You are invited to be a part of the gospel message at St. John's

A CHURCH FOUNDED IN THE WORD OF GOD

Every organization, every people, must have a base on which to stand.For us in the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, it is God's Word, the Bible,which is without error or contradiction. In the 16th century,Martin Luther, a German monk, made his stand on the Word, stripping away human traditions and requirements that had drawn attention away from God's truth. From the Word, we know that there is but one God, but that He has three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are of the same essence, equal in power, eternity, and in majesty.

We believe the Father created and sustains the world. The Scriptures tell us that human beings chose to follow their own way and fell into sin--direct disobedience to God.

We believe that Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, suffered and died on earth as punishment for our sin. He lived in perfect obedience to God. He was without sin but in order to pay the price we could not pay, the Father made Jesus sin for us that in His death, the full payment for sin might be exacted. It is only because of this--not because of anything we can do--that the perfect relationship first experienced in the Garden of Eden has been restored through the forgiveness of sin. God now counts the righteous life of Jesus as if we had lived it.

We believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the Bible and through it inspires faith in us. Through the Word and the Sacraments, Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper, He also keeps us in the one true Faith.

Three principles undergird our beliefs: Scripture, faith, and grace. The Scripture is the only source of knowledge we have about God and His will for us. Grace tells us that as human beings we cannot earn God's love, forgiveness, or everlasting life. It is all a gift of His love. Only by faith in Jesus Christ do we receive forgiveness. Through faith in Him, we are brought into a relationship of peace with God.

As people of the Word, we Missouri Synod Lutherans, while often speaking of "the Cross," focus on the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus died on the Cross--from there was purchased our salvation--but He also rose again from the dead to assure us that God the Father had accepted His sacrifice for us. He is risen indeed, and because He lives, we who confess Him as Lord will also live with Him forever.

The congregations of the Synod are "confessional." They hold to the Lutheran Confessions as the 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'sSmall Catechism. The Augsburg Confession gives more detail on what Lutherans believe.

The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
Board for Communication Services
1333 S. Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, MO 63122