St. Paul’s Lutheran Church is a member congregation of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, a body of Christian believers that numbers some 2.5 million members. We call ourselves “Lutheran” because we believe, teach, and confess the Bible-based doctrines of Martin Luther, the 16th century pastor, theologian, and reformer of the church. The teachings of Dr. Luther and his fellow reformers can be summarized in the following three mottoes:
GRACE ALONE ~ FAITH ALONE ~ SCRIPTURE ALONE
GRACE ALONE
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.
FAITH ALONE
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.
SCRIPTURE ALONE
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.
MORE LUTHERAN FAITH RESOURCES
The following resources will help explain the faith that we at St. Paul’s confess.
- The Ecumenical Creeds are the three ancient creedal statements that have a universal acceptance as true summaries of the biblical witness.
- The Augsburg Confession is the first official declaration of the Lutheran faith.
- The Small Catechism is Martin Luther’s indispensable booklet of basic Christian doctrine.
- The Book of Concord is the collection of doctrinal writings we Lutherans use to explain what we teach, believe, and confess.