What We Believe

Introduction

St. Paul's Lutheran Church is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). Our official doctrinal statements and positions on many issues can be found at the LCMS website at: www.lcms.org. Browsing this site you will find a number of frequently asked questions as well as many helpful resources to help you learn what our church believes and teaches.

The Basics

For a precise explanation of what Lutherans believe, you may wish to read an updated translation of Martin Luther's Small Catechism. This book is a teaching tool written by Martin Luther in 1529, and it has been used by Lutherans for hundreds of years to instruct Christians about the basics of the Christian faith. The Catechism also serves as the basis for the adult instruction and confirmation classes at St. Paul's. You can find Luther's Small Catechism on the LCMS website by clicking on: Link to Luther's Small Catechism.

In Depth

The LCMS accepts the bible as the inspired and inerrant Word of God. Accordingly, the bible is the source and norm of Lutheran doctrine. The chief doctrine of the Lutheran church is that sinners are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ's atoning death on the cross and His bodily resurrection from the dead. The pastors and congregations of the LCMS also subscribe unconditionally to the Lutheran Confessions as contained in the Book of Concord of 1580. We accept the Lutheran Confessions because they are drawn from the Word of God and are a true exposition of the Word of God. To truly understand what Lutherans believe and what the Lutheran Reformation was about, one should study the Book of Concord. It is available online at: Project Wittenberg.