Over the last several decades, perceptive observers of Western civilization have documented what virtually everyone has perceived: as the old foundations of society have toppled, morality and personal character have been set adrift and often vanished altogether. How can character be cultivated when it seems no one is willing or able to provide a definitive description of character to which humans should aspire?

While the reasons for this are many and complicated, one of the more potent singular factors is actually theological, says Biermann. Contemporary Lutheranism, in particular, has struggled with the appropriate place of morality and character formation, as these pursuits often have been perceived as being at odds with the central Christian doctrine of justification.

A Case for Character explores this problem and argues that Christian doctrine, specifically as articulated within a Lutheran framework, is altogether capable of encouraging a robust pursuit of character formation while maintaining a faithful expression of justification by grace alone through faith alone.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for The Systems of Systematic Theology session taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

Summer Institute of Theology 2021

Textbook for Ethics and the Followers of Christ course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

Fall '19

Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. James Molstre.

The Book of Concord is the authoritative collection of the Lutheran Church's statements of faith and contains documents which Lutheran Christians have used since the 16th century to explain, defend, and advance their witness to the truth of God's Word. This edition includes helpful introductions, insightful notes and annotations, and valuable tools and guides to aid the reading and comprehension of the Book of Concord.

Spring '26
Required FLBC textbook for Theology of Salvation and Lutheran Confessional Theology courses taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLS textbook for Introduction to Lutheran Thought and Christ & Man courses taught by Dr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Fall '25
Required FLBC textbook for Means of Grace and Eschatology and Theology of Worship course, taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Spring '25
Required FLBC textbook for Theology of Salvation, Lutheran Confessional Theology, and Theology of Christian Life courses taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLS textbook for Introduction to Lutheran Thought course taught by Dr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Fall '24
Required FLBC textbook for Means of Grace and Eschatology course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim and Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLBC textbook for Christian Education course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim
Required FLBC textbook for Theology of Worship course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLS textbook for Soteriology course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Spring '24
Required FLBC textbook for Theology of Salvation course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLS textbook for Lutheran Symbolics course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Fall ’23
Required FLBC textbook for Means of Grace and Eschatology and Lutheran Confessional Theology courses taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics and Theology & Anthropology courses taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for The Systems of Systematic Theology session taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Spring '23
Required FLBC textbook for Theology of Salvation course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLS textbook for Lutheran Symbolics course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
You will need either this or The Book of Concord - Kolb and Wengert or The Book of Concord - Tappert.

Fall '22
Required FLBC textbook for Means of Grace and Eschatology course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLS textbook for Soteriology course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
You will need either this or The Book of Concord - Kolb and Wengert or The Book of Concord - Tappert.

Spring '22
Required FLBC textbook for Theology of Salvation course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
Required FLS textbook for Lutheran Symbolics course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Fall '21
Required FLBC textbook for Lutheran Confessional Theology course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Spring '21
Required FLS textbook for Lutheran Symbolics course taught by Dr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Spring '20
Required FLS textbook for Lutheran Symbolics course taught by Dr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Presents Sverdrup's view of free and living congregations as the only true expression of the New Testament Church today. The author defines "free and living," discusses factors that are hostile to true congregational life, and suggests ways to challenge the church to recover and restore this life—all relevant to the AFLC.

Spring '25
Required FLS textbook for Lutheranism in America course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

SIT '23
Recommended SIT textbook for History & Aims session taught by Dr. Martin Horn.

More than six decades ago, thousands of Germans were put to death for their attempt to overthrow the National Socialist tyranny. Most of them were Christian; some Roman Catholic, and some Lutheran. The most famous among the latter group were Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Carl Friedrich Goerdeler. This study will show that both men acted in accordance with Martin Luther's teachings on how and when to resist secular authority, although many eminent scholars and scribes have promoted the cliche that Luther was somehow to blame for Hitler's rise to power.

There is a limited quantity of this book available, ebooks may be purchased directly from the publisher here.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for The Systems of Systematic Theology session taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

A booklet on the founder of the Lutheran Free Church. "No name is more prominent or significant in the history of the Lutheran Free Church or its successor, the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, than that of Georg Sverdrup."

SIT '23
Recommended SIT textbook for History & Aims session taught by Dr. Martin Horn.

Do you face well-intentioned dragons?

