Welcome back lovely listeners to Family Shield Ministries podcast and radio show. This is Mark Femmel, the pastor in St Louis and cohost. I'm excited to have this conversation because almost every church I have ever met has a problem-a youth problem, and that is, when we just kind of do business as normal, our kids grow up and graduate from the fai…

Welcome back to Family Shield Ministries folks. I’m Mark Femmel, pastor in St Louis, and with Family Feud Ministries. I got an exciting opportunity. I got an opportunity to get my hands on a book by Dennis Allen called The Disciple Dilemma, and it is the answer to prayers and all the things that the church can do better; it's something that I've be…

My name is Mark Femmel in St. Louis and I am blessed to have a conversation with somebody who has written the book that I wish I could give to myself as a kid. This is from Concordia publishing house and it is a journey through church history. Christa Petzold has written this book and is a tremendous gift of just short bedtime stories, or reading i…

Welcome to all of our listeners to Family Shield Ministries. My name is Mark Femmel and I'm a pastor and I'm co-host of Family Shield Ministries. The big question we have today is how can you have the right words to help people, not hurt more? Sometimes at funerals and terrible tragedies or events or something that's bad news has just happened, and…

Hello Family Shield Ministries folks. This is Mark Femmel coming to you with a very unique book, The Men We Need. it's a very unique book because often times the church is for women, and women feel at home in the church, and women often times have a major struggle to bring their guys to church, and if you’ve got a guy like that in your life, or may…

Thanks for listening to Family Shield. This is Rev. Brandon Larson of Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, Missouri. I am guest host for today's Family Shield program. In Kirkwood there, suburb of St Louis, I serve as Pastor for Student Ministries at Concordia Lutheran. I and my wife Amy have two little ones–Mark who has just started kindergarten…

As parents it's very easy to get caught in the rut of trying to do everything–getting the kids everywhere they need to be, trying to help every kid with every homework assignment, trying to iron out every little wrinkle that your little special nugget of joy has in any chaos that they have with any parents, boyfriend, girlfriend, teacher, or even j…

Welcome to Family Shield. Today we'll learn about Concordia Center for the Family and how they equip congregations and their members to disciple children and families for Christ. We’ll also learn about relationships from Dr Todd Biermann’s book Handing Out Life: The Simple Way to Rewarding Relationships in All of Life. This includes relationship wi…

At the moment of Jesus' death the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. What does the tearing of the temple mean? How many days did Jesus appear to people after the resurrection? How many people saw him at one time after the resurrection? We often spend a lot of time during Lent and Easter le…

Why do parents of prodigals experience heartache and pain when their child either stops attending church or leaves the faith? How can a church begin a small group for parents of prodigals? What do you do as you begin your group? What topics do you cover? Today my guest on Family Shield are Dawn and Scott Mueller. They began a small group after one …

Hello and welcome to Family Shield Ministries. We are on mission to help families walk together and with each other, and of course to walk with God. I’m Pastor Mark Femmel, part of the Family Shield Ministries crew, and I am blessed to share the microphone, usually blessed by Kay Meyer. Today we have once again, a special guest David Brickner, who …

Hello and welcome to Family Shield Ministries. We are on mission to help families walk together with each other and with God. I am Pastor Mark Femmel, part of the Family Shield Ministries crew and I'm blessed to share the microphone, usually blessed, by Kay Meyer. Today we have a very special guest, David Brickner, who is the Executive Director of …

Hello Family Shield Ministries Network. We have a very precious opportunity to have a conversation once again with the incredible Rev. Dr. Gary Chapman. That's one of those names that if you're a minister, you know exactly who it is. If you're not in ministry, if you're not a major churchgoer or book reader, I guarantee you people have been using h…

Did you know that a 13-year-old boy saved 17 lives during Hurricane Harvey? Or that a five-year-old child led a group of toddlers to safety after Hurricane Katrina? Do you realize that a third grade girl sewed over a thousand blankets for people who needed them? Young people are doing amazing things all the time. Instead of thinking they need to wa…

What is the historical background of Thanksgiving? How do we prepare for Thanksgiving with our families, and why is it sometimes hard to keep Christ at the center of our holidays? How do you welcome the Lord to your Christmas holiday season? Join us today as I interview Bill Thrasher, the author of Putting God Back in the Holidays: Celebrate Christ…

Why do prodigal parents deal with heartache and pain when their children no longer attend church or practice their faith? How do we show unconditional love to our prodigal children? Why is prayer so important; and how can small groups and congregations encourage and assist prodigal parents? Join me today as I interview Paula Isakson. She was a prod…

