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Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S3Ep2. Family by Blood or Water | Dr. Dave Rueter

What’s it mean to be in a family these days? Are blood relations what decide family ties? How does Jesus shake up our understanding of family and broaden its definition? How does baptismal water bring people closer together than genetics or bloodline? Listen in as Dr. Dave Rueter leads us in the fundamentals of family.

Bio: Dr. Dave Rueter is a rostered DCE and the author of Teaching the Faith at Home and Called to Serve (both CPH) as well as a contributor to Relationships Count and Connected for Life (also both CPH). Dave is married to Andrea and has two sons, James and Wesley. Since 1998 he has served as DCE for congregations in Huntington Beach, Rancho Cucamonga, and now Livermore, CA as well as on faculty at Concordia University Irvine and the staff of the Pacific Southwest District. Dr. Rueter is certified by the Fuller Youth Institute as the official LCMS Growing Young speaker. Learn more at teachingthefaithathome.org.

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Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep.7 Christ’s Life for All Life | Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep.7 Christ’s Life for All Life | Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison

Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, takes some time during the Gathering to talk about Christ’s life and Christian love for all human life.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep6. The Art of Being Pro-Life | Kristen Clapper

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep6. The Art of Being Pro-Life | Kristen Clapper

Kristen Clapper is a local of New Orleans and share her passion for life in a creative way at the 2025 Gathering.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep5. Serving Your Local Pregnancy Center | Allison Daigle

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep5. Serving Your Local Pregnancy Center | Allison Daigle

Join Allison Daigle, CEO of Women’s New Life Clinic, as she discusses the clinic’s partnership with LCMS Life Ministry for the 2025 Gathering.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep4. A Physician’s View on Life | Dr. Latoya Kuester, OB/GYN

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep4. A Physician’s View on Life | Dr. Latoya Kuester, OB/GYN

Dr. Latoya Kuester is an OB/GYN in Jacksonville, FL, and she joined Friends for Life at the Gathering to talk about what life means to her as a physician.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep3 Pastoral Care Life Issues | Rev. Jonathan Petzold

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep3 Pastoral Care Life Issues | Rev. Jonathan Petzold

Rev. Jonathan Petzold shares how he delivers Christ’s hope and forgiveness to his people as they face very real life issues.
Jonah’s Desire to Die

Jonah’s Desire to Die

This Bible study and accompanying article cover the book of Jonah. Though Jonah is famous for his fish, he also provides an illuminating case study of depression and suicidal thought.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep6. Mental Health First Aid | Kelly Menke

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep6. Mental Health First Aid | Kelly Menke

Kelly Menke joins Tiffany and Steph to talk about being trained in Mental Health First Aid and ...
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep5. Can Unforgiveness Affect Mental Health? | Rev. Dr. Mark Rockenbach

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep5. Can Unforgiveness Affect Mental Health? | Rev. Dr. Mark Rockenbach

Is there a link between forgiveness and mental well-being? Join Steph and Dr. Mark Rockenbach for a ...
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep4. Mental Health & Our Youth | Julianna Shults

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep4. Mental Health & Our Youth | Julianna Shults

Steph is joined by guest Julianna Shults to give a “state of the union” on the mental ...
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep.3 Building Resilient Minds | Dr. Belinda Karge & Dr. Kara Bratton

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep.3 Building Resilient Minds | Dr. Belinda Karge & Dr. Kara Bratton

Dr. Karge and Dr. Bratton join Steph to talk about building mental resiliency in ourselves and in our young ...
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep2. 10 Top Tips to Improve Mental Health | Sarah Gulseth

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep2. 10 Top Tips to Improve Mental Health | Sarah Gulseth

Join Steph and guest Trevor Sutton as they discuss emerging advances in the world of biotechnology.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep1. The Church Cares about Mental Health

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S5Ep1. The Church Cares about Mental Health

Join Steph and guest Trevor Sutton as they discuss emerging advances in the world of biotechnology.

More Family Resources

Recommended Resources on Sexuality and Gender

Recommended Resources on Sexuality and Gender

This Bible study provides guidance and biblical testimony about how Christians should respond to gender and sexual identity issues.
The Problem With Porn

The Problem With Porn

Pornography feeds fantasy. It encourages men (and many women too) to think of sex abstractly, thus denigrating God’s good and perfect gift of sexuality.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep.7 Christ’s Life for All Life | Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep.7 Christ’s Life for All Life | Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison

Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, takes some time during the Gathering to talk about Christ’s life and Christian love for all human life.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep6. The Art of Being Pro-Life | Kristen Clapper

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep6. The Art of Being Pro-Life | Kristen Clapper

Kristen Clapper is a local of New Orleans and share her passion for life in a creative way at the 2025 Gathering.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep5. Serving Your Local Pregnancy Center | Allison Daigle

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep5. Serving Your Local Pregnancy Center | Allison Daigle

Join Allison Daigle, CEO of Women’s New Life Clinic, as she discusses the clinic’s partnership with LCMS Life Ministry for the 2025 Gathering.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep4. A Physician’s View on Life | Dr. Latoya Kuester, OB/GYN

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep4. A Physician’s View on Life | Dr. Latoya Kuester, OB/GYN

Dr. Latoya Kuester is an OB/GYN in Jacksonville, FL, and she joined Friends for Life at the Gathering to talk about what life means to her as a physician.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep3 Pastoral Care Life Issues | Rev. Jonathan Petzold

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep3 Pastoral Care Life Issues | Rev. Jonathan Petzold

Rev. Jonathan Petzold shares how he delivers Christ’s hope and forgiveness to his people as they face very real life issues.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep2. A Youth’s Perspective | Jacob & Nora

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep2. A Youth’s Perspective | Jacob & Nora

Hear from a high school and university student about why LCMS Life Ministry is so important for youth!
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep1. Friends for Life at the LCMS Gathering | Grant Manor & Sam Freeman

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S10Ep1. Friends for Life at the LCMS Gathering | Grant Manor & Sam Freeman

Grant and Sam take the mic to New Orleans for the 2025 LCMS Youth Gathering!
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S9Ep6. Men Matter in Family Ministry | Rev. Brandon Metcalf

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S9Ep6. Men Matter in Family Ministry | Rev. Brandon Metcalf

Rev. Brandon Metcalf talks with Steph and Andy about his strategies for family ministry and why men play a vital role in the church and home.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S9Ep5. Family is Foundational | Rev. Dr. Todd Biermann

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S9Ep5. Family is Foundational | Rev. Dr. Todd Biermann

Rev. Dr. Todd Biermann joins Andy and Steph to talk about why family is so important in Christian theology.
Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S9Ep4. Family Ministry & Intergenerational Community | Deborah Jurchen

Friends For Life — LCMS Life, Health and Family Ministries: S9Ep4. Family Ministry & Intergenerational Community | Deborah Jurchen

In this episode, our guest Deb Jurchen talks about the importance of intergenerational connectedness as it relates to family ministry in churches and homes.