Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God, our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Thank you for stopping by our web site for St. John's Lutheran Church in Dumas, Texas. We hope you will enjoy what you find here and will check some of the links and other items on the site. We pray that the Lord will bless your time with us on the site as you discover something about our congregation, our Church body and the Christian faith. If you have questions or just want to visit, please go to the "Contact St. John's" tab for quick access.
While there are a goodly number of churches you may choose to visit or even become a member of, the question that remains is which church ought one be a part of? That is to say, 'How can I come to know which church is best?' In order to answer that question, one needs to consider that there are really only two kinds of religions in this world... these are the religions of Law, and the religion of the Gospel.
Religions of Law teach that you must take on the responsibility for doing good works, and depending on your own good character to make it to Heaven, (some religions call Heaven, Paradise, Nirvana, etc.), that is to say you have to follow rules, do certain things, make certain decisions, and earn your way into that special place. This is the Law-based faith system.
Religion of Gospel has salvation carried out by God for us. This is accomplished by the merits of Jesus, the Son of God. Such salvation is a gift, given by a God of mercy. Essentially, there is only one Religion of Gospel, that is the Christian Religion; however, not all Christian Religions are the same. So how can you figure out which Christian church is best? I would encourage you to consider these basic questions when seeking a church home. (Note the Scriptures as you consider these questions).
(1.) Does the church believe that the entire Bible is the inerrant Word of God?
(See: I Timothy 3:16)
(2.) Does the church believe in a Triune God...a God of three persons; The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit?
(See: Matthew 28:19)
(3.) Does the church believe that Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God and the only Savior of the world?
(See: I John 4:14)
(4.) Does the church believe that Jesus died for all the sins of all people for all time?
(See: I Corinthians 15:3, and I John 2:2)
(5.) Does the church believe and teach that all people are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ's atonement?
(See: Ephesians 2:8)
(6.) Does the church believe that Baptism washes away sin?
(See: Acts 22:16)
(7.) Does the church believe and teach that what Jesus said is the truth when he said "This is my body
and this is my blood, given and shed for the remission of your sins."?
(See: Matthew 26: 26-28)
These questions are a way of finding out just what a church believes, what they teach, and what it is that they confess about Jesus. Selecting a church is not about how close it is to your home, or how nice the building looks. Not all churches are the same, and not all teach the truth according to the Word of God. Finding the best church needs some attention to what is being said and done in the name of God.
The Lutheran Church is certainly not the only church that believes, teaches, and confesses the truth of Salvation; however, we do try to hold to the Biblical truths, and not mere human opinion or human reason that may actually reject God and His Word.
So, if you are seeking a church home or a better handle on life as God would have you live it, we at Saint John's Lutheran Church invite you to come and hear what God has to say. We look forward to seeing you, and sharing the Good News in Christ Jesus, Savior and Lord.
In His Service,
Pastor Troy D. Scroggins
P.S.
Here are some free resources you can ask for to help you know more about St. John's Lutheran Church, and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
"Positively Lutheran" by John A. Braun
"What About..." series
"The Small Catechism" by Dr. Martin Luther
Other tracts about specific topics and issues like: Creation/Evolution, Abortion, Forgiveness, Living Together, Baptism, Communion, Worship (Liturgy), Bible Reading, and more. These resources can be picked up at the church, or mailed to you. Just give us a call.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Thank you for stopping by our web site for St. John's Lutheran Church in Dumas, Texas. We hope you will enjoy what you find here and will check some of the links and other items on the site. We pray that the Lord will bless your time with us on the site as you discover something about our congregation, our Church body and the Christian faith. If you have questions or just want to visit, please go to the "Contact St. John's" tab for quick access.
While there are a goodly number of churches you may choose to visit or even become a member of, the question that remains is which church ought one be a part of? That is to say, 'How can I come to know which church is best?' In order to answer that question, one needs to consider that there are really only two kinds of religions in this world... these are the religions of Law, and the religion of the Gospel.
Religions of Law teach that you must take on the responsibility for doing good works, and depending on your own good character to make it to Heaven, (some religions call Heaven, Paradise, Nirvana, etc.), that is to say you have to follow rules, do certain things, make certain decisions, and earn your way into that special place. This is the Law-based faith system.
Religion of Gospel has salvation carried out by God for us. This is accomplished by the merits of Jesus, the Son of God. Such salvation is a gift, given by a God of mercy. Essentially, there is only one Religion of Gospel, that is the Christian Religion; however, not all Christian Religions are the same. So how can you figure out which Christian church is best? I would encourage you to consider these basic questions when seeking a church home. (Note the Scriptures as you consider these questions).
(1.) Does the church believe that the entire Bible is the inerrant Word of God?
(See: I Timothy 3:16)
(2.) Does the church believe in a Triune God...a God of three persons; The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit?
(See: Matthew 28:19)
(3.) Does the church believe that Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God and the only Savior of the world?
(See: I John 4:14)
(4.) Does the church believe that Jesus died for all the sins of all people for all time?
(See: I Corinthians 15:3, and I John 2:2)
(5.) Does the church believe and teach that all people are saved by God's grace through faith in Christ's atonement?
(See: Ephesians 2:8)
(6.) Does the church believe that Baptism washes away sin?
(See: Acts 22:16)
(7.) Does the church believe and teach that what Jesus said is the truth when he said "This is my body
and this is my blood, given and shed for the remission of your sins."?
(See: Matthew 26: 26-28)
These questions are a way of finding out just what a church believes, what they teach, and what it is that they confess about Jesus. Selecting a church is not about how close it is to your home, or how nice the building looks. Not all churches are the same, and not all teach the truth according to the Word of God. Finding the best church needs some attention to what is being said and done in the name of God.
The Lutheran Church is certainly not the only church that believes, teaches, and confesses the truth of Salvation; however, we do try to hold to the Biblical truths, and not mere human opinion or human reason that may actually reject God and His Word.
So, if you are seeking a church home or a better handle on life as God would have you live it, we at Saint John's Lutheran Church invite you to come and hear what God has to say. We look forward to seeing you, and sharing the Good News in Christ Jesus, Savior and Lord.
In His Service,
Pastor Troy D. Scroggins
P.S.
Here are some free resources you can ask for to help you know more about St. John's Lutheran Church, and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
"Positively Lutheran" by John A. Braun
"What About..." series
"The Small Catechism" by Dr. Martin Luther
Other tracts about specific topics and issues like: Creation/Evolution, Abortion, Forgiveness, Living Together, Baptism, Communion, Worship (Liturgy), Bible Reading, and more. These resources can be picked up at the church, or mailed to you. Just give us a call.