Every church has them--sincere, well-meaning Christians who leave ulcers, strained relationships, and hard feelings in their wake. They don't intend to be hostile; they don't consciously plot destruction or breed discontent. But they often do undermine the ministry of the church and make pastors question their calling.

Ministering to Problem People in Your Church will guide you in dealing with these challenging people. Based on real-life accounts of battle-scarred veterans, this book helps you go beyond just tolerating problem people to limiting their damage and showing them God's love. You'll discover effective strategies to turn dissidents into disciples.

This time-tested book by the editor-in-chief of Christianity Today's Leadership Journal has new chapters on using social media and caring for those with mental illness. It will help you not only preserve your sanity (and maybe your job), but minister more effectively, even to those who make life difficult.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for Seminars in Congregational Leadership sessions.
Seminars in Congregational Leadership sessions:
Monday The Board Chair (Dr. Wade Mobley)
Tuesday Conflict and the Cross (Pr. Micah Hjermstad)
Wednesday What Servant Leadership Means (Dr. James Molstre)
Thursday Leading with a Limp: Emotional Health for Spiritual Leaders (Dr. Wade Mobley)

Christ's sheep need shepherding. That's where you come in.
With more than 60 years of ministry between them, Harold Senkbeil and Lucas Woodford have come to understand that everything in ministry--even administration, leadership, and planning--revolves around the ancient tradition of the care of souls. Pastors are entrusted with the care of a flock by the Good Shepherd and are called to be faithful to this task. But pastoring seems to be getting more and more difficult.

Based on a sound theological framework, Senkbeil and Woodford present a set of practical tools for church leadership and strategy. Calling on their vast experience, they encourage pastors to protect, guide, and feed their flock as Jesus would, bridging the eternal wisdom of the word of God with the everyday practicality of hands-on leadership. Originally published as Church Leadership & Strategy, this revision includes a new chapter and litany.

Spring '26

Required FLS textbook for Discipleship and Servant Leadership course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley and Dr. James Molstre.

SIT 2024
Recommended SIT textbook for Session A.
Pastoral Theology: The Care of Souls (Dr. Harold Senkbeil)

Reminder: Select one recommended resource per session to link to your reflective essay.

Spring '24

Required FLS textbook for Discipleship and Servant Leadership course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley and Dr. James Molstre.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for Seminars in Congregational Leadership sessions.
Seminars in Congregational Leadership sessions:
Monday The Board Chair (Dr. Wade Mobley)
Tuesday Conflict and the Cross (Pr. Micah Hjermstad)
Wednesday What Servant Leadership Means (Dr. James Molstre)
Thursday Leading with a Limp: Emotional Health for Spiritual Leaders (Dr. Wade Mobley)

Spring '22

Required FLS textbook for Discipleship and Servant Leadership course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley and Dr. James Molstre.

• What is real?
• What is truth?
• What can we know?
• What should we believe?
• What should we do and why?
• Is there a God?
• Can we know him?
• Do Christian doctrines make sense?
• Can we believe in God in the face of evil?

These are fundamental questions that any thinking person wants answers to. These are questions that philosophy addresses. And the answers we give to these kinds of questions serve as the foundation stones for constructing any kind of worldview.

Now updated and expanded in this second edition, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by J. P. Moreland and William Lane Craig offers a comprehensive introduction to philosophy from a Christian perspective. In their broad sweep they seek to introduce readers to the principal subdisciplines of philosophy, including epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of science, ethics, and philosophy of religion. They do so with characteristic clarity and incisiveness. Arguments are clearly outlined, and rival theories are presented with fairness and accuracy.

Philosophy, they contend, aids Christians in the tasks of apologetics, polemics, and systematic theology. It reflects our having been made in the image of God, helps us to extend biblical teaching into areas not expressly addressed in Scripture, facilitates the spiritual discipline of study, enhances the boldness and self-image of the Christian community, and is requisite to the essential task of integrating faith and learning.

Here is a lively and thorough introduction to philosophy for all who want to know reality. This second edition now includes including enhanced arguments, updated bibliographies, and new chapters on atonement and the mind-body problem.

Spring '24
Recommended FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for Philosophy for Faith session taught by Dr. Jonathan Strand.

Spring '23
Recommended FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

Spring '21
Recommended FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

Spring '20
Recommended FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

Spring '19
Recommended FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

From time to time we all face life's big questions . . .

