1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God. 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men... 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. The Gospel of John, chapter one.

What does it mean to be a Lutheran Christian?

With all of the denominationalism in the Christian Church, the question always comes up: Why should I be a Lutheran? Or What makes you Lutheran's different from everyone else? These are good questions and they need to be answered.

The answer to the above questions is really very simple. Lutheran Christians are people of the Word. That same Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us. That same Word that was tortured and died for us on the Cross. That same Word that rose from the tomb that first Easter morning. That same Word that comes to us, even today, through God's Means of Grace, which are Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

In fact this was what the Reformation was really all about. For centuries the Church had wandered from it's roots in the Word of God. The Church had wandered from many of the things that God teaches us in His Word. The Reformation was about bringing the Church back to it's First Century condition, where the Word of God was again the focus for all the Church did and taught.

The Word of God is at the heart and center of all that is taught and all that is practiced in the Lutheran Church. Why? "In Him was life and the life was the light of men." (John 1:4) Quite simply there is no hope, no forgiveness, and no life apart from the Word of God who IS  Jesus Christ, "the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth." (John 1:14)

And so we believe, teach and confess the Scripture as handed down to us in the original Biblical languages is inspired and inerrant and as such it is the sole norm for all doctrine. We hold the Biblical teaching of the six day creation of the universe. We believe that our Lord was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a young virgin named Mary. We believe that Jesus Christ was delivered up for our sins, that He was crucified, died and was buried. We believe that this same Jesus rose physically from the grave after three days, to conquer death and that He ascended to His Father. We further believe in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. And we believe that our Lord will soon come again to take all who are His (His Church) to the Kingdom that He now prepares for us. This is most certainly true.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about us, please contact us at patch@libby.org.  Pastor Christiansen