Our Beliefs

Our beliefs can be summarized by the Unaltered Augsburg Confession of 1530 Articles IV-X:

Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ's sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4.
That we may obtain this faith, the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Ghost is given, who works faith; where and when it pleases God, in them that hear the Gospel, to wit, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ's sake, justifies those who believe that they are received into Grace for Christ's sake.
Also they teach that this faith is bound to bring forth good fruits, and that it is necessary to do good works commanded by God, because of God's will, but that we should not rely on those works to merit justification before God. For remission of sins and justification is apprehended by faith, as also the voice of Christ attests: When ye shall have done all these things, say: We are unprofitable servants. Luke 17, 10. The same is also taught by the Fathers. For Ambrose says: It is ordained of God that he who believes in Christ is saved, freely receiving remission of sins, without works, by faith alone.
Also they teach that one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.
Although the Church properly is the congregation of saints and true believers, nevertheless, since in this life many hypocrites and evil persons are mingled therewith, it is lawful to use Sacraments administered by evil men, according to the saying of Christ: The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat, etc. Matt. 23, 2. Both the Sacraments and Word are effectual by reason of the institution and commandment of Christ, not withstanding they be administered by evil men.
Of Baptism they teach that it is necessary to salvation, and that through Baptism is offered the grace of God, and that children are to be baptized who, being offered to God through Baptism are received into God's grace.
Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise.

Our faith is also outlined in these accepted Creeds (click to view):
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Apostles Creed

I believe in God, theFather Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ,
His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father;
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again
according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge
both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together
is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.And I believe in oneholy Christian and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved,before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faithexcept every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perisheverlastingly.And the catholic faithis this, that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of theHoly Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one:the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.
The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghostincomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.
And yet they are not three Eternals, but one Eternal.
As there are not three Uncreated nor three Incomprehensibles, but one Uncreatedand one Incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghostalmighty.
And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God.
And yet they are not three Gods, but one God.
So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord.
And yet not three Lords, but one Lord.
For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge everyPerson by Himself to be God and Lord,
So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say, There be three Gods, orthree Lords.The Father is made ofnone: neither created nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created, norbegotten, but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one HolyGhost, not three Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is before or after other; none is greater or less thananother;
But the whole three Persons are coeternal together, and coequal:
so that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity inUnity is to be worshiped.
He, therefore, that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.Furthermore, it isnecessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe faithfully the incarnationof our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the right faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ,the Son of God, is God and Man;
God of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds;
and Man of the substance of His mother, born in the world;
Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.
Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father astouching His manhood;
Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ:
One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking the manhoodinto God;
One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ;
Who suffered for our salvation;
descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead;
He ascended into heaven; He sitteth on the right hand of the Father, GodAlmighty;
from whence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give anaccount of their own works.
And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.

Meet Our Staff

Senior Pastor

Rev. John Bussman

In his primary vocation, Rev. Bussman is husband to Emily and father to sons Gabriel and Luke. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Concordia University, Nebraska (Winter 2007), where he also played collegiate tennis. He graduated from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 2012 with a Masters of Divinity. Not only was he very studious, he is also known to be the greatest intramural champion of all time. Rev. Bussman is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree from Concordia Seminary with a concentration in the history and theology of worship and how that helps to form us as Christians. Additionally, Rev. Bussman has written for Gottesdienst, the Journal of Lutheran Liturgy, since 2018, and he has served as a professor of religion at Wallace State Community College since 2015, where he teaches surveys of both Old and New Testament as well as Biblical Interpretation. In his spare time, Rev. Bussman enjoys woodworking, yardwork, riding motorcycles, and spending time with his family

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Associate Pastor and Cantor

Rev. Christopher Clark

A native of Lake Charles, LA, Pastor Clark graduated from McNeese State University in 2005, earning a Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in Performance on saxophone and in conducting. After serving as a music educator in Texas and Louisiana, as well as the director of music at St. John Lutheran Church in Lake Charles, he then enrolled at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, receiving his Master of Divinity in 2017. Following his ordination that same June, he was installed as the Associate Pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Cullman, AL, on July 2, 2017. At St. Paul's, Pastor Clark's duties include guiding the music program for both the church and school, conducting the various choral and instrumental ensembles, teaching the Sunday junior catechism classes, and assisting Pastor Bussman in all aspects of the pastoral ministry. Among his other interests are golf, architecture, history, jazz music, and composing and arranging sacred music. He also enjoys spending time at home with his wife Linda and their children.

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Senior Pastor