Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries KFUO Radio

Amidst a culture that disdains aging, how can the Christian family embrace the Scriptural call to honor the older generations and revere their wisdom? How can older people serve and mentor young people in both faith and life? Listen in as guest Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Robinson shares why old and young need each other.
Bio:
Rev. Dr. Geoffrey L. Robinson has served as the Executive for Outreach, Human Care, and Stewardship for the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod since August 1, 2007. His areas of service are: Mission Development, Evangelism, Parish Revitalization, Senior Adult Ministry, Parish Nurses, Stewardship, and Lutheran Early Response Teams. He is also the Indiana District Outreach Counselor for the LWML.  
Rev. Geoffrey L. Robinson served 25 years in the parish ministry prior to receiving and accepting the call to become the Executive for Outreach for the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Rev. Robinson also has served in various synodical and district positions. He has served as circuit counselor of the Hutchinson Circuit in Kansas, Secretary of the Central Illinois District, Assistant Secretary of the Central Illinois District, Rural Ministry committee chairman of the Central Illinois District, Stewardship Commission chairman of the Central Illinois District, Mission Commission Chairman of the Central Illinois District, Finance and Management Commission Chairman of the Central Illinois District, Congregational Life commission member for the Central Illinois District, and he served as a member of the floor committee on Missions for the 2004 syndical convention.  
Rev. Dr. Robinson has been actively involved in radio, television, and newspaper outreach. He has taught college-level Environmental Science and Biology to both traditional students and incarcerated students.  
Rev. Dr. Robinson is married to Teresa (nee St. Onge) Robinson. They have been blessed with four children, three sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and fourteen grandchildren.  
Resources in this episode:
Email us at friendsforlife@lcms.org
LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family
Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Where’s the place for singles when it seems the church is filled with families? How do single adults fit in to the larger family of faith? Join Steph and guest Rachel Morton as they talk about singleness, the propensity to feel invisible, and the family that exists beyond what is visible.
Bio: Rachel Morton is a transplanted Texan living in Wisconsin. She is the oldest of nine children, the proud auntie of 5 nieces and nephews, and "bonus auntie" and godmother to her best friend's little girls. She is an extroverted introvert who loves connecting with others through conversations over a cup of coffee. Rachel has worked for the LCMS as a DPM since July 2012 serving St. John's West Bend as their Assistant Director of Worship. She also helps to oversee Women's Ministry and their yearly Women's Retreat. Her whole life would mean nothing, though, if she were not a baptized and dearly loved child of God. Her life's mission is to help others see their lives through that lens, empowering them to both know and share the life-changing love of Jesus. 
Resources in this episode:
Email us at friendsforlife@lcms.org
LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family
Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Parenting is hard...ever wish you had a guidebook for it? Dr. Randy Schroeder joins us to share the top takeaways from his book, Simple Habits for Effective Parenting. You won’t want to miss this! 
Bio:
Dr. Randy Schroeder wrote the 2020 three-time national award-winning Christian marriage book, Simple Habits for Marital Happiness. The only marriage book that provides practical, specific words, actions, and essential knowledge in the seven major areas of a relationship to help every couple achieve a gratifying marriage. He has helped thousands of spouses achieve a consistently satisfying happy marriage with these simple, yet very effective habits.  
His 2021 two-time national award-winning book, Simple Habits for Effective Parenting is the only parenting book that provides detailed guidance in the seven key aspects of parenting. Happy, confident children driven to reach their full potential with self-motivation, good decision-making skills, a positive attitude, and determination are raised by parents who use these simple successful habits.   
Dr. Schroeder joined Jim Daly, President, and John Fuller, Vice President, on FOCUS ON THE FAMILY national broadcasts for six interviews: Simple Habits to Embrace in Your Marriage – January (BEST of 2022); Forming New Habits for Your Marriage I – September 2022; Forming New Habits for Your Marriage II – September 2022; Effective Habits to Embrace in Parenting – July (BEST of 2021); More Effective Habits to Embrace in Parenting I – November 2022; and More Effective Habits to Embrace in Parenting II – November 2022. These six FOCUS ON THE FAMILY interviews can be found on YouTube.   
Dr. Schroeder was born and raised in Austin, Texas.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University Chicago and received a Master of Education in Administration from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.  He also earned a Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana and holds a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from The Chicago Theological Seminary.   
The first eight years of his professional career were spent as a Lutheran high school teacher, assistant principal, athletic director, and head varsity basketball and football coach. In 1982, after eight years as an educator, he felt called to serve the Lord as an LCMS pastor and left the teaching ministry to prepare for the pastoral ministry.  
After graduating from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1986, Dr. Schroeder became a Professor of Pastoral Counseling, Vice President of Student Personnel Services, and Dean of Students.  For nearly 25 years he taught pastoral counseling classes including Premarital Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Family Counseling, Crisis Counseling, Ministry to the Sick & Dying, and Pastor as Counselor. He also wrote a Family Counselor column for the Lutheran Witness magazine for 15 years.   
In 2010, after being an educator for 36 years, he strongly desired to serve God and others as a full-time Christian counselor to help individuals, marriages, and families with the practical wisdom that makes a profound positive difference.  Dr. Schroeder is a Marriage and Family Counselor and has a successful practice at Cornerstone Lutheran Church in Carmel, Indiana.  
For over four decades, Dr. Schroeder has spoken to and counseled thousands of individuals, spouses, and parents about the simple, yet effective habits that are essential for an enjoyable life, a happy marriage, and for effectively parenting a child. Dr. Schroeder believes a lack of valuable knowledge about specific practical words, actions, and skills, not a lack of desire, is what holds people back from accomplishing their individual, marriage, parenting, and relationship goals.   
Randy and his wife, Ginny, have been married since 1975 and have two married sons and seven grandchildren. Learn more about Dr. Schroeder at his website, DrRandySchroeder.com and enjoy his

