CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
Free LUTHERAN. HIGH VIEW OF SCRIPTURE.
WHy "lutheran"?
The term "Lutheran" means different things to different people. To some it denotes a certain kind of service or structure in a congregation or in a church body. In recent years, decisions by one prominent Lutheran church body have caused people to think that Lutherans don't believe, teach or confess the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. That's particularly unfortunate, because most of the nearly forty Lutheran church bodies in the United States have a very high view of Scripture. These groups view God's Word as the source of life, not a rule book for life.
why "free lutheran"?
The "free" in "Free Lutheran" refers to church polity (structure and authority), as our larger church body (the AFLC) serves, rather than rules, each local congregation. You can read more about how this works in the Fundamental Principles and Rules for Work, documents that have guided our body since the founding of its predecessor in 1897. These documents guide the manner of our working together with like-minded congregations, and provide both congregational authority and responsibility. One great example of these principles is: "According to the Word of God, the congregation is the right form of the kingdom of God on earth."
People of the Book
Along with other Christians, St. Olaf believes and confesses that the Holy Scripture, the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, are the Word of God, revealed for the salvation of men, and the only source for the faith, doctrine, and life of the congregation. We also hold to the three "ancient ecumenical creeds" as faithful expositions of Scripture.
Along with other Lutherans, St. Olaf subscribes to the Lutheran Confessions as faithful interpretations of Scripture. There are more to list, but St. Olaf subscribes expressly to Luther's Small Catechism and the Unaltered Augsburg Confession. These documents outline the content of our teaching, especially as it regards the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Word of God, the Sacraments (Baptism and the Lord's Supper, or Communion), and the 10 Commandments.
For more information on the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, visit their website.