WE BELONG TO A NATIONAL CHURCH BODY CALLED THE LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD (LCMS)

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) is a mission-oriented, Bible-based, confessional Christian denomination headquartered in St. Louis, Mo., founded on the teachings of Martin Luther. 

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.