• What is real?
• How do we know what we know?
• What is right?
• Who or what am I?
• How should we view science and its claims?

And as we wrestle with these issues, we may even find ourselves thinking, Perhaps what I need is a good dose of philosophy. It's a shame philosophy is so difficult.

Garrett DeWeese and J. P. Moreland understand this frustration and in this book offer help to make philosophy at least slightly less difficult. In straightforward language with everyday examples, they explain the basics needed to understand philosophical concepts and thus bring clarity to discussions of life's big questions.

Spring '26
Required FLBC textbook for Introduction to Philosophy course taught by Dr. Jonathan Strand.

Spring '25
Required FLBC textbook for Apologetics, Ethics, & Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim and Dr. Wade Mobley.
Required FLBC textbook for Introduction to Philosophy course taught by Dr. Jonathan Strand.

Spring '24
Required FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for Philosophy for Faith session taught by Dr. Jonathan Strand.

Spring '23
Required FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

Spring '21
Recommended FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

Spring '20
Recommended FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

Fall '19
Required FLS textbook for Basic Principles of Theology/ Doctrine of Word course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Spring '19
Recommended FLBC textbook for Apologetics and Christian Thought course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley.

Fall '18
Required FLS textbook for Expository Preaching II course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

A transcript of Walther's Friday evening "Luther Hour" lectures. Explains 25 statements regarding the necessity of law and gospel in Lutheran preaching and teaching, counseling, and evaluating the mission of the church.

Spring '26
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics/Expository Preaching 2 course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim, Professor of Practical and Systematic Theology.

Spring '25
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics/Expository Preaching 2 course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim, Professor of Practical and Systematic Theology.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for The Systems of Systematic Theology session taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Fall '22
Required FLS textbook for Soteriology course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.
You will need either this or Law & Gospel: How to Read and Apply the Bible - Reader's Edition.

Fall '20
Required FLS textbook for Soteriology course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Spring '19
Required FLS textbook for Soteriology course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

The need for talented, vigorous leaders in the church cannot be overemphasized. Such times demand active service of men and women who are guided by and devoted to Jesus Christ. Spiritual Leadership stands as a proven classic for developing such leadership. J. Oswald Sanders, presents the key principles of leadership in both the temporal and spiritual realms. He illustrates his points with examples from Scripture and biographies of eminent men of God, such as Moses, Nehemiah, the apostle Paul, David Livingstone, Charles Spurgeon, and others. Sanders holds that even natural leadership qualities are God-given, and their true effectiveness can only be reached when they are used to the glory of God. Let this classic be your guide for leadership, and watch how God works through you to do great things for His glory.

Spring '26

Required FLS textbook for Discipleship and Servant Leadership course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley and Dr. James Molstre.

Spring '24

Required FLS textbook for Discipleship and Servant Leadership course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley and Dr. James Molstre.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for Seminars in Congregational Leadership sessions.
Seminars in Congregational Leadership sessions:
Monday The Board Chair (Dr. Wade Mobley)
Tuesday Conflict and the Cross (Pr. Micah Hjermstad)
Wednesday What Servant Leadership Means (Dr. James Molstre)
Thursday Leading with a Limp: Emotional Health for Spiritual Leaders (Dr. Wade Mobley)

Spring '22

Required FLS textbook for Discipleship and Servant Leadership course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley and Dr. James Molstre.

Spring '20

Required FLS textbook for Discipleship/Leadership course taught by Dr. Wade Mobley and Dr. James Molstre.

This volume acquaints readers with the historical setting in which Luther composed his catechisms. This carefully crafted survey of the context of medieval instruction and piety brings to life the habits of mind that Luther inherited as a member of the church and a student of theology, as well as the concerns for the spiritual welfare of his people which moved him to prepare a course of instruction for them. The book presents a solid introduction to the history, theology, and significance of Luther's catechisms. Arand explores critical issues on the church's catechetical tradition, the purpose and setting of Luther's Small and Large Catechism, the heart of the Catechism's content, and the ways the Catechism shapes God's people in faith and life.

Spring '26
Required FLS textbook for Introduction to Lutheran Theology course taught by Dr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Spring '25
Required FLS textbook for Introduction to Lutheran Thought course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for The Systems of Systematic Theology session taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Spring '23
Required FLS textbook for Lutheran Symbolics course taught by Pr. Steven Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History.

