Below are questions with responses from our pastor, meant as a reference source for members and also to help newcomers understand more about our beliefs. Feel free to use the contact form to submit questions by clicking here.
Why Christian?
Because Jesus rose from the dead, and lives and reigns over all creation, and calls you to place your trust in Him. Apart from Him, there is no Savior, and apart from the a God who sent Him, there is no God.
Why Lutheran?
First, Lutherans are evangelical. That means, we believe that through faith alone, in the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a fallen person is made whole in God’s eyes, is given the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. A person cannot and does not earn God’s love and acceptance, but God’s love and acceptance are given by grace alone, that is, freely. They are given on account of what Jesus has done; they are given to all who believe, and only to those who believe. Furthermore, we proudly believe and teach that faith comes through the Word of God concerning Jesus, that water baptism offers the forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit to every believer, including children and infants, and that the true Body and Blood of Christ are really present in the Lord Supper, together with the bread and wine.
Unlike most other evangelicals, however, Lutherans gladly embrace many catholic traditions and styles, such as certain forms of worship, the use of vestments and candles, and the following of the traditional Church calendar. We observe these traditions for the sake of the unity of the Christian Church, and because of their usefulness in teaching about the life and work of Jesus. We do not teach anything, however, as the Word of God, unless it is clearly taught in Scripture. One might say, then, that Lutherans are catholic, but not Roman Catholic.
Why Missouri-Synod Lutheran?
The primary division among Lutherans relates to the authority of Scripture. Many denominations are divided this way, divided between so-called liberal and conservative stances with respect to the authority of Scripture. Between the two large Lutheran church bodies in America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is the more liberal church body, and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LC-MS) is the more conservative church body. Bear in mind, this is a very broad generalization. Individual members or congregations within these two church bodies may not conform to the liberal/conservative dichotomy at all.
What is behind this liberal/conservative dichotomy that divides most church bodies? Here comes another broad generalization: An unfortunate development in the Christian Church in the last century and a half or so has been a movement to interpret the Word of God increasingly in terms that seem reasonable to the human mind. Thus, rather than accepting the words as they are written, the Scripture is tested against scientific theories, rationalistic philosophies, and common experience, to determine what in Scripture is really true, what represents merely flawed human opinions from the ancient past, and what is, frankly, just a corrupt text. A liberal-minded person might welcome this. It is bringing the church’s teachings into the modern world. A conservative viewpoint is more likely to see this as a surrender to the mindset of the world, which at least undermines, and in some cases completely destroys, the Christian faith.
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in general, and First Lutheran Church in Benton in particular, teaches that Scripture is reliable as it is written, and should be interpreted according to its own terms, whether its plain meaning fits with contemporary sensibilities or not.
First Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) 