Meet the LTSS Student Prez : Zach Lindler, M.Div. '26

Always ready to step up when the need arises, Zach Lindler, M.Div. ’26, brings energy and dedication to his role as student body president at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS). A native of Chapin, South Carolina, and a member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Lindler earned his undergraduate degree in computer information systems from Clemson University.

Though his undergraduate campus was too large for him to get involved in student government, Lindler had been active in student councils throughout middle and high school. At LTSS, his seminary leadership began during his initial First Week, when he was invited to serve as secretary, then later serving as class president, and now leading the student body. With this experience, he looks forward to guiding his fellow LTSS students and fostering community as the seminary settles into its home on the Lenoir-Rhyne University campus.

Q: What is your go-to order at Joe’s Coffee? 

I’m brand new to Joe’s Coffee, but I would probably go for the chai latte. I’m not much of a coffee person. I know you’re thinking, “Can you even trust a pastor who doesn’t drink coffee?” But the last few years, I’ve gotten really into teas. In hot weather I like fruity and herbal teas, and when it gets colder, I like darker teas. When I tried the Pu-erh variety I was hooked right away. It’s very dark and rich, so it’s like the next best thing to coffee.

Q: What was your experience with the church like when you were young? 

I was always very involved in church. We had a small congregation, but everyone was very active. The kids at my church were especially responsible, serving as acolytes and crucifers. I even put my name on the reading list to read scripture each Sunday on the rotation. I was in the Children’s Choir as well. I just really enjoyed being involved.

Q: When and how did you decide you wanted to go to seminary? 

Initially I wanted to go into engineering. I love racing and wanted to be a NASCAR engineer. But I also loved being in the church and being part of the South Carolina Lutheran Church Youth (LCY). I started feeling the call, saying to myself, “If you love the church this way, maybe you should consider doing this for the rest of your life.”

I went through a few years of discernment in high school, and by the time I was applying to college I knew seminary was the end goal. I majored in computer information systems because it was a chance to round out my educational background and balance the religious studies that came later — but I think I knew from a young age that I wanted to be deeply involved in the church.

Q: Were you involved in student government as an undergraduate? Did you always plan to get into leadership in seminary?

I was very involved with student council in middle and high school, but Clemson was too big to for me to really get involved with student government. At that level, in an institution that size, student government is dominated by political science majors who want careers in political life.

Then during my initial First Week at LTSS, the student government president approached me and asked if I wanted to be secretary of student government. In my second year I became class president. I was living on campus, which aided my eligibility, and now that I'm president, I want to do my part for the seminary as we navigate so many changes — not just the move to LR but the demographic shifts, the increase in online students and inclusivity for different learning platforms. These are challenges that will shape the life of LTSS for decades to come.

Q: For folks who aren’t familiar, how does the LTSS student government work?

The LTSS student government includes a president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. Elections for the officers and representatives happen during First Week, and representatives come from all classes, denominations and campus organizations — around 10 to 12 members to ensure everyone has a voice.

Q: Can you describe more of the goals and duties of the LTSS student government? 

Some of the overall goals and duties have evolved since the move to Hickory. I expect a lot of LTSS students will be looking to us as a source of resolve and stability as we continue adjusting to our new home — this is only our second semester in Hickory, after all.

Our job as student leaders is to figure out how this new home is going to look in the long term, when we’re surrounded by new faces and we have so many of our classmates online. Inclusivity in activities is an ongoing concern — for example, how do we make students 500 miles away feel like they’re here and part of our community? I see us in a more collaborative role to continue processing the move and figuring out what God has planned for us here as we navigate changes that are affecting seminaries and other institutions nationwide. I also think we are a good catalyst to engage in prayerful consideration and community with the Lenoir-Rhyne campus.

Q: Are there ways students can get more involved in leadership even if they don’t have time to hold an office? 

This will be a challenge this year, something we need to reimagine as our online student numbers grow. What does leadership look like when you aren't physically on campus? What is the role of online students in student leadership? This is all part of the reassessment we’re going through this year, and I’m kind of the ringleader to walk everyone through this. I’m not worried — even though it’s going to be hard, it’s also going to be fun to develop a new way for students to interact with their leadership and their institution!

Q: What is one of your favorite memories from your time at LTSS so far?

I loved the community we had in Columbia, spontaneously gathering at the fire pit among the apartments on campus and spending hours talking with each other. The time we got to spend with our classmates as friends. It was funny because we would try not to talk theology but we’d always end up back on theology anyway. I hope to help plant the seeds of that kind of community here at LR during the coming year.

Q: If you could have a lifetime supply of anything, what would it be? 

Hot sauce – I put it on everything. I make my own, but my favorite store brand is Cholula. A really good hot sauce is one of my favorite things in the world.

Q: Do you have a secret talent? 

I’ve been SIM racing — using a racing simulator — for five or six years, so I can drive all kinds of race cars — everything from NASCAR to F1 to dirt tracks. I have yet to drive any race cars in real life, but if the folks at Hickory Motor Speedway are reading and want to bring me on board, I’m ready!

Q: What is a book you’ve read recently that you would recommend to other people?

I recently read “The Cost of Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a Lutheran pastor in Nazi Germany who vocally opposed the Nazi party and was ultimately murdered by the Third Reich for his beliefs and his speeches. His book is about standing up through faith in the face of adversity, how our faith requires us not just to believe but to go into the world and live a Christ-like life, even when it’s difficult. Especially when it’s difficult.

Q: Is a hot dog a sandwich? 

No, it’s a hot dog. A sandwich uses two pieces of bread. A hot dog is three pieces of bread — two sides and a bottom. A hot dog is technically a taco.

Q: Is there anything else you want people to be sure to know about you? 

I’m very excited for this year, for the new opportunities that will come to LR and the seminary in our new home. I’m looking forward to seeing what the student body has in mind as we continue to navigate our new home.