What makes us unique? Why would someone want to walk with us?
Three basic characteristics have described The American Association of Lutheran Churches (The AALC) from our beginning: Confessing, Caring, and Calling.
CONFESSING
We believe that God has saved us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ apart from any of our own works. Martin Luther called this, “the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine.”
The Bible alone is the source of our theology and doctrine. We believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God. It is the indisputable authority and rule in all faith and life. The Holy Bible has greater authority than our feelings, our understanding, our culture, or our comforts. Simply stated, it is God’s Word.
Many people say that they believe the Bible, but they interpret it in a variety of ways. We accept the Lutheran Confessions because they are the correct interpretation and explanation of the Holy Bible.
CARING
We are a small but growing church body. This means every pastor and every congregation is dear to us. There are no disposable people here. We work hard to genuinely care for each pastor and every congregation in our Association.
By the grace of God, we are growing and planting new churches. But no matter how large we grow, we are committed to being honest and gracious in our relationships among ourselves and with others. We take seriously the biblical command to be, “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).
CALLING
We believe that God has called us to care for people beyond ourselves. We are called to reach out to people as the hands and heart of Christ. The AALC is committed to pioneering new missions across America.
Also, we are called to extend the Kingdom beyond our shores, into other lands. There are people in every nation in desperate need of the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ. We may be small, but we are powerful when we walk together.
God is blessing our beloved body of churches and calling new people to “walk together” with us every day.
This is where we stand:
- We believe we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
- We believe the Holy Bible is God’s infallible, inerrant Word.
- We accept the Lutheran Confessions because they are the right interpretation of the Bible.
- We are a church body that counts every pastor and congregation as precious.
- We believe God has called us to reach people in our communities and around the world.