In this episode of The Concordia Publishing House Podcast, author Christa Petzold joins Elizabeth Pittman to discuss her book coming out this May, Gathered by Christ: The Overlooked Gift of Church. During their discussion, Christa helps listeners see the church through the eyes of Christ.
Find out more about Christa’s upcoming book by visiting books.cph.org/gathered-by-christ.
Show Notes:
Through our fallen world of sin, humans—including those within the Church—can hurt others and push people out the door rather than inviting them in. Christa Petzold empathizes and understands how Christians in the Church have hurt others, but she brings light and emphasis to the ways that Jesus sees the Church as His community of believers, founded securely on Him and His Word.
During the episode Christa dives into why many have felt rejected by the modern Church and why it’s important to remember who created the Church – God Himself. Listen to this episode to hear Christa explain why the Church is a blessing, what regular church attendance looks like, how Jesus sees the Church, and more.
Questions Covered
· What are the benefits of studying the history of those who came before us in the faith?
·You remind us that the church is created by God and not by man. How can remembering this inform the way we view and participate in our own congregations?
·Why is the Church referred to as she/female? What’s with the Church/bride analogy?
· What role does the pastor fill in the life of the Church?
· What are some ways that we can honor the office of pastor and support our pastors in our churches? What do you think are some of the challenges pastors and their families face in ministry?
· Lex orandi, lex credenda. Why do our practices in our local congregation matter so much?
· For those who don’t know, can you define what church hopping is and why it’s not a good approach to church attendance?
· Your book explains why the Church is both necessary and a blessing in the lives of Christians. Do you have suggestions about how we can lovingly and kindly broach the necessity of Church with people in our lives who have fallen away from attending the Church?
· Speaking of Church attendance, a recent study from Lifeway Research found that most Protestant pastors and churchgoers define regular church attendance as twice a month or more - wondering what your thoughts are on this. (Article about the survey: https://research.lifeway.com/2023/02/21/most-pastors-churchgoers-see-more-than-monthly-attendance-as-standard/?ecid=PDM265108&bid=1771054513)
· In a nutshell, how does Jesus see the Church?
· What is your favorite part of Church and why?
About the Guest
Christa Petzold is a pastor’s wife and stay-at-home mother of four. She holds a master’s degree in theology from Concordia University Irvine and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and Lutheran secondary education from Concordia University Wisconsin. She lives with her family in Bartlett, Illinois, and spends her time homeschooling, teaching theology, writing, reading, and studying Church history. She and her husband, Jonathan, are the authors of Male and Female: Embracing Your Role in God’s Design.