The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, sometimes referred to simply as the Missouri Synod, is a confessional Lutheran denomination. Founded in 1847, the Missouri Synod is the second-largest Lutheran body in the United States.
Originally known as the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, the LCMS was founded by German immigrants, many of whom had rejected the planned merger of the Lutheran and Reformed churches in Prussia. From the start, the denomination included several congregations outside of Missouri, although it did remain largely German until the 20th century. World War I helped to bring about the adoption of English as the primary language during church services.
Confessional Lutheranism and a strong emphasis on missions have always been part of the LCMS. Churches in the Missouri Synod stress the authority of traditional Lutheran confessional statements, and hold to the inerrancy of Scripture, and the ideals of "grace alone through faith alone, based on the Scripture alone."
Unlike its more liberal counterpart, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Missouri Synod has called for a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, and views homosexual behavior as sinful. Gay marriage is not endorsed in the Missouri Synod.
Congregations within the LCMS hold that the Bible is the Word of God, and verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is without error or contradiction, and infallible in all of its parts. Scripture is the only source of Christian doctrine and the rule against which all teachings must be measured.
The one true God is the creator of everything that exists. Within the Godhead are three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each of which are of the same divine essence. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In accordance with God's plan, He became a man, born of a virgin. Jesus died on the cross, paying the ransom for the sins of humanity, enabling human reconciliation with God. In three days, He rose from the dead, attaining victory over death and Satan. The Holy Spirit is one with the Father and Son. He edifies the church, glorifies Christ, and gives spiritual gifts to believers to equip them for ministry.
Sin came into the world through Adam and Eve, whose offspring lost their original righteousness and holiness, being born into sin, inclined to sin, and subject to God's wrath. Mankind is unable to remedy this situation on their own merits. Salvation is a work of God rather than of human effort Faith in the gospel is a work of God's grace alone. Man has no role to play in salvation. Non-conversion, however, is due to man's own resistance to the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who respond to the gospel in faith, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, are justified, acquitted of their sins, and accounted as righteous. Good works are the result of faith. Those who respond to the gospel in faith are among the elect of God, part of a limited number of people whom God has chosen from the beginning to be saved.
There is only one holy Christian church on earth, of which Christ is the head. It is made up of all of those who have exercised faith in Christ.
The pastor is the primary officer of local churches affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The pastor is responsible for preaching the gospel and properly administering the sacraments. The worship style is liturgical. Women may hold offices within the church, serving as teachers, deaconesses, and social workers, but are not ordained as pastors.
The sacraments include baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism involves a washing of regeneration and a renewing by the Holy Spirit. Infants may also be baptized. The Lord's Supper is reserved for those who share the church's confession of faith, in a practice known as a closed communion.
The LCMS teaches that Jesus will return one day, in which all human beings will be resurrected and judged. Believers will enjoy eternal life in heaven, while unbelievers will suffer eternal punishment in hell.
The headquarters of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod is in Kirkwood, a suburb of Saint Louis, Missouri. Its organizational structure is a modified form of congregational polity. Congregations hold title to their buildings, and they call and dismiss their own clergy, while the LCMS acts to bring pastors and churches together.
The LCMS operates Concordia Seminary, Concordia Theological Seminary, and nine colleges and universities, known as the Concordia University System.
Websites whose focus is on the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod are listed in this category, including its associated agencies and institutions. Informational sites related to the LCMS may also be listed here. However, websites representing local congregations should be listed in the appropriate Local & Global category.
Recommended Resources
Concordia Historical Institute
Located on the campus of Concordia Seminary, the CHI is the department of archives and history for the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. General Lutheran history, as well as the history of the LCMS and of the organization, is presented, along with its services, membership information, staff, governors, and administrative contacts. Exhibits and events are highlighted, and a list of historic sites is included. Literature, publications, and other resources may be downloaded.
http://concordiahistoricalinstitute.org/
CPH is the official publishing company for the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, which publishes the denomination’s official monthly magazine, its hymnals, and a range of resources for the church body’s congregations, schools, and membership, including a study Bible. A catalog of its books and Bibles, educational resources, church and worship materials, music, and digital resources is highlighted and made available for online purchase.
https://www.cph.org/
Located in Clayton, Missouri, a suburb of Saint Louis, the institution trains pastors, deaconesses, missionaries, chaplains, and other church leaders of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Founded in 1839, its history, programs, and an academic catalog are published to the site, along with an admissions overview, its application process, tuition and fees, financial aid options, and student services. Tours may be scheduled through the site.
