ABOUT US
Thank you for taking the time to find out more about New Scandinavia Lutheran Church and our community. New Scandinavia Lutheran Church was established in Dallas, WI in 1875. We hope that after you look through our website and attend a worship, you will consider becoming a more active part of our growing community of faith.
Led by Pastor Ron Gerl, New Scandinavia Lutheran Church offers many ministries for people of all ages and walks of life who are looking to strengthen their relationship with Christ.
Mission Statement
“In Christ, We reach, teach and celebrate Gods Word”
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America resulted from a union of three North American Lutheran church bodies: The American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches and the Lutheran Church in America.
The three churches agreed to unite in 1982. They formed a 70-member Commission for a New Lutheran Church, which planned the merger. The plan was approved by church conventions in 1986, and the ELCA constituting convention was held April 30-May 3, 1987, with the church actually beginning operations on January 1, 1988.
Why a Lutheran Church?
Martin Luther is known as the Father of Protestantism. He had studied to become a lawyer before becoming an Augustinian monk in 1505, and was ordained a priest in 1507. While continuing his studies in pursuit of a Doctor of Theology degree, he discovered significant differences between what he read in the Bible and the theology and practices of the church. On October 31, 1517, he posted a challenge on the church door at Wittenberg University to debate 95 theological issues. Luther’s hope was that the church would reform its practice and preaching to be more consistent with the Word of God as contained in the Bible.
What started as an academic debate escalated to a religious war, fueled by fiery temperaments and violent language on both sides. As a result, there was not a reformation of the church but a separation. “Lutheran” was a name applied to Luther and his followers as an insult but adopted as a badge of honor by them instead.
Lutherans still celebrate the Reformation and hold to it’s key principles:
- We are saved by the grace of God alone — not by anything we do;
- Our salvation is through faith alone — we only need to believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who died to redeem us;
- The Bible is the only norm of doctrine and life — the only true standard by which teachings and doctrines are to be judged.
- Scriptures and worship need to be in the language of the people.