Our People

Todd Wilken (@toddwilken) has hosted the radio program Issues, Etc. since 1998. Wilken serves as assistant Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL. He and his wife have two children and three grandchildren.

Wilken is a graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Wilken has written articles and essays for Modern Reformation magazine, Higher Things magazine, For the Life of the World magazine, The Lutheran Witness and Teachers’ Interaction. He is author of the booklet, Same-Sex Marriage: Facing the Question, and is a  contributor to Where Christ Is Present:  A Theology for All Seasons on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation and The Faith Once Delivered: Meditations on the Apostles’ Creed. He is formerly co-editor of the journal Doctrine and Practice, and editor of the Issues, Etc. Journal. 

Wilken also hosts a weekly radio podcast “Crossroads with Terry Mattingly,” focusing on media coverage of religion, produced jointly by Issues, Etc. and GetReligion.org.  He has spoken at numerous Lutheran conferences and served as a guest instructor for Christ Academy at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN and for the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.

Jeff Schwarz is General Manager of Lutheran Public Radio, Inc. and Executive Producer of Issues, Etc.

After graduating cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism, Schwarz worked on national radio talk shows: Costas Coast-to-Coast, John Madden’s Sports Quiz, John Madden’s Sports Calendar, Sports Flashback with Jack Buck, Offsides with Dan Dierdorf and Talkin’ Roundball with Dick Vitale.

Schwarz is a member and has served on the School Board and the Board of Elders at St. Paul Lutheran Church and School of Hamel, IL.  He was elected at the 2010 Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Convention to serve on the Commission on Theology and Church Relations.  He also served on the Board of Regents at Concordia University Chicago from 2017-2026 and currently serves on the School Board at Metro East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville, IL.  Schwarz is the 2014 recipient of the Miles Christi (Solider of Christ) Award chosen by the faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne, IN and the 2026 recipient of the One Heart Award chosen by the Concordia University Chicago Alumni Association.

Schwarz and his wife, Beth, have five children.