holy Week.
Speaker 1:The parable of the talents is bracketed by many stories of urgent expectation for the coming of the Son of man in judgment on the last day. The parable of the talents is immediately preceded by the parable of the ten virgins have oil in your lamps, be prepared. Jesus is coming again soon. It's as if Jesus is saying do not be lazy or slothful with what I've given you. Invest, invest now. Now is the time. It's too short to do anything else but invest the master's resources. Do it now, do it quickly.
Speaker 1:Sometimes I wonder what Jesus thinks of churches and leaders who are content with simply remaining the same size, with no plans for growth by addition or growth through the sending of leaders to bring in the harvest of lost souls. I know this is the law, but the law must be preached to lead us individually and collectively to repentance. Would Jesus call those of us who bury our talent in preference of the certainty of the status quo wicked? Would he call us wicked? Well, it appears so. When we think of the wicked, most of us immediately think of those who commit atrocities. According to this parable of the talents, the wicked are those who commit sins of kingdom-expanding omission. Jesus views sins of omission as equally wicked to the most egregious violations of the law. You should probably read that again. I'll read it again for you Jesus views sins of omission as equally wicked to the most egregious violations of the law. How does that make you feel? I'll tell you how I feel. I want to wait, no, no, no. The Holy Spirit in me wants to do whatever is necessary to appropriately risk and invest the master's talents People being that primary talent, by the way, in advancing the kingdom of the master. The Holy Spirit compels me to extravagantly risk the one life he has given me in apprenticing disciples of Jesus who will be sent to do the same for others. Anything less is sin wicked sin. I pray you feel the same.
Speaker 1:Sometimes I wonder if leaders in the LCMS are immersing themselves in the risk-filled stories of scripture. Sometimes I wonder why we're so reticent to try new things, to reach new people with the gospel. Sometimes I wonder how the master views the LCMS collectively. Are we investing the master's talents? Frankly, because of our wonderful confessional Lutheran theology, I believe we're collectively the servant who was given the five not the one, but the five talents. The treasure of our doctrine is a gift to be shared, not hoarded. To whom much is given, much is required. Sometimes I wonder if we in the LCMS are worshiping the idol of certainty, afraid of the potential risk of investing the master's talents. I ask these questions from a place of humility.
Speaker 1:Outwardly, it may appear that I've fully committed myself to kingdom expanding risk. Let me set the record straight. I am just as fearful of risk as the next leader. Risk is scary. It's definitely uncertain when the Holy Spirit speaks. I desperately need him to speak. And here's what he's speaking. He says read my word, tim. See how kingdom expanding risk gets rewarded the results of hoarding and paralyzing fear at the altar of certainty. Risking for expanding God's kingdom is risky, yet not risking is even more risky. I'll read that again. Risking for expanding God's kingdom? It is definitely risky, yet not risking it's even more eternally risky.
Speaker 1:Let me give you a few examples Abraham Abraham risked, by joining God, an adventure to an uncertain land. David risked by picking up stones to fight and kill the giant Goliath. Jonathan risked fighting an entire garrison, a garrison of Philistines, with one companion Shadrach, meshach and Abednego. They risked by defying King Nebuchadnezzar, knowing the fiery furnace could be their end. Esther, queen Esther risked when she appealed on behalf of the Jews to crazy King Xerxes. I think that's how you say it. I don't know, but that's how you spell it. If you read it, you wouldn't have any mumbo jumbo anyway.
Speaker 1:The prophets they risked preaching the law to the Israelites in the hopes of leading them to repentance. Paul Paul's entire ministry, not to mention all of the scattered apostles, paul's entire ministry after his conversion, was one risk after another. Why? All? For the sake of sharing the story of the God who risked leaving the comforts of heaven to know the beauty and brokenness of the human experience. Jesus, jesus' entire life and ministryness of the human experience. Jesus, jesus' entire life and ministry was riddled with risk. The angelic declaration of Joseph saved Jesus' life from crazy Herod as he flees as a refugee to Egypt, jesus risked being associated and baptized by crazy John the Baptist. John Jesus then risked calling a ragtag group of young Jewish men to be apprenticed by him for three years.
Speaker 1:Jesus, he risks speaking truth to Pharisaical teachers and scribes, and in love with their rightness at not breaking the rules, while condemned historically as wicked for condemning the one who came to fulfill the rules for them, for the world. Jesus, our Savior. The Pharisees epitomized leaders in love with the status quo, hyper-focused on sins of commission. They were wicked in their sins of omission, handing the sinless one over to the washed hands of Pontius Pilate. We all have some Pharisee in us, don't we? The first to confess it wins. This is what we weekly confess in the divine service.
Speaker 1:I am a poor, miserable sinner. I have sinned by what I have done, committed right and by what I have left, undone my sins of omission. I believe the LCMS is in love with certainty. I believe this certainty can be an idol. I love certainty too, and I'm certain Jesus loves me and I'm certain he loves you too.
Speaker 1:I'm also certain the master has given me talents to risk, to let the world know the certain love of Jesus shown through the cross and empty tomb. I'm certain he's entrusted you with the same talents. What will you do with those talents? Well, thanks for hanging out with me today on this shorter podcast. The Tim Ullman podcast will be a once a week conversation with leaders across the LCMS and outside of the LCMS. We're going to lead, but we're going to learn together some deep theology and we're going to grow as we live, as healthy leaders in these dark days in which we live. And may this podcast leave you with a sense of urgency to risk everything that Jesus has given you, for the days are too short to do anything other than that. It's a good day. Go and make it a great day. We'll be back next week with another episode of the Tim Allman Podcast. Peace, Thank you.