OUR SERVICES ARE CHARACTERIZED BY:

+ Being Christ-centered

+ Justification by Grace Through Faith Being Central (Ephesians 2:8,9; Augsburg Confession, Article IV; Small Catechism, Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed)

+ An Acknowledgment of God’s Holy Presence Among Us (Hebrews 12:18ff; Isaiah 6:1-7; Revelation 4,5), especially the actual presence of Christ’s body and blood in His Holy Supper

+ The Effectiveness of God’s Word and Sacraments (see Isaiah 55:10-11; Romans 10:17; Titus 3:5; & Augsburg Confession, Article V) in God’s own Time

+ The Historically-Received Liturgy of the Lutheran Church (see Augsburg Confession & Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV). Lutherans have not historically understood themselves as a “new church.”

+ An understanding that the Divine Service is chiefly what God does for us in the means of grace, and then ours is worship in response to God’s initiative in grace (Luke 22:27; Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV, 78-81)

+ An assumption of thorough catechesis (instruction) as the path to baptized, communicant membership (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:42; Romans 10:17)

+ Liturgical practice that is indicative of historic Christianity in a genuinely Lutheran way (Matthew 16:13-20; Jude 3; Augsburg Confession, Article VII), and so reflect genuine catholic identity

+ Consistent worship practices which unify the congregation, in all ages and backgrounds, in reverence, joy, and awe and which teach and reflect our heritage in the Lutheran Confessions, the early church fathers, and Holy Scripture

+ Variety which arises from the richness of the various customs of the Church Year calendar and the wealth of orders and occasional rites in the Agenda (liturgical book of special rites).

+ Preaching that is understood not to be “the pastor’s message” or a pep talk but a exposition of the biblical text, taken from the lectionary, that applies the law and gospel and is understood as the living voice of the Gospel, where Christ Himself speaks, if the sermon is faithful.

+ The understanding that to be “Spirit-filled” means that the Word of God is taught faithfully and the holy sacraments are administered in fidelity to the Word of Christ, not necessarily a mood, since the Holy Spirit works through the Word and Sacraments. To be “Spirit-filled” is not about “spiritual gifts inventories” or group dynamics or so-called charismatic phenomena by those who major in such things.

Johann Sebastian Bach, Lutheran composer

The Lutheran Church is a liturgical church. This means not only that we follow an ordered, regular order of service, but this also means that such liturgy is shaped by what we believe, teach, and confess from Scripture and as summarized in our Lutheran Confessions, the Book of Concord of 1580. This also means that the Word and Sacraments are the core and living center of the Divine Service. It is around these “marks of the church” that we gather each Lord’s Day.

The Lutheran Church is a liturgical church to a large degree also because we do not claim to be a new church. Martin Luther did not intend to start a “new church.” He sought reform not revolution. Revolution was left to the radical protestants whereas Luther was careful and conservative in reform in accordance with Scripture. Only where a teaching or practice contradicted Scripture was change made. The early Lutheran confessors understood themselves to be both “evangelical” (sola gratia) and “catholic” (teaching the whole and unchanging truth of God).

Understood this way, the historically-received liturgy is much more than a certain artistic aesthetic or style. It is certainly much more than a museum piece. It is not a static object but a living, breathing, organic truth, way of worship, and mystery that is handed down. It isn’t then that some are “liturgical people” and others are “non-liturgical people.” It is a matter of being baptized into the faith and taught the mysteries of the faith in an ongoing way for the rest of one’s life. This takes the whole question out of the realm of “taste” or entertainment or the mood that is generated by various styles of worship nowadays. It is a Christ-centered reality that flows from Him to us where heaven comes down to earth to deliver the gifts of Good Friday and Easter in the Word and the ongoing feast of the Holy Eucharist.

The teaching of God’s Word and the gifts of the sacraments pull, shape, and give breath to the liturgy. It is not that the means of grace are added mechanicaly to the liturgy – just plugged-in. Rather we understand that in the Divine Service Christ comes to us with forgiveness, life, and salvation and that there the Holy Spirit is at work in that powerful Word of salvation to create and sustain faith. The means of grace (Word and Sacraments) are the “horse” that pulls the “cart” of the liturgy.

Within this liturgy we preach Christ and Him crucified as the atonement for the sin of the world. We preach His bodily resurrection from the dead as the way of our justification. It is Christ and His work that is the center of His liturgy among us. What we offer is an alternative to the entertainment-driven “alternative worship” so prevalent today. This is the classical perspective and intention of genuine Lutherans in times past.

Quotations from our Lutheran Confessions:

1] Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for the Mass is retained among 2] us, and celebrated with the highest reverence. Nearly all the usual ceremonies are also preserved, save that the parts sung in Latin are interspersed here and there with German hymns, which have been added 3] to teach the people. For ceremonies are needed to this end alone that the unlearned 4] be taught [what they need to know of Christ]. And not only has Paul commanded to use in the church a language understood by the people 1 Cor. 14, 2. 9, but it has also been so ordained by man’s law. 5] The people are accustomed to partake of the Sacrament together, if any be fit for it, and this also increases the reverence and devotion of public 6] worship. For none are admitted 7] except they be first examined. The people are also advised concerning the dignity and use of the Sacrament, how great consolation it brings anxious consciences, that they may learn to believe God, and to expect and ask of Him all that is good. 8] [In this connection they are also instructed regarding other and false teachings on the Sacrament.] This worship pleases God; such use of the Sacrament nourishes true devotion 9] toward God. It does not, therefore, appear that the Mass is more devoutly celebrated among our adversaries than among us.
+ The Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV,1-9 +


At the outset we must again make the preliminary statement that we 1] do not abolish the Mass, but religiously maintain and defend it. For among us masses are celebrated every Lord’s Day and on the other festivals, in which the Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other like things.

+ Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV,1 +


WHY WE USE THE TERM “DIVINE SERVICE” FOR THE LITURGY:


From our Lutheran Confessions:

Of the Term Mass.

78] The adversaries also refer us to philology. From the names of the Mass they derive arguments which do not require a long discussion. For even though the Mass be called a sacrifice, it does not follow that it must confer grace ex opere operato, or, when applied on behalf of others, merit for them the remission of sins, etc. 79] Leitourgiva, they say, signifies a sacrifice, and the Greeks call the Mass, liturgy. Why do they here omit the old appellation synaxis, which shows that the Mass was formerly the communion of many? But let us speak of the word liturgy. This word does not properly signify a, sacrifice, but rather the public ministry, and agrees aptly with our belief, namely, that one minister who consecrates tenders the body and blood of the Lord to the rest of the people, just as one minister who preaches tenders the Gospel to the people, as Paul says, 1 Cor. 4, 1: Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, i.e., of the Gospel and the Sacraments. And 2 Cor. 5, 20: We are ambassadors for Christ, as 81] though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, Be ye reconciled to God. Thus the term leitourgiva agrees aptly with the ministry.

+ Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV, 78-81 +

See also Luke 22:27; Mark 10:45; Romans 10:17; I Cor. 10:16.

Terms used by Lutherans in other languages:
German – der Gottesdienst or der Hauptgottesdienst
Swedish – Gudstjaenst
Finnish – Jumalanpalvelus

Greek term for liturgy: theia leitourgia