Who we are: Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS) is a church body of nearly 2.7 million members in over 6,000 congregations in the United States, with missionaries in over 30 countries of the world. It bears the name "Missouri" from the original name in 1847 -- "The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States." The word Synod is from the Greek word which means "walk together along the same path." This indicates that our member congregations have agreed to walk together in the same confession and practice of the Christian faith. The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod is in fellowship with confessional Lutherans throughout the world. While the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod is a particular church body in the United States, what is distinctively Lutheran is not the peculiar teachings of a 'denomination' but simply the Christian faith as it has been believed, taught, and confessed since the time of the apostles and throughout the history of the church. Four words can be used to describe the Lutheran Church: Evangelical, Christian (catholic), Confessional, and Sacramental. Read more »