"We Believe..."

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Being "Lutheran," we accept and teach the Bible-based teachings of Martin Luther that inspired the reformation of the Christian Church in the 16th century. The teachings of Luther can be summarized in three short words: Grace, Scripture, and Faith.

• Grace -- God loves the people of the world, even though they are sinful, rebellious, and not deserving of His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unloveable and save the ungodly.
  
• Scripture -- The Bible is God's inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine.
  
• Faith -- As the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life for us by His suffering and death. Those who hear this Good News and believe it have the eternal life it offers.

The word "Synod" in Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod means "walking together." This word has special significance in our church body, because we voluntarily choose to belong to the Synod. Diverse in our service, we hold to a shared confession of Jesus Christ as taught in Holy Scripture and Lutheran teaching.

Adapted from A Week in the Life of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, copyright 1996, Concordia Publishing House

---

THE LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod accepts the Scriptures as the inspired and inerrant Word of God, and subscribes unconditionally to all the symbolical books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God. We accept the Confessions because they are drawn from the Word of God and on that account regard their doctrinal content as a true and binding exposition of Holy Scripture and as authoritative for all pastors, congregations and other rostered church workers of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

Read the Book of Concord online.