Lutheran Comparison: ELCA vs LCMC vs LCMS

Lutheran Denominations:
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, and Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod are compared in this video to give you an overview about what Lutheran Churches believe.

[mr.gentlezombie]

As an LCMS member, I honestly feel like we couldn't be more different from the ELCA. Once you get past the name, we have more in common with Catholic or Reformed churches than we do with many ELCA churches.

[KNosk]

I was baptized ELCIC but raised and confirmed LCC (LCMS's Canadian sister). I'd be really interested in seeing comparisons of American denominations to their Canadian counterparts. You do such a great, thorough job.

[TheologyJeremy]

Another helpful video! I've been getting better at understanding Lutheranism (mainly through your videos) and this filled in even more gaps for me.

[nathanramos]

Concordia University Irvine (an LCMS school) preparing for a career in music ministry here. It's worth noting that in our communion service on campus, we always make grape juice available as an alternative to the wine. This is the case in most LCMS churches in this SoCal area as far as I know. The reasoning is to be accommodating to people with alcohol abuse issues and those who simply wish not to consume alcohol. Also, we've used leavened bread for communion on occasion. We usually use the wafer out of convenience. Great video!

[lguenther]

Good video! I'd like to mention (as someone who grew up in the LCMS church) that when it comes to the use of grape juice or leavened vs. unleavened bread in communion, I've seen them used in every LCMS church I've been to. Some will also provide gluten-free wafers for those with allergies. They are not seen as "lesser" options in any regard, just as helpful alternatives for anyone who would prefer them.

[kevinturner]

This was a very informative video. I've studied the history of all the different branches of Lutheranism and found it quite confusing. Thank you for the quick clear up. LCMS member here, but I do not bash anyone. At least you are going to church.

[bigfootNPC]

Yo props for including LCMC. Most people have no clue what that is.

[blessedhope]

God bless you brother...thanks for the information...may the Holy Spirit of the Lord give guiding...blessing in Jesus Christ sweet name from India🙏

[rickdockery]

Basically, anything goes in the ELCA. Really wish they’d drop Lutheran as they don’t teach the confessions

[pastorjerrykliner]

Got to say...as an ELCA Pastor...that there is nothing particularly "Evangelical" "Lutheran" or even "Church" about my denomination any more. It's pretty much "anything goes"...except for orthodox Christian beliefs...over here.

[lynnebee]

I have been restoring the church built by my great grandfather and a small group of Norwegian immigrants to Jarlsberg (Bear Lake) Ontario in 1872. They were Lutherans so this little church (holds a max of 40) is now owned by the ELCIC - Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. Way back I think it was associated with the Missouri synod. We still have services in the summer, but now this former little Scandinavian immigrant village is a part of “cottage country”, with only a handful of descendants still present there. I wondered what the relationship is to the American Lutheran church, so thank you for the explanation. I think that the ELCIC is associated with the ELCA. In Canada the ELCIC is in full communion with the Anglicans.

[polemeros]

The most visible ELCA church in my town is a big purple building called HerChurch and a huge sign invites everyone to Celebrate the Goddess. All you need to know about ELCA. SMH.

[thcenturytunes]

Bravo, well done sir - I've sat in each of the Lutheran Congregations mentioned over the course of my life and yes, WELS and Apostolic Lutheran are the most conservative - "Lutherans in America" Mark Grandquist, Luther Sem

[dpaulson]

I am a member of the ELCA. Honestly we can be pretty cringe but I have a bit more nuanced veiw of the church. They can be a bit too theologically liberal and morally lax but they still are (mostly) genuine Christians who worship and serve God and are one of the only real messangers of the Gospel in my area.

[jackwalters]

Some LCMS churches, at least the one I went to, do allow use of unfermented grape juice for people who can't drink wine for medical reasons or who are recovering alcoholics

[sarahrosebattles]

As an LCMS member I would say that I have always seen baptism by pouring, although since mode of baptism doesn't matter for us sprinkling wouldn't generate much comment either way.

[napnip]

As a member of an ELDoNA Lutheran church, I'd love to see you do a video on us and our history, also our disagreement with Universal Objective Justification. You seem to be very fair in your assessment of other groups, so I believe you would do us justice.

[ChristianTravelers]

With regard to Open Communion, we would change the "Red X" to a "Grey Checkmark" for LCMS for this reason: While it is the stated position of the Missouri Synod to practice Close Communion, the last two Missouri Synod Churches that we have attended (Faith Community in Las Vegas; Trinity Lutheran in Holly Hill, Florida) have both practiced Open Communion. We understand that this is a sticking point in the fellowship talks currently ongoing between LCMS and WELS.

[daleloepp]

Seems accurate as far as it goes. One slight correction to the initial slide: a number of congregations are both NALC and LCMC, so comparing the two side-by-side overstates numbers of churches when compared to the non-NALC/non-LCMC groups.

[michelleb]

I grew up in Lutheran churches and have attended some as an adult. All did baptism by pouring. I’ve never, ever heard of a Lutheran church using sprinkling as baptism. The church I attended from ages 8-16 used a shell. I know for sure because I didn’t get baptized until I was 8 and I remember it.