How can Christians get acquainted with their neighbors? How do we befriend neighbors that have a different worldview than we do? And as God opens doors, how can we share our faith in Christ with them? My guest today is Reverend Michael Eckelkamp, Director of Ministry for Christ Lutheran Church in Lincoln Nebraska.…

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” At some point, our lives will be shaken by suffering, heartache, or loss. When this occurs we can ask these questions: will we rely on the faith that God gives us when life's sufferings shake us to the core? Through God’s strength, and by his grace, how ca…

Dr Gary Chapman, author of the 5 Traits of a Healthy Family, shares. The family has been bombarded with influences ranging from the lure of bigger, better, more, to our culture’s emphasis on personal happiness above all else. Young people forming families today often lack models for healthy relationships. We all have hopes and dreams, yet it's easy…

Hello and welcome to Family Shield Ministries. We are both a podcast and a radio program, so it's pretty exciting. My question for you is have you ever been in that moment where you're sitting in church and the pastor does it again - he looks at you and somehow he knows you haven't been reading the Bible. And he looks at you and says, “You should r…

“And these words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk to them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and write them on the doorpost of your house.” (Deuteronomy 6:…

Patti took a leap of bravery and faith to acknowledge an eating disorder she had since she was a teenager and sought help. Her eating disorder began with negative thoughts about herself and how she viewed her body when she was a teenager. Today we’ll learn more about how Patti sought and received help as she went through an intensive 12-week treatm…

How do we respond and share our faith with Mormons who come to our door or that we meet in the community? What's the difference between the Mormon concept of God and how it differs from Christian beliefs? What do Mormons believe about Jesus, and how is this different from Christian beliefs? Why is it important that we talk about these things with o…

What is trauma? What types of events cause trauma? What are some of the warning signs to watch for, and how do we learn to cope and eventually recover from trauma? Join us today as we discuss dealing with trauma. Today my guest is Dr Marie Yvette Seltz, director of Candescent Counseling and Coaching.…

How do we learn more about God's Word? Whether you are new to the Bible or have been reading and studying it for years, you'll want to listen to today's Family Shield program. We'll talk about 10 questions we should ask every time we read the Bible. Why are questions so important, and how will asking these questions help us understand and personall…

How can we improve our prayer life? Why should we pray more and worry less? Join us today on Family Shield as we learn what the Bible says about prayer, discuss how to improve our prayer life, help our children learn to pray, and share stories of how God answers prayers.Family Shield által

God created the family and He wants parents to raise their children to know and love the Lord. Today is the Family Shield Father's Day Special - Why are fathers so important to their children? Why is it important for fathers to learn to say “I'm sorry; will you forgive me?” And how do fathers help their children grow spiritually and become disciple…

The Bible has endured for generations, been shared around the world, and is still the best selling book of all time. The Museum of the Bible located in Washington DC is a 430,000 square foot building that preserves an abundance of rare and fascinating artifacts. Today we’ll learn about the Museum of the Bible—its mission, four pillars, and about th…

Family Shield Ministries' board of directors unanimously approved taking over the ministry of Faith Family Reunion at its March 2023 board meeting. Faith Family Reunion has ministered to parents and grandparents that had adult children raised in the church but have turned away from their faith in Christ. It was founded by Paula Isakson. Paula was a…

How can a coffee shop be used to introduce people to Christ? How can we as Christians learn to open up conversations and build trusting relationships with those we meet in our community? Join us today as I talk with Reverend Mark Femmel, a member of the Family Shield Ministries board of directors and pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Maryland Heigh…

Has technology taken over your home? In this digital age children spend more time absorbed in screens and less time playing outside, reading a book, or enjoying family. With Screen Kids you'll become empowered to make positive changes in your children's lives, discover how to take back your home from an over-dependence on screens, and learn to teac…

Explore who God is, what He does, and what He promises in His Word as we talk about Promised Rest: Finding Peace In God's Presence. As you study this book it will draw you closer to God's real and present peace through His Word. Michelle Diercks, the author, uses personal stories, scripture, and devotional reflections to help the reader understand …

In our culture of sound bites it's easy for Jesus' words to be taken out of context and misunderstood. What do we make of these challenging words? Jesus Said WHAT? is a book written by Christopher Kennedy. The book brings clarity to 15 of Jesus' most difficult teachings on topics such as money, family relationships, and consequences for sin. Each c…

