Gethsemane
Lutheran Church is a congregation of the
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of
America (CLBA)
Who Are The
Lutheran Brethren?
by David Rinden
Who are the Lutheran Brethren?
We are a Protestant church with an
evangelistic Lutheran tradition. There are
105 Lutheran Brethren congregations in the
United States and Canada, and 1,535 churches
and chapels in Cameroon, Chad, Japan, and
Taiwan. In addition, 22 independent
congregations and Bible study fellowships in
Canada and the United States are served by
Lutheran Brethren pastors.
Is the Lutheran Brethren a new
denomination?
No. Our Synod was organized on December 17,
1900, when five independent Lutheran
congregations met in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
to join together for mission projects which
were larger than one congregation could
handle.
What does the Lutheran Brethren stand
for?
A Gospel centered ministry where salvation
by grace alone is proclaimed and where godly
living, patterned after the principles of
Scripture is encouraged. We believe that
Christianity is not only a creed to confess
but that it is a life to be lived for God in
holiness. For that reason we seek to
cultivate a sensitive spirit toward those
who have spiritual struggles and try to
minister God's grace to those needs.
How would you describe your worship
services?
People are often surprised when they attend
our services. The pastor does not wear
vestments and the ritual of the Common
Service is not used. Recognizing the freedom
for different forms of worship allowed by
the Lutheran Confessions, and believing that
the New Testament worship forms were simple,
we center our worship around the singing of
gospel and worship songs, traditional hymns,
and the sermon which is based on God's Word.
I see that you have more members
overseas. That must mean you have a strong
mission program?
Yes. From the very beginning our synod has
had a vision for world missions, first in
China, then in Cameroon, Chad, Japan, and
Taiwan, where we now have teams of church
planters, teachers, Bible translators, and
health workers. All of the national churches
are independent of the Synod in North
America. We serve them at their request. It
has been gratifying to see the Lord extend
His kingdom through our sister churches
overseas. In addition to this overseas
mission emphasis, our people also sense a
burden for people in Canada and the United
States. Many new congregations are being
planned for North America.
