What do we, the LCMS Lutheran Church, believe, preach and practice?

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With the universal Christian Church, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God: the Father, creator of all that exists; Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all human beings and to rise to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God’s Word and Sacraments. The three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal, one God.

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Our congregations accept and preach the Bible-based teachings of Martin Luther that inspired the reformation of the Christian Church in the 16th century. The teaching of Luther and the reformers can be summarized in three phrases: Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.

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Grace Alone "Sola Gratia": God loves the people of the world, even though they are sinful, rebel against Him and do not deserve His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly.

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Faith Alone "Sola Fide": By His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life for them. Those who hear this Good News and believe it have the eternal life that it offers. God creates faith in Christ and gives people forgiveness through Him.

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Scripture Alone "Sola Scriptura": 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.

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What is the importance of Baptism? Why do we encourage the baptism of infants?

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Lutherans believe that the Bible teaches that a person is saved by God’s grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

The Bible tells us that such “faith comes by hearing” (Rom. 10:17). Jesus Himself commands Baptism and tells us that Baptism is water used together with the Word of God (Matt. 28:19-20).

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Because of this, we believe that Baptism is one of the miraculous means of grace (another is God’s Word as it is written or spoken), through which God creates and/or strengthens the gift of faith in a person’s heart (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 6:1-4; Col. 2:11-12; 1 Cor. 12.13). Terms the Bible uses to talk about the beginning of faith include “conversion” and “regeneration.” Although we do not claim to understand fully how this happens, we believe that when an infant is baptized God creates faith in the heart of that infant.

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We believe this because the Bible says that infants can believe (Matt. 18:6) and that new birth (regeneration) happens in Baptism (John 3:5-7; Titus 3:5-6). The infant’s faith cannot yet, of course, be verbally expressed or articulated by the child, yet it is real and present all the same (Acts 2:38-39; Luke 1:15; 2 Tim. 3:15).

The faith of the infant, like the faith of adults, also needs to be fed and nurtured by God’s Word (Matt. 28:18-20), or it will die. Lutherans do not believe that only those baptized as infants receive faith. Faith can also be created in a person's heart by the power of the Holy Spirit working through God's (written or spoken) Word.

Baptism should then soon follow conversion (Acts 8:26-40) for the purpose of confirming and strengthening faith in accordance with God's command and promise. Depending on the situation, therefore, Lutherans baptize people of all ages from infancy to adulthood.

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The LCMS does not believe that Baptism is ABSOLUTELY necessary for salvation. All true believers in the Old Testament era were saved without baptism. Mark 16:16 implies that it is not the absence of Baptism that condemns a person but the absence of faith, and there are clearly other ways of coming to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit (reading or hearing the Word of God). Still, Baptism dare not be despised or willfully neglected, since it is explicitly commanded by God and has His precious promises attached to it. It is not a mere “ritual” or “symbol,” but a powerful means of grace by which God grants faith and the forgiveness of sins.

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What is the communion policy at St. Paul Lutheran Church?

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Our church believes and confesses that in Holy Communion we receive the true body and blood of Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and drink, as we read in Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. We believe the chief benefit in receiving Holy Communion is forgiveness of sins as Jesus states in Matthew 26:28. Scripture is also clear that “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord ( 1 Cor 11:27).” Scripture further says: “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

 

For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself (1 Cor 11:28).” Because God’s Word warns against improperly receiving Holy Communion, only those who have been properly instructed and are truly repentant should receive the Sacrament. In keeping with God’s Word, and out of deep love and care for the souls of those who commune, we invite visiting members of other Missouri Synod Lutheran congregations, who are members in good standing, to receive Holy Communion with us after speaking with the pastor. If you are a visiting
LCMS member and have not had an opportunity to speak with the pastor or an elder before the service, please refrain from coming forward to receive the Sacrament at this time.

 

We ask that any visitor not a member of an LCMS church refrain from coming to the altar to receive communion at this time. However, non LCMS members and all children may come forward to receive a blessing if you have spoken with the pastor. To receive a blessing, simply cross your arms over your chest and you will receive a blessing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Thank you. Pastor Jason Zoske.