Our Beliefs

We identify ourselves as Christians who believe that God desires all to be saved, that repentance unto salvation is by the grace of God and gift of faith; that we, through our weakness, can fall from grace; that by the power of the Holy Ghost we die to ourselves and receive the hope of salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ, becoming anew; that we are justified by the faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice that redeemed us from the condemnation of our sin; that we are sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit, leading us in obedience to Glory; that we love others as he so loves us, preaching this good news.

• We also identify ourselves as Christians who believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired word of God, we believe in God our Father, the maker of Heaven and earth, and in his only son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit which passes out from the father and son; in the forgiveness of our sins and in resurrection and eternal life which is beyond our own understanding but is guided by the Holy Spirit.
• We believe in the triune Godhead, the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Name, Body and Blood, and that the fruits of the Spirit will manifest themselves as we grow in grace.
• We believe that water baptism is an outward sign of God’s grace provided by the new covenant of faith, that baptism by the Holy Ghost evokes new life, and that Baptism into Christ’s death is to die to our will.
• We believe in the laying on of hands to convey God’s blessing and assurance.
• We believe in the confession of sins to fellow Christians as a gift of God to relieve burdens and restore peace and joy.
• We believe that the behavior of the Christian is governed by the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient.

The Book of Concord (1580) is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten creedal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since the 16th century. The Holy Scriptures are set forth in the Book of Concord to be the sole, divine source and norm of all Christian doctrine. It was compiled to end religious controversies after the death of Martin Luther in 1546, and was intended to replace German territorial collections of doctrinal statements.

The “Three Ecumenical Creeds” were placed at the beginning in order to show the identity of Lutheran teaching with that of the ancient Christian church. The other documents come from the earliest years of the Lutheran Reformation (1529–77). They are the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Small and Large Catechisms of Martin Luther, his Smalcald Articles, Melanchthon’s Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, and the Formula of Concord.

The Three Main Confessions of Christendom, or Creeds were written to act as a yardstick of correct belief in times of doctrinal conflict.

• • The Apostles’ Creed or Symbol of the Apostles, is traditionally divided into twelve articles.
  • The Nicene Creed of 325 explicitly affirms the divinity of Jesus, applying to him the term “God”. The 381 Constantinople version speaks of the Holy Spirit as worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son.
  • The Athanasian Creed describes in much greater detail the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Our Five Key Articles of Instruction, as taught in Martin Luther’s Large Catechism are;

• The Ten Commandments of God
• The Apostles Creed, the Chief Articles of our Faith.
• The Lord’s Prayer
• Baptism
• The Sacraments

Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

The Ten Commandments of God;

Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain [for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain].

Thou shalt sanctify the holy-day. [Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.]

Thou shalt honor thy father and mother [that thou mayest live long upon the earth].

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle [ox, nor his ass], nor anything that is his.

The Apostles Creed.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary;

suffered under Pontius Pilate,  was crucified, dead and buried;

He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost,

the holy Christian Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Key Articles Taught in the Large Catechism

1.) THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.

• Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
• Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain [for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain].
• Thou shalt sanctify the holy-day. [Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy.]
• Thou shalt honor thy father and mother [that thou mayest live long upon the earth].
• Thou shalt not kill.
• Thou shalt not commit adultery.
• Thou shalt not steal.
• Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
• Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.
• Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle [ox, nor his ass], nor anything that is his.

2.) THE CHIEF ARTICLES OF OUR FAITH.

• I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
• And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
• I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3.) THE PRAYER, OR “OUR FATHER,” WHICH CHRIST TAUGHT.

• Our Father who art in heaven.
• Hallowed be Thy name.
• Thy kingdom come.
• Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
• Give us this day our daily bread.
• And forgive us our trespasses as we for give those who trespass against us.
• And lead us not into temptation.
• But deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever.] Amen.

4.) BAPTISM.

Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

So much is sufficient for a simple person to know from the Scriptures concerning Baptism. In like manner, also, concerning the other Sacrament, in short, simple words, namely, the text of St. Paul [1 Cor. 11:23 ].

5.) THE SACRAMENT.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His disciples and said, Take, eat; this is, My body, which is given for you: this do in remembrance of Me.

After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the remission of sins: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.