What We Believe

Our Congregation’s Name:

St. Paul — Persecutor of the church of God who was graciously called by Christ as apostle to the unbelieving Gentile world, he held steadfast to the pattern of sound doctrine, handed it on to the church in his thirteen epistles, and was martyred for his faith (Acts 9:1-22; Galatians 1:11-24; 2 Timothy 1:8-14)

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Evangelical — Delivering the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ and the life found in Him (Romans 1:16-17)

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Lutheran — Continuing the Christian and apostolic tradition through the reformation movement associated with Martin Luther

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Church — Gathered by the Holy Spirit around Word and Sacrament for witness, mercy, and life together

We Believe:

• That there is one God in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

• That every person is conceived and born in sin (original sin), and deserves temporal death and everlasting damnation for both original and actual sin.

• That Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God, born of the virgin Mary, was truly crucified, died and was buried, and rose again in His body on the third day. He ascended into heaven, and will come again on the last day to be our judge.

• That a person is saved (justified) entirely by God’s grace, through faith, which is created by the Holy Spirit where and when He pleases.

• To obtain this faith, God instituted the Office of the Holy Ministry (preaching office). Through the means of the Word and the Sacraments the Holy Spirit creates saving faith.

• Believers must do good works, but they are not to trust in them for their salvation.

• There is one, holy, Christian Church, with Jesus Christ as her head.

• The Sacraments of Holy Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper are to be retained in the church.

• The books of the Old and New Testaments are the true, inspired, inerrant Word of God.

• The Book of Concord is a true and faithful exposition of Holy Scripture, and we subscribe unreservedly to it.