https://www.csl.edu/
Concordia Theological Seminary
Affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Concordia Theological Seminary is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where it prepares pastors for congregations and missions of the denomination. A faculty directory, an academic calendar, and a description of the campus are put forth, along with its admissions policies, enrollment process, accreditation status, tuition and fees, library, and student resources.
https://www.ctsfw.edu/
The CUS is made up of ten colleges and universities associated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, which together offer more than one hundred and sixty undergraduate and fifty graduate programs. Campus locations and details are posted to the site, along with a list of church vocations, placement requests, and opportunities to contribute financially. Position openings and other career opportunities are included.
http://www.cus.edu/
KFUO is a broadcast ministry of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Its regular and syndicated program schedules are posted, and retired programs are acknowledged. Schedules and, in some cases, podcasts or live streaming for its music and prayer programs, its Bible study programs, Lutheran apologetics, and children’s programs, as well its other features and programs. Administrative contacts and office hours are posted.
https://www.kfuo.org/
Based in Saint Louis, Missouri, the LCMS Foundation is the chief provider of charitable expertise for the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Its history, leadership, and grant information are set forth, along with ministry reports, audited financials, video resources, and employment opportunities. Information about congregational and institutional investing, investment performance, and contacts are posted.
https://www.lcmsfoundation.org/
Resources for pastors and churches friendly to the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod are uploaded by readers of the site. Directions on uploading content to the site are given, and available content is sorted into a variety of topical categories, such as exegetical, historical, practical, and systematic, as well as a number of subcategories, such as sermons and homiletics, liturgies and service formats, confirmation and discipleship.
http://lcmspastor.com/
The LHF publishes Martin Luther’s Small Catechism in several languages, distributed in more than eighty countries, as well as more than nine hundred titles and three million Lutheran books to pastors, seminary students, missionaries, and churches, at no cost to them. A statement of faith and an overview of its work are stated, along with annual reports and financials, staff contacts, and a contact form for book requests.
https://www.lhfmissions.org/
Headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri, LHM has more than thirty ministry centers on six continents, reaching over seventy million people worldwide every week. Its flagship ministry, The Lutheran Hour, airs weekly on over 1,800 radio stations and the Armed Forces Network. Its media programs and global ministries are highlighted, and video-based studies, booklets, devotions, and study guides are included.
https://www.lhm.org/
The LWML is the women’s auxiliary of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, where it is active in assisting LCMS women to affirm their relationship with God, helping them to be successful in their ministry to the people they come into contact with. Its programs include gospel outreach, mission grants, supporting church workers in mission, leadership development, and a variety of fellowship programs. An online shopping area is included.
http://www.lwml.org/
LFL is a pro-life program of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod that equips Lutherans to be Gospel-motivated voices for life and is made up of every Lutheran, individually and in community, who upholds the God-given value of human life and influences society to do the same. Its issues and publications are featured, along with blogs, Bible study guides, downloads, and conference schedules. An online store is also featured.
https://www.lutheransforlife.org/
North Wisconsin District Resources
Maintained by the North Wisconsin District Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, the site offers a variety of online resources for member congregations and pastors, including monthly newsletters, a calendar of programs and events, convention schedules, and mission grant information. Members congregations are listed and may be found on a map, along with district circuits, financial and school resources, and contacts.
http://www.nwdlcms.org/
Pacific Southwest District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
The LCMS district is made up of congregations and schools in Southern California, Arizona, and Southern Nevada. Headquartered in Irvine, California, its administrative contacts and office hours are posted to the site. District staff, a list of member churches and pastors, ministry directories, and an outline of its ministries are set forth, along with its lay leadership programs, news, and announcements.
https://www.psd-lcms.org/
The English District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
One of thirty-five districts of the Missouri Synod, the English District was once an independent Lutheran Synod in North America, created in 1888 as the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri. Its history, leadership, board of directors, staff, congregations, schools, and missions are published to the site. A calendar of conferences and events and access to various reports and documents are included.
http://www.englishdistrict.org/
The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
Established in 1847 by Saxon and other German immigrants, the LCMS is a confessional Lutheran church body, and the second largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, especially concentrated in the Midwest. Its history, leadership, partners, and a directory of member churches, schools, district offices, recognized service organizations, and church bodies are included, along with a calendar of events and access to various publications.
https://www.lcms.org/
