In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, Elizabeth Pittman is joined by Rev. Dr R. Lee Hagan, author of Faithful, Hopeful, and Bold: Encouragement for the Church. During the episode, Hagan reminds listeners that wherever God’s Word is proclaimed, there is hope for His people.

Get Hagan’s new book at cph.org/hagan.

Show Notes

Our world is constantly shifting, changing, and moving away from Christianity. This post-Christian culture feels bleak and full of hopelessness for the next generation and the future of our congregations. Yet, the current generations are not the first to have faced this struggle.

In his new book, Rev. Dr. R. Lee Hagan brings readers 12 different stories and reflections that address the hopelessness and struggle in today’s churches. The book is perfect for church leaders to find spiritual encouragement and strengthen the faith in their own congregations. Hagan discusses the ins and outs of writing the book with host Elizabeth Pittman, as well as how church leaders should respond to the despair felt for the future of the church, how leadership is centered in discipleship, what it means to be bold as a church leader today, and more.

Questions

• What inspired you to write Faithful, Hopeful, and Bold? Why is it important for us today?
• The book opens by acknowledging the despair many Christians feel about the future of the church. What do you think are the root causes of that despair, and how should church leaders respond?
• In the reflection “Small Church, Big Savior,” you highlight the strength that comes from Christ to even the smallest congregations. What encouragement would you give to pastors or leaders of small churches?
• You mention that even in the closing of congregations, God’s Word has not failed. Can you share a story or moment that illustrates that truth?
• In “Living as Exiles,” you compare our current culture to the exile experience in Scripture. How can congregations faithfully live as exiles without retreating or becoming combative?
• You write that “leaders are followers first.” In a culture obsessed with leadership, how can the church cultivate a different vision of leadership grounded in discipleship?
• What does it mean to be “bold” as a church leader today—and how does boldness differ from brashness or arrogance?
• You discuss grief over the past in “For Such a Time as This.” How can churches move from nostalgia to opportunity without losing their history or identity?
• How do you define success in ministry today, especially when metrics like attendance or offerings may be declining?
• You describe hope as a “gift of God” and “antidote to despair.” What practices can help church leaders personally stay rooted in that hope?
• Your final chapter is titled Quo Vademus? or “Where do we go from here?” If a church leader finishes your book and asks that very question—what’s one step you hope they take next?
• How do you envision this book being used in congregational settings or among pastors?
• What’s your prayer for the Church today as we seek to be faithful, hopeful, and bold in Christ?

About the Guest
Rev. Dr. R. Lee Hagan serves as president of the Missouri District-LCMS and as chairman of the LCMS Council of Presidents. He is a 1992 graduate of Concordia College (now University), Seward, Nebraska. He graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis with a Master of Divinity in 1996 and Doctor of Ministry in 2011.