Missouri Synod

The following is taken from the Lutheran Church
of the Missouri Synod website.

Overview

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.

Being “Lutheran,” our
congregations accept and teach 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
short phrases: 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.

Who is Jesus?

For more than 2,000 years people have asked the
question, “Who is Jesus?”. We were not
present when Jesus lived on this earth, but in the Bible we have the record of his birth, life, death on the
cross, and resurrection. Study of the Bible, God’s Word, will enable you to seek out the answer to this
age-old question.

What does “Synod” mean?

The word “Synod” in The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod comes from Greek words that mean “walking together.” The
term has rich meaning in our church body, because congregations voluntarily choose to belong to the Synod.
Though diverse in their service, these congregations hold to a shared confession of Jesus Christ as taught
in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions
which they believe are a correct interpretation and presentation of
Biblical doctrine. Contained
in The Book of Concord: The Confessions
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, these statements of belief were put into writing by church leaders during
the 16th century. The simplest of these
is Luther’s Small Catechism.
The Augsburg Confession gives more detail
on what Lutherans believe.

Study Resources

The Synod’s Commission on Theology and Church
Relations provides study documents and statements of theological issues. Answers to theological questions
may be found on the Frequently Asked Questions web
site.

The Christian Cyclopedia has served thousands of
students, church professionals, and lay persons as a one-volume compendium of historical and theological data,
ranging from ancient figures to contemporary events.

In addition, a series of downloadable pamphlets offer
insight on variety of doctrinal topics, moral issues and concerns in the church. We also invite you to learn more
about specific worship practices of the Synod.