Spring '21
Required FLS textbook for Lutheran Symbolics course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Spring '20
Required FLS textbook for Lutheran Symbolics course taught by Pr. Steve Mundfrom, Professor of Systematic Theology.

Pastors care for a soul in the way a doctor cares for a body. In a time when many churches have lost sight of the real purpose of the church, The Care of Souls invites a new generation of pastors to form the godly habits and practical wisdom needed to minister to the hearts and souls of those committed to their care.

Harold Senkbeil helps remind pastors of the essential calling of the ministry: preaching and living out the Word of God while orienting others in the same direction. And he offers practical and fruitful advice—born out of his five decades as a pastor—that will benefit both new pastors and those with years in the pulpit.

Drawing on a lifetime of pastoral experience, The Care of Souls is a beautifully written treasury of proven wisdom which pastors will find themselves turning to again and again.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Theology course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

Fall '24
Required FLS textbook for Principles of Pastoral Theology course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

SIT 2024
Recommended SIT textbook for Session A.
Pastoral Theology: The Care of Souls (Dr. Harold Senkbeil)

Reminder: Select one recommended resource per session to link to your reflective essay.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Pastoral Theology course taught by Dr. James Molstre, Dean of FLS.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for Seminars in Congregational Leadership sessions.
Seminars in Congregational Leadership sessions:
Monday The Board Chair (Dr. Wade Mobley)
Tuesday Conflict and the Cross (Pr. Micah Hjermstad)
Wednesday What Servant Leadership Means (Dr. James Molstre)
Thursday Leading with a Limp: Emotional Health for Spiritual Leaders (Dr. Wade Mobley)

Summer Institute of Theology 2020
Textbook for Christian Leadership and Strategy for the Care of Souls course taught by Rev. Dr. Lucas Woodford.

Spirituality: the lived, vital, personal dimension of Christianity.

Christianity has its spirituality—not the cloudy mysticism that is usually associated with that word, but rather mysteries grounded in the Incarnation of God, His death on a bloody piece of wood, His physical resurrection, bread, wine, water, and our own ordinary callings of everyday life. That spirituality can still be found in the Lutheran tradition.

Veith explores the topic of spirituality by presenting a true understanding of justification by faith, the means of grace, the two kingdoms, worship, and the church. This revised edition contains expanded material on vocation and the theology of the cross.

Spring '26
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics/Expository Preaching 2 course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim, Professor of Practical and Systematic Theology.

Spring '25
Required FLS textbook for Hermeneutics/Expository Preaching 2 course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim, Professor of Practical and Systematic Theology.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for The Systems of Systematic Theology session taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Fall '22
Recommended FLBC textbook for Theology of the Christian Life course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Fall '20
Recommended FLBC textbook for Theology of the Christian Life course taught by Pr. Brett Boe.

Wholly Citizens addresses the relation between the church and the world in light of the Reformation teaching of the two realms—especially as presented by Luther. Rather than exploring again the usual texts of Luther from the 1520’s, this book begins with a careful reading of Luther’s Commentary on Psalm 81 (1531), and then considers subsequent interpreters of Luther, both faithful and otherwise, and the dubious legacy they have left the church. The book argues that both the corporate church as well as individual believers are responsible for the world and that each must speak directly about and to the world in meaningful ways. The final section of the book addresses the concrete situation facing believers in the early 21st century in light of faithful Reformation teaching about the two realms. Following this path leads to conclusions not entirely expected, including the forthright rejection of “a wall of separation” between church and state, and also a rebuke of the familiar clamor for the preservation of the rights of Christians and the church. Heedless of the status quo, Wholly Citizens offers an engaging and bracing picture of Christian life in today’s world—a picture framed in theological truth.

Fall '25
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

Fall '23
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson, Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology.

SIT 2023
Recommended SIT textbook for The Systems of Systematic Theology session taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Fall '22
Recommended FLBC textbook for Theology of the Christian Life course taught by Dr. Jason Gudim.

Fall '21
Required FLS textbook for Christian Ethics course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

Summer Institute of Theology 2021

Textbook for Ethics and the Followers of Christ course taught by Dr. Nathan Olson.

Fall '20
Recommended FLBC textbook for Theology of the Christian Life course taught by Pr. Brett Boe.