Welcome to Calvary Lutheran (The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod)

 

Our Mission Statement 

 
Calvary Lutheran Church is committed to fostering a strong culture of discipleship through intentional relationships, intentional spiritual growth, and intentional serving. We seek to build genuine, Christ-centered relationships and, grounded in the Bible and the Great Commission, strive to do Jesus’ work in Jesus’ way. Through intentional spiritual growth, we trust the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to guide people toward spiritual maturity. With a heart for intentional serving, we desire to be a blessing to our community and the world.
 

What We Believe

 

Calvary Lutheran Church is a member of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Here is the link to Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles – The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Our belief is succinctly expressed in the profession of faith called the Nicene Creed:

I
believe
in
one
God,
the
Father
Almighty,
maker
of
heaven
and
earth
and
of
all
things
visible
 and
invisible.
 

 And
in
one
Lord
Jesus
Christ,
the
only‐begotten
Son
of
God,
begotten
of
His
Father
before
all
 worlds,
God
of
God,
Light
of
Light,
very
God
of
very
God,
begotten,
not
made,
being
of
one
 substance
with
the
Father,
by
whom
all
things
were
made;
who
for
us
men
and
for
our
 salvation
came
down
from
heaven
and
was
incarnate
by
the
Holy
Spirit
of
the
virgin
Mary
 and
was
made
man;
and
was
crucified
also
for
us
under
Pontius
Pilate.
He
suffered
and
was
 buried.
And
the
third
day
He
rose
again
according
to
the
Scriptures
and
ascended
into
 heaven
and
sits
at
the
right
hand
of
the
Father.
And
He
will
come
again
with
glory
to
judge
 both
the
living
and
the
dead,
whose
kingdom
will
have
no
end.
 

 And
I
believe
in
the
Holy
Spirit,
the
Lord
and
giver
of
life,
who
proceeds
from
the
Father
and
 the
Son,
who
with
the
Father
and
the
Son
together
is
worshiped
and
glorified,
who
spoke
by
 the
prophets.
And
I
believe
in
one
holy
Christian
and
apostolic
Church
I
acknowledge
one
 Baptism
for
the
remission
of
sins,
and
I
look
for
the
resurrection
of
the
dead
and
the
life
of
 the
world
to
come.
Amen.
 


Us
men
means
all
people.


Christian:
The
ancient
text
reads
“catholic,”
meaning
the
whole
Church
as
it
confesses
the
wholeness
of
Christian
doctrine.


 

Truth

We affirm that there is only one truth, as revealed by God, and Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of this truth. This truth is objective, unchanging, and rooted in God’s character, His Word, and the person of Jesus Christ. We do not accept the idea that truth is subjective or relative, but believe it is absolute and found in Scripture.

The Bible

We believe that the Bible is the divinely inspired and authoritative Word of God, providing instruction for salvation and holy living. It is the supreme authority in matters of faith and practice. We do not accept the view that the Bible is merely a human record or subject to personal or cultural interpretation.

God

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons — the Trinity — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is distinct from His creation, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, loving, merciful, kind, wise and unchanging. We do not affirm the idea that God is changing or equivalent to the universe.

Humanity

We believe humanity was created in God’s image, as male and female, and is the pinnacle of creation. Though created good, humanity fell into sin, but God’s plan of redemption through Christ offers restoration. We do not accept the belief that humanity is inherently good without the need for repentance or salvation.

Satan

We believe Satan is a real being, a fallen angel who opposes God and seeks to lead humanity astray. He is the origin of evil in the world; but through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, Satan’s power is broken. We do not accept the notion that Satan is merely a metaphor or symbolic figure.

Sin

We believe sin entered the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, resulting in death and separation from God. All humans are born into sin and in need of redemption. We do not affirm the belief that sin does not exist or that humanity is inherently good without the need for repentance.

Salvation

We believe salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Justification is God’s own act of declaring the sinner righteous for Christ’s sake, received through faith which the Holy Spirit Himself creates in us — not a decision we reach on our own initiative that then unlocks His grace, but the Spirit’s own work awakening trust where none existed before. Sanctification follows as that same Spirit’s ongoing work in the believer’s life. All people are lost apart from Christ and are brought to repentance and faith solely through the working of the Holy Spirit, not by human effort or a choice made under our own power. We do not accept the idea that salvation requires no transformation or that Christ’s death was unnecessary.

New Life in Christ

We believe sanctification is the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in the believer, nourished through the means of grace — the preaching and hearing of God’s Word and the receiving of the Sacraments — producing growth in faith and a life of good works as its fruit, not as its cause or a self-directed effort we generate on our own. Christians are called to a life of transformation and godliness. We do not agree with the belief that believers can live without transformation or godliness.

The Church

We believe the Church is the body of Christ, consisting of all believers, and is called to be a visible expression of God’s Kingdom. The Church is the spiritual family of believers, united in faith and love, and each member has a role in serving and building up the body. We do not accept the view that the Church exists solely for individual benefit rather than for serving others and fulfilling God’s mission.

The Future

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, with eternal life for the saved and eternal punishment for the lost. Jesus Christ will return to fulfill His promises. We do not encourage excessive speculation or predictions about the end times based on human teachings.

Being a Disciple

We believe every Christian is called to follow Jesus Christ, growing in faith and obedience. Discipleship is an essential aspect of the Christian life. We do not accept the view that discipleship is optional for believers.

Making Disciples

We believe every Christian is called to make disciples, which involves relational and intentional spiritual growth within community. Discipleship is not limited to pastors and evangelists but is the responsibility of all believers, each of whom, by virtue of their baptism, has direct access to God and a share in the church’s mission rather than needing an ordained mediator for it. We do not agree with the notion that disciple-making is solely the responsibility of a few individuals.

God’s Design for Life and Family

We believe God creates each person as male or female, reflecting His image, and that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. We affirm the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. We do not accept views that conflict with God’s design for sexuality, marriage, or the sanctity of life.

Christian Charity and Service

We believe Christian charity and service are essential aspects of the faith, emphasizing love and selflessness in caring for others, particularly the poor and vulnerable. Generosity is encouraged, and true religion involves selfless service. We do not accept selfishness or a lack of compassion for those in need.

Baptism

We believe Baptism is the ordinary means through which God Himself works saving faith, forgiveness, and new birth in the one baptized — not a step taken in response to a decision already made, but the very place where the Spirit creates that faith, including in infants too young to choose or decide anything for themselves. We affirm its necessity in the sense that Christ commands it and attaches His promise to it — not in the sense that God is bound by it, since He is free to save apart from it, as in the case of one who comes to faith but dies before Baptism can be administered. We do not accept the view that Baptism is just an outward sign.

The Lord’s Supper

We believe in the real presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper: in, with, and under the bread and wine — neither changed in substance into something no longer bread and wine, nor merely representing or symbolizing Christ’s body and blood as a memorial — communicants receive His true body and blood, genuinely present together with the bread and wine and given for the forgiveness of sins. The Lord’s Supper is a means of grace, uniting believers and strengthening faith. We do not accept the view that the Lord’s Supper is merely symbolic or a memorial.