Worship and Beliefs
Beliefs
Belief and Practice
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 congregation accepts and preaches the 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 phrases: Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.
Who is Jesus?
For more than 2,000 years people have asked this question. 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. Through the study of the Bible, you can seek 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, our congregations hold to a shared confession of Jesus Christ as taught in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
Lutheran congregations are confessional. Our congregations believe the Lutheran Confessions 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 transcribed and shared broadly by church leaders during the 16th century. Luther's Small Catechism contains essential summaries of our beliefs, while the Augsburg Confession gives more detail about what Lutherans believe.
The Essential Core Values of St. Paul Lutheran Church
Active Royal Priesthood
We embrace the calling of 1 Peter 2:9 for each and every believer to serve as a royal priest in the priesthood of believers by providing training, support, and encouragement to all members to serve.
Christ-centered Worship
We believe that worship is centered in Christ crucified and the gifts that He gives to us in Word and Sacrament. Our worship is based on knowing that Christ first gives us His gifts and then we respond to His grace.
Christian Growth
(Catechesis) We believe that education in God’s Word is necessary for us as God’s people to grow in our spiritual lives. Teaching children, youth, and adults the Word of God is foundational and critical in our educational activities.
Christian Marriage and Family
We believe in the importance of family as the basic building block of society and community. We support, encourage, and equip family members to live out their divinely designed roles in their families.
Church Worker Wellness
We appreciate those who serve us as professional church workers. We adequately provide for the physical and emotional needs of our workers and their family members. We encourage and support workers in personal and professional development.
Human Care/Mercy Work
We are moved to show the mercy of Jesus in tangible ways. We share His mercy with one another through acts of compassion and we extend God’s love and mercy to people outside of our congregation through ministries of human care.
Lutheran Doctrine
We confess the Bible to be God’s inspired and inerrant Word. We believe the Lutheran Confessions to be the true exposition of God’s Word. We are committed to teaching and practicing the doctrinal positions of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Missions
We are committed to carrying out the Great Commission through our direct work in bringing the Gospel to people in our community and by supporting the work of others regionally, nationally, and globally.
Outreach
We purposefully engage nonchurched people in our community through a planned approach that guides them from a connection point to becoming active in the spiritual life of our congregation.
Prayer
We value prayer as foundational to our lives in Christ. We center our activities in prayer, keep one another in our prayers, and encourage each other to pray at all times and in all circumstances.
Sanctity of Human Life
We recognize the inherent value of human life from conception to natural death. We support efforts to preserve and protect the lives of all human beings, including the preborn, disabled, aged, and infirmed, because they are created in the image of God.
Whole-life Stewardship
We acknowledge that everything we have has been entrusted to us by the Lord, who owns all things, for us to manage in accordance with His will. We provide training and support to equip God’s stewards to be faithful in their stewardship.