What do you believe?
To condense the entire body of our doctrine into this modest website is a challenging task, thus what follows are some of the core teachings that stand out among Lutherans:
We believe that:
God is triune: three persons, one God–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All people are sinful, but God forgives us on account of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Jesus Christ is the true and only son of God.
Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation.
Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin, but then rose from the dead and is still alive today.
We are saved from the penalty of our sin by God’s grace alone, received through faith alone, not on account of our own good works.
Jesus Christ ascended into heaven following his resurrection from the dead and is coming back to this earth one day to raise the dead and judge all mankind.
Jesus still dwells among us by His Holy Spirit, whose work it is to transform us into the likeness of Christ.
The Bible is the true word of God and is the only source for our spiritual beliefs.
For greater depth and detail, go to the LCMS website.
Or, if you have specific questions or concerns, please contact Pastor at 512-442-5844.
Baptism
We baptize all those desiring to become a part of the Christian family (who have not been baptized before) regardless of age (infants included).
We baptize in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and with the sprinkling of water on the head (we do not immerse one’s entire body in water).
For further information on baptism contact Pastor John (512-442-5844 or jcs442@hotmail.com) or click here to read more.
Holy Communion
Holy Communion is a means through which God fills us with Jesus and gives us forgiveness of our sins.
We believe that in Holy Communion the individual recipient receives the true body and blood of Jesus in, with, and under the elements of bread and wine. This belief is known as the Doctrine of the Real Presence.
All those who have been baptized into the Christian faith, who have been instructed in these Lutheran confessions, who are sorry for their sins and trust in God’s forgiveness in the sacrament, and finally, who recognize that God uses this sacrament not only to connect us to Himself but also to each other (His body) are welcome and invited to participate in the reception of the sacrament with us.
For more questions about Holy Communion contact Pastor John (512-442-5844 or jcs442@hotmail.com ) or click here to read more.
by Rev. John C. Stennfeld
What does it mean to be a ‘Lutheran’ Christian? Does it pertain to our ethnic heritage, our liturgical traditions, or our hymnody? No, though many Lutherans pride themselves on these things. Lutheran Christians can be found in Africa, Asia, and South America each praising God in their own languages, with their own cultural traditions, and their own genres of music. Thus what marks us and binds us as Lutheran Christians is not our ethnic or liturgical heritage and traditions but rather our doctrine and our theology. We are marked and united by what we believe, teach, and confess concerning God, His word, and His will for our lives.
This sermon series, “Being Lutheran”, is designed to highlight those elements that form the basis of Lutheran theology. While aspects of these teachings can be found in other non-Lutheran Churches, no truly Lutheran Church can be found without these teachings. Therefore the goal of this series is to teach what we as Lutherans believe, and why we believe it, and to fill the hearer with the absolute assurance of God’s loving and saving grace in Christ Jesus our Lord.