Armed Lutheran Radio

This week we look back at the third annual Battle-N-Benton IDPA Championship and the road I took to get there. It's all about change, accepting your weaknesses, and working to improve.  Congratulations to Sgt. Bill Silvia for winning High Law Enforcement at this year's match!

Pastor John Bennett returns so you get full-strength, unadulterated Armed Lutheran Radio this week. You'll hear about layers, pro-gun bumper stickers, shooting on the move, teaching our kids about guns, and how a pastor in the Wisconsin Synod thinks that if you have guns, criminals will want them too.   Fundamental Defense - Aaron Israel discusses the safety concerns and possible legal ramifications of pro-gun bumper stickers. Ballistic Minute - Sgt. Bill has tips for learning to shoot on the move. Mia's Motivations - Ogres have layers. Onions have layers. And so will you as the weather gets colder. Mia Anstine discusses the need to practice concealed carry in your cold weather clothing. Clinging to God and Guns - Pastor John Bennett is back to help us debunk an article by a WELS pastor, written in the wake of the WDBJ shooting.  www.ArmedLutheran.us/alr-episode-35/ www.CooksHolsters.com

With the advent of the 24-hour news cycle and social media, our kids are exposed to news about mankind's horrific acts of evil more often than ever.  From ISIS to cop killings in Dallas, to home-grown acts of terror like Orlando or 9/11, or school shootings like Newtown.  We can't totally shelter our kids from this information, so how do we explain these terrible acts of evil to our children? Pastor Evan Goeglein of Faith Lutheran Church in Rogue River, Oregon joins us again to discuss the subject. Ballistic Minute - Sergeant Bill discusses the pros and cons of the two basic types of handguns you can choose from -- the all-steel classics like 1911's and CZ's versus the plastic fantastics like GLOCK and M&P. Fundamental Defense - Aaron Israel discusses the critically important topic of teaching your kids gun safety. Mia's Motivations - Listen up, guys, because Mia Anstine is talking about ways to get the woman in your life interested in shooting. http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/alr-episode-34/

Today's Mid-Week Meditation is a little different. I was finished with Episode 33 of Armed Lutheran Radio when I had the honor of interviewing Paul Lathrop, founder and co-host of the Polite Society Podcast.  I decided his story, and the lessons learned from it, is so important that it deserved it's own show.  So, today I present my interview with Paul and his account of his harrowing six-month ordeal with our legal system.

We're geeking out in this week's episode!  When Massachusetts Atty. General Maura Healy thanked actor Chris Evans for his support for her authoritarian gun control expansion by using the hashtag #StandWithCap, it rubbed the wrong way those of us who grew up with the iconic Captain America of the comics. It's just another subtle way the left is undermining and usurping the traditions and imagery of American values to support big government.  We'll talk about the parallels between the Civil War story line from the comics and the gun control debate with Brandon Warr of War Zone Media. Ballistic Minute - Shooting partials in IDPA is a different test than USPSA. In IDPA hard cover, actual stage props, and non-threat targets can present you with part of a target, and mistakes can be costly. Sgt. Bill explains how to attack the different types of partials you might face in an IDPA match. Fundamentals of Defense - Aaron Israel gets back to basic and discusses the “AOJ Triad” — Ability, Opportunity, and Jeopardy — and

I was reading the Large and Small Catechisms last week, focusing on the Fifth Commandment (You Shall Not Murder) and that reminded me of a story I wanted to share about a man down on his luck, Christian love for your neighbor, and a gun in a basket.  This story didn't make it into episode 32, so I thought I would share it in today's Mid-Week Meditation.

The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!  Bob Owens at Bearing Arms calls it "Chicken Little America," a land where malls and airports go into panic mode because someone hears a loud noise.  A Rutgers professor suggests that if gun violence has you worried, just turn off the news.  We can't bury our heads in the sand and avoid the news of the evil world around us.  Pastor Evan Goeglein of Faith Lutheran Church in Rogue River, Oregon joins us again to discuss how to deal with worry and fear as a Christian. Ballistic Minute - The ability to call your shots is a critical skill for competitive and defensive shooting.  Being able to put your sights on target, pull the trigger, and know, without looking at the target to confirm, just where your bullet struck.  Sgt. Bill discusses how to develop this skill in today's Ballistic Minute. Fundamental Defense - All too often we train and prepare for the threat from the active shooter, the stranger in the alley, the bump in the middle of the night.  In today's tip, Aaron

In this week's Mid-Week Meditation, Lloyd asks the question "where's the common sense in background checks?" http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/mwm02

In today's episode of Armed Lutheran Radio we talk a lot about the Olympics, taking a training class, how to reduce administrative handling of your firearm, and we get a guest gun review from Jon Braaten.  We'll talk about the upcoming election and the difficult choice before us and we discuss a questionnaire police chiefs submitted to the two candidates and what it tells us about what police are really concerned about. Mia's Motivations - Mia Anstine's been watching the Olympics and is inspired by the athletes stories of faith and how giving God the glory in victory and defeat applies in our everyday lives. Ballistic Minute - Sgt. Bill Silvia talks about taking training classes, what to expect, how to prepare, and the mental attitude you need to get the most out of it. Fundamental Defense - Aaron Israel discusses the need to reduce administrative handling of your firearm to minimize the risk of negligent discharges. Guest Gun Review - Armed Lutheran Gun Quiz champion Jon Braaten brings us a review of the Tri

Do Black Lives Matter? Of Course They Do. All Lives Matter.  In this episode of Armed Lutheran Radio we discuss how we should rightly think about the issue of life and race when it comes to violence, crime, and police work in America with Pr. Evan Goeglein of Faith Lutheran Church in Rogue River, Oregon.  And we have a laugh at the expense of an Episcopal Pastor in Oregon who won an AR-15 in a raffle so he could turn it into a piece of anti-gun art. Fundamental Defense - Aaron Israel talks about developing tools for your self-defense toolbox. Ballistic Minute - Sgt. Bill Silvia has a tips for how to properly zero your pistol. Mia's Motivations - Mia Anstine helps you choose the right gun for the woman in your life.  http://www.armedlutheran.us/alr-episode-30/  

This week on Armed Lutheran Radio we have listener emails, we talk about the dumpster fire that was the Democrat National Convention, the President defends his record on gun violence and violent crime by making our point, tips for beating the Summer heat when you go to the outdoor range, Aaron Israel talks about the myth of situational awareness, Sgt. Bill vents about Tactical Timmies, and we welcome our newest contributor, Mia Anstine joins us for the first time with a shooting tip.