What is grief and why do people grieve differently? How can Christians find ways to share God's love with people who are grieving that know the Lord? How can we offer God's comfort and peace to those who are grieving and do not know Christ? Today my guest is Daniel Verkoyan, a Christian funeral director. Daniel is a husband and father of two daught…

Why are so many young adults leaving the church? How do we learn to open up conversations with those who are unchurched about faith issues? And what should a church for Millennials look like and do? Join us today as I interview Dr Tony Cook, director of the United States Ministries for Lutheran Hour Ministries. We’ll discuss outreach to the next ge…

How can a couple stay connected? How can a couple keep their marriage centered on Christ; and how can a couple receive encouragement during times of joy and times of stress? By staying connected to God's Word. 5-Minute Bible Studies for Couples is for every married couple, especially those whose calendars are overloaded with events and obligations …

Jacob seems to be anything but a model disciple. He's a trickster, liar, and a selfishly ambitious man who fathers children with four women and leads a dysfunctional family life with jealousy and backstabbing. But Jacob is also Israel, the namesake of the Old Testament community of God, chosen and blessed. As such the sinner-saint who limps along w…

Why did Matthew, a college student raised as a Jehovah's Witness leave the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society? How did Matthew's friend, Daniel show love and help him learn more about what Christians believe and teach? And how did Daniel grow in his faith as he became friends with Matthew? I met Rev. Matthew Finn and Daniel Verkoeyen recently when …

A number of months ago my wife and I were sharing a meal with some good friends. All three of our families had been members of the same congregation several years before but we’d all moved on to different places. Our kids had grown up; what we’d discovered together was that all of our kids had drifted away from public worship. One could easily say …

What if you could spend this Christmas season delighting in your Savior instead of trying to create a picture perfect holiday? Christmas is all about the birth of Christ yet we often are more focused on finishing our holiday to-do list than celebrating the greatest gift of all. In Unwrapping the Names of Jesus Asheritah Ciuciu invites you to prepar…

We live in an era when children often know more about their electronic devices than their own family history. Parents invest more time in the carpool line than at the dinner table, and marriages teeter on the cliff of neglect. Today's program will offer families creative, life changing solutions to these modern-day dilemmas. Learn how to deposit sm…

Advent is a time of anticipation and preparation for the birth of our Savior. A sure sign that Christmas is coming is when we see Advent calendars in the stores and our homes. If your children and grandchildren are like mine they love to count down the days before Christmas as they attend Advent services, participate in special Christmas traditions…

Surviving a crisis is one of the hardest things a family can go through. It is also one of the six traits that research has shown can help build strong, healthy families. Today I've invited Dana Herbst to share what happened to her three-year-old daughter Nikki when she was attacked by a dog. Nikki was rushed to the emergency room by ambulance and …

One of the great challenges Christians face is sharing the truth with those who believe they have already found it. When witnessing to current or former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it's essential that you compassionately describe biblical teachings from Mormon doctrine while tactfully advocating for Christ. For every…

What was the reformation? Who was involved? And why is it so important 500 years later? Join us today as I interview Rev. William Marler about the reformation. He’s the senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Springfield, Missouri, and an instructor in the Department of Religious Studies at Missouri State University.…

Why do Jehovah's Witnesses leave the Watchtower Society? Many ex-Jehovah's Witnesses are disfellowshipped. They can also experience guilt and anger after they leave. Why do they need hope that is only possible when we know the Christ of the Bible, and how can we effectively share God's love and the Gospel with them? Join us today as we visit with M…

Today on Family Shield we’ll explore the links between Dragon myths and the reality of dinosaurs. Did you know there are dragon legends in nearly every culture from China to Australia, India to Europe, the Americas, and Persia to the kingdoms of the fiercest Norse warriors? Eyewitnesses to these dinosaurs include Job from the Bible, Alexander the G…

Raising children to know and love the Lord in today's world is a joy, a privilege, and a challenge. Parenting is the most important job you will ever have. How can we maintain a Christ-centered home while juggling jobs, sports, school, and community activities? We find the answer when we rely upon God’s power, not our own. Family Shield Ministries …

What is Islam? What do Muslims believe and teach that Christians need to understand? How can Christians learn to engage Muslims in a conversation? And how can we share the Gospel with them? My guest today is Dr. Abjar Bahkou, an Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and author of Shining the Gospel …

Hello this is Kay Meyer of Family Shield Ministries. Many people have asked me how and why did you start Family Shield? Because it's a long story, I seldom talk about our early years. But I think it would be beneficial for our supporters and those who care about the ministry to know more about how and why the ministry began. Today I'll focus on the…