God wrote it through men in whom He directed its very words and thoughts. Because He wrote it, it is without error, and can be relied upon to deliver on all of its promises. Its message is that, though all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and therefore would be subject to eternal punishment (Romans 6:23), God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). All have been redeemed by God in the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus. In the hearing of His Word and in the right administration of His sacrament of Baptism, He gives sinners faith to believe on these promises and be saved (Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 3:21; Mark 16:16).
We are traditional Lutherans.
We believe and teach what Martin Luther believed and taught, including all of the writings contained in the Book of Concord of 1580—the confession of the earliest Lutherans that explains correctly the teachings of Scripture.
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All are welcome to join us for worship and Sunday School with only Holy Communion being set aside strictly for those who have expressed oneness of belief with the congregation through membership (with the exception of members of our fellowship congregations in the ELS and WELS).
Becoming a communicant member is easy! Simply contact Pastor Dale about going through a brief study of the basic teachings of Scripture and about the way in which our Confessional Lutheran Church has expressed those teachings.
Why We Practice "Close Communion"
The Lord's Supper is for the comfort and strengthening of those who humbly confess their sins and hunger and thirst after righteousness. Therein, Jesus, the Bread of Life, feeds sinners with His true body and blood (not a representation or symbol of same) for the forgiveness of sins. Scripture teaches that this great blessing for those truly sorrowful over sins and acknowledging the true presence of Christ's body can be taken to the harm of "unworthy" communicants. Scripture also teaches that receiving the Sacrament is an expression of oneness in belief. For this reason, the Christians of the first few centuries after Christ insisted upon catechesis (instruction in the faith lasting about two years) before admission to the sacrament. With the very same concern for each individual's spiritual well being, we follow their example and ask that those who haven't yet joined our fellowship meet with the pastor for a series of classes that explain our Lutheran faith before communing so that the expression of oneness that is made in the the Supper can be a genuine and celebratory one, and the pastor, who acts as a steward of the mysteries of Christ can be confident that no harm is done to anyone in the celebration of so great a gift.
Matthew 26:28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 1 Corinthians 10:16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 1 Corinthians 11:27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 1 Corinthians 10:17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. 1 Corinthians 4:1 So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
What are the classes like? The classes amount to a streamlined version of the Catechism study that our young people go through before taking communion. Unlike that, however, there is no memorization or outside study required. Also, there is no testing. The pastor leads the student through a series of questions about Scripture and its teachings, which are then answered with Bible passages. Along the way, the Pastor makes commentary, and answers any questions the student might have about anything. Most are apprehensive at first ("I'm going back to school?"), but almost all find it to be a very worthwhile, and even enjoyable experience. Some even wish it could go on after it's over! No matter what, studying the Bible is always a good idea, and the opportunity for pastor and potential parishioner to have that kind of a conversation is a blessing from God that would be a shame to forego. Call the pastor at 772 879-1839 if you are interested in taking the class. Back to Beliefs Page Back to Home Young people begin their study of Luther's Small Catechism at the beginning of their sixth grade year, and are confirmed near the end of their eighth grade year of school. In the three years, the pastor opens them up to the more adult expression of the doctrines of Scripture that they have already learned in a simpler sense in the weekly lessons of Sunday School, and the annual lessons of Vacation Bible School. The pastor meets with the young students once each week, at which time, they demonstrate that they have learned the lesson of the past week, and then are introduced to a new lesson to be studied and demonstrated the next week. Beyond the Catechism, the pastor introduces the young students to the liturgy and customs of the church, and the basic Bible stories that are necessary for an understanding of the Scriptural doctrines. Back to Beliefs Page Back to Home
We baptize infants because the Bible says that all people have an inherited sinful condition, and are in need of God’s mercy in order to live eternally with Him. (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:23) Baptism is the only way infants can ordinarily come to faith in Christ and be saved.
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