The 5-part series below is a great intro into the history and major points of Lutheranism.
St. Luke's Beliefs
St. Luke’s is a Christian Church of the Lutheran Denomination
There are many varieties of Christianity, but all Christians share some common-ground in our beliefs. For instance, Christians believe that Jesus’ death on a cross has given us forgiveness, and restored our relationship with God. Because we believe that Jesus is God-in-the-flesh, we worship Him, and we celebrate that He has not only given us inspired instructions, but has also rescued us in a wonderful way through His loving sacrifice for us. This sets Christianity apart from other religions, because we don’t believe we are saved by our obedience to Jesus’ teachings (like other religious leaders), but by His grace given to us.
So, at St. Luke’s we highlight that we are Christians first and foremost. And while we acknowledge that various Christian denominations (Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, etc.) are all on the same team, we also recognize there are some important differences between our beliefs. As we discuss some of these differences during the breakfasts (about baptism, communion, etc.), please keep in mind that what all Christians agree upon is something much bigger and more significant than the differences we have!
St. Luke’s is an LCMS Church
St. Luke is a Lutheran church in the Missouri Synod (LCMS). A synod is a group of churches from the same denomination that have come together for mutual support and greater effectiveness.
The LCMS started in the United States in 1847 after a large group of Lutheran immigrants left Germany for religious freedom. They networked together to provide training for church workers, to be more effective in mission work, to mutually support congregations, and to have doctrinal unity (still the goals of our synod).
Today the LCMS has around 6,000 churches and 2 million members globally. It is sub-divided into 35 districts around the country. St. Luke’s is part of the Pacific Southwest District.