A lot of motherhood involves learning from other mothers. Join Steph and her friend Kelly as they talk about the unique role that moms play in the family and why every part of motherhood – even the mundane, monotonous, and messy – matters.
Bio: Kelly has a passion for kids and teaching and teaching kids about Jesus! She has worked as a Lutheran elementary school teacher, a Sunday School director, a stay-at-home mom and now currently serves on the NextGen team at Hales Corners Lutheran Church, Hales Corners, WI. In her role, she works with families and kids of all ages and stages of life including leading Sunday School, VBS, large kid & family events, and assisting in the middle school Confirmation program.
Kelly is married to an energetic pastor and is often on some sort of adventure with her three super-awesome kids!
Resources in this episode:
Email us at friendsforlife@lcms.org
LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family
Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

Fathers are vital to families. Good fathers are an irreplaceable part of thriving societies. Looking for some tips on fatherhood? Want to know how you can encourage the dads in your life? Then listen in as family members Steph and Aaron talk about fatherhood.
Bio: Pastor Aaron Neugebauer is pastor of the best church ever, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lafe, Arkansas. He is the proud husband to his entrepreneur wife, Megan, and the father to 5 awesome kids. If you’re open to talking about Larry Bird, comic books, word etymologies, or the onomatopoetic nature of languages, you’ve got a friend in him! 
Resources in this episode:
Email us at friendsforlife@lcms.org
LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family
Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.

To call the family an “estate” may sound dated, but it turns out that Luther’s theology on the three estates is perhaps more timely than ever. What does Luther mean when he identifies the three estates of family, church, and state? How is the family the foundation of them all? What does this actually mean for modern families today? Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller joins Steph on this episode of Friends for Life!
Bio: Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller is pastor of St. Paul and Jesus Deaf Lutheran Churches in Austin, TX. He is the author of Lord, Teach Us to Pray (2023), Take They Our Life: Martin Luther’s Theology of Martyrdom (2019), A Martyr’s Faith for a Faithless World (CPH, 2019), Has American Christianity Failed? (CPH, 2016) and Final Victory: Contemplating the Death and Funeral of a Christian (CPH, 2010). He is host of What-Not, The Podcast, posts videos on YouTube at wolfmueller1, and has a number of other theological projects that all end up on his blog, www.wolfmueller.co. Bryan is a member of the Doxology Collegium. He and his wife Keri live with their children in Round Rock, TX. 
Resources in this episode:
Email us at friendsforlife@lcms.org
LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: lcmslife.org
For resources on the family: lcmslife.org/family
Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.