This week on Armed Lutheran Radio we talk the Republican National Convention and the upcoming election, about setting goals, teaching new shooters, and we're joined by only the third woman ever to appear on the cover of Field & Stream magazine.  Mia Anstine is an armed Lutheran from Colorado and she joins us to talk about women and hunting, shooting, gun rights, and the things that motivate her.  Show Notes: http://www.armedlutheran.us/alr-episode-28/

In this episode of Armed Lutheran Radio, Lloyd's back from vacation and back from the Iowa State IDPA Championship and the show is back to normal.  Thoughts on another attack on police, this time in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Sgt. Bill has tips for improving your tactical reloads. Aaron Israel talks about how to dress for concealed carry. And Lloyd breaks out his best (or worst) Mr. Bean impersonation for Clinging to God and Guns with Pastor John Bennett.  Prepare to laugh and cry at at British theologian's bad logic, even worse theology, and Lloyd's cringe-worthy British accent. Show Notes for Episode 27

I was on vacation in North Carolina last week and had a "best of" episode planned.  Then the massacre in Dallas happened.  I share my thoughts on Dallas and the fraud of #BlackLivesMatter.  Lessons on how to deal with police during a traffic stop.  And thoughts on being a black cop in America from a post by Palm Beach County Police Officer Jay Stalien. Our prayers go out to the victims of the Dallas massacre and to all our men and women in blue who form the thin blue line between civilization and savagery.  God bless you. Notes: http://www.armedlutheran.us/alr-episode-26/

Lloyd is on vacation, but the show goes on.  In this week's episode of Armed Lutheran Radio, some thoughts on the "epidemic" of gun violence. Aaron Israel of Fundamental Defense gives us tips on traveling light for safety.  Sgt. Bill has a Ballistic Minute tip about the slide-lock reloads. And then in Clinging to God & Guns, Lloyd and Pastor Bennett take on one of the most bizarre anti-gun Christians: a pajama boy who is frustrated that gun owners won't give up their "deep seated" beliefs, thinks gun owners worship their guns, rejects Augustine's Just War Doctrine, and who says guns can't be used for defense because they are offensive weapons.    www.armedlutheran.us/alr-episode-25/

In this week's episode of Armed Lutheran Radio, we look at all the craziness of the previous week and discuss the new threat to liberty that has the NRA and the ACLU on the same side.  Sgt. Bill talks about how to prepare for a major match.  We look at Syncretism and misplaced blame in the wake of the Orlando massacre.  And Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller, the co-host of Table Talk Radio, joins us again to talk about the defense of others and how we, as armed Christians should think about the subject.  Show Notes: http://www.armedlutheran.us/alr-episode-24/  

The gang's all here for a very special episode of Armed Lutheran Radio as we devote the show to the aftermath of the terror attack in Orlando. Aaron Israel joins me to talk about responding to active shooter incidents. Pastor Bennett discusses the proper Christian response to this tragedy. And Sgt. Bill joins me, Aaron, and the Pastor for a round-table to discuss the aftermath, the politics, gun control, and things we can do that would actually make a difference.  

On this episode of Armed Lutheran Radio we're back from the Stars & Stripes Regional IDPA Championship in Tulsa with 12 tips for creating great IDPA match stages.  Sgt. Bill has talks about the advantages and disadvantages for reloading hot loads versus soft loads.  Aaron Israel talks about what to expect in the aftermath of a self-defense shooting.  And our special guest Eric Woodward, the owner of 199Trust, joins us to talk about firearms trusts and ATF regulation 41F. We offer our condolences and prayers for all those affected by the horrific terror attack in Orlando, Florida. We pray that our nation will awake from it's politically correct slumber and recognize, finally, the threat we face. We must recognize that the gun is not the problem. It is the evil in the hearts of men who wield them to commit such atrocious acts. O God, the Protector of all that trust in You, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, increase and multiply upon us Your mercy that, You being our Ruler and Guide, we may so

This week on Armed Lutheran Radio, hard earned lessons from the range, plus Sgt. Bill's tips on methods of concealed carry, Aaron Israel's tips on preparing for medical emergencies, and Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller joins us to talk about how the Ten Commandments calls us to action in service to our neighbors.  www.ArmedLutheranRadio.com

It's feast or famine at Armed Lutheran Radio!  For our 20th episode, all our contributors are back and the show is chocked full of goodness.  Sgt. Bill talks about passing on your passion for shooting in this week's Ballistic Minute, Aaron Israel of Fundamental Defense joins us to talk about his trip to the NRA Annual Meetings in Louisville, Kentucky, and Pastor John Bennett is here to fisk an article from a retired ELCA pastor which suggests that "strong" Christians must set a good example for "weak" Christians and eschew the ownership of guns, because owning a gun is like pagan worship and you might give people the impression that owning a gun is okay.  But it's not.  Or something.  It's a bizarre "re-contextualization" of Paul's letter to the church at Corinth and we unravel the whole thing in Clinging to God and Guns.