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What We Believe
WHAT WE BELIEVE

Our church is a Bible-based church. We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and the only source of authority for what we believe and teach as Christians. In the Bible, God has revealed himself to us and described his plans and expectations for us. We do not follow man's philosophy, tradition, or earthly opinion, but confess and follow the Word of God alone. From the Bible we learn about:



GOD: There is only one true God, the Triune God in three persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, John 5:23)

THE STATUS OF ALL PEOPLE: Through sin, everyone has fallen short of God's expectations. A just and holy God cannot ignore our sin. His identity, integrity, and credibility are at stake. Without another plan, our sins condemn us to eternal punishment. (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 2:14, and Ephesians 2:1)

GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION: Out of love for all mankind, God sent His son Jesus to be punished in our place. Through faith in Him, we are made "right" with God, and become heirs of eternal life in heaven. This plan is the source of true happiness and peace. (John 3:16, Romans 3:22-24)

 
WISCONSIN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN SYNOD (WELS)

Trinity Lutheran Church is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). WELS, characterized as theologically conservative, is the third largest Lutheran church body in America (after the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), neither of which are in fellowship with WELS). WELS began in 1850 when three German pastors met in Milwaukee.

Today, it has grown to over 1,200 congregations in North America. It has over 400,000 baptized members, which includes over 300,000 communicants, served by over 1,000 pastors. The synod operates four ministerial education schools: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wis.; Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn.; Luther Preparatory School, Watertown, Wis.; and Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw, Mich.


WHAT IS A LUTHERAN?
 
Nearly 500 years ago, the Christian church was corrupted by many false teachings. A man named Martin Luther led people back to the teachings of the Bible. His work, and that of his friends, is called the Reformation. Through Luther God restored the church to purity of doctrine and a new life of faith in Christ.

The doctrines of the Lutheran Church are not new. They are the teachings of the Bible. Thus the Lutheran Church is not a new church. It is not a sect or cult. It is a church whose teaching is based on the words written by the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament. The Bible tells us about Jesus Christ. The teachings of the Lutheran Church are those of the original, ancient church of the apostles and early Christians.
Short, Personal Answers

In our Own Words
How do the beliefs and teachings of Trinity compare with those of other Lutherans?

The other largest Lutheran bodies in America are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Our church body, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, is generally thought of as the most conservative. Most members of the LCMS would find our church very similar.

Would you like more specifics?

Perhaps it is best to let other groups speak for themselves. The LCMS summarizes its differences with the WELS in three points:
  • church fellowship,
  • the role of ministers in the church, and
  • the role of women in the church. 
The ELCA summarizes its differences with the LCMS in two main points:
  • joining with other churches and
  • interpreting the Bible.
The LCMS summarizes its differences with the ELCA in a similar way.

We share the same concerns, fundamentally because the ELCA says the Bible has errors. Jesus disagrees, pointedly.

Hundreds of frequently-asked questions about our church’s belief and teachings, especially how they compare with the beliefs and teachings of other Christian groups, are also answered in a simple way in the searchable Q&A section of the website of our church body, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." ~ Hebrews 12:2