Born in London in the early 18th Century and educated at Oxford, John Wesley became an official minister for the Church of England in 1725. The first taste of Methodism was initiated by a group Both Wesley and his brother Charles were a part of in Oxford who devoted their time to participating in the Eucharist frequently, intensely studying Scripture, and consistent outreach to those in the dilapidated Oxford prisons. Because of their methodical habits and practices, the group became known at the Methodists. Wesley alongside his brother embarked on a journey to Georgia by invitation of the colony’s founder to serve as pastors to the English settlers and missionaries. Unfortunately for the Wesleys, this experience was a negative one and they returned to Great Britain disenfranchised and disappointed by their hollow faith. The search for genuine faith saw Wesley move to Moravian colonies in America. It was hear that Wesley would have a warm encounter with Jesus, experiencing a solidification of his faith in the salvific acts of Christ. He was convicted personally and intimately that Jesus had forgiven his sins, however dark and perverse, and that he was rescued from the jaws of death.

Since being established, the Lutheran Church has been largely involved in world mission including work in Thailand, Sweden, and Africa. They have been responsible for the founding of many world help organizations such as Lutheran World Service, which leads the way in Christian service projects in developing countries. Alongside their missionary work, the Lutheran Church has also been successful in establishing hospitals, medical clinics, aged care facilities, and educational facilities right across the world.

Now, back to the original question, “How do I find a Lutheran Church near me?” If you’ve arrived at this article with little or no idea about local Lutheran churches near you, this page helped me in deciding which one was the best fit. You’ll be able to find a complete list of Lutheran churches in your area by entering the code for your neighborhood. For me, I wanted a Lutheran church near to my house so I would instantly feel connected to the community. Whatever your needs, you’re sure to find the right fit for you.

Whilst those cover the main distinctive doctrines, there are some additional one upheld by several Baps which include:

1 They believe that faith is a matter between God and the individual (religious freedom). To them it means the advocacy of absolute liberty of conscience.

2 Insistence on immersion as the only mode of baptism. They do not believe that baptism is necessary for salvation. Therefore, for them, baptism is an ordinance, not a sacrament, since, in their view, it imparts no saving grace.

3 The supremacy of the canonical Scriptures as a norm of faith and practice. For something to become a matter of faith and practice, it is not sufficient for it to be merely consistent with and not contrary to scriptural principles. It must be something explicitly ordained through command or example in the Bible. For instance, this is why they do not practice infant baptism — they say the Bible neither commands nor exemplifies infant baptism as a Christian practice. More than any other Baptist principle, this one when applied to infant baptism is said to separate them from other evangelical Christians.