Do I have to be Lutheran?

Absolutely NOT! We welcome everyone -- see our Statement of Welcome. There is no expectation that you be Lutheran, or even interested in becoming Lutheran in order to be part of our community. Maybe you are Lutheran and want to grow deeper in your faith. Maybe you are rooted in anther Christian tradition and want to join us for Bible study. Maybe you are part of another faith tradition and want to join us in serving the homeless or other causes. Maybe you don't have any past religious experiences, but want to come have fun with us. These are all great ways to be part of our community!

Our worry is that by posting our denomination that people will feel that only those in the club are welcomed. We are not a ministry just for Lutherans, but rather a ministry for the world. We gather Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Pentecostals, Roman Catholics, Apostolic church members, agnostics, and non-denominational members, just to name a few. We aren't trying to take you away from your tradition, but we want you to know that you are welcome here. We are far more about our identity as followers of Jesus as opposed to what denomination we belong.

If you find that we aren't what you're looking for, we'd be happy to try to help you find a community that fits you, such as a local congregation or another ministry on campus.

Why Lutheran?

First and foremost we are Christians -- followers of Jesus. We also happen to be connected to a tribe of the faithful called the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). We are thankful for the theological, historical, questioning, reforming, teaching and supportive network our tribe provides.

In 1517 when Martin Luther started the Reformation, he was a professor and campus pastor in the city of Wittenberg, Germany. Coming from these roots, Lutherans have always had a deep commitment to education at all levels. 2007 marked 100 years of Lutheran Campus Ministry in the USA. Like Martin Luther, we are still reforming the Church, which is the body of Christ -- continually exploring what scripture means for us in our context -- in our time and place.

As Lutherans, we believe scripture and sacraments are central, people have failed on their own but are redeemed by God, and that we are called out to live this faith in this life, not just as preparation for the next. Lutherans believe doubt and questions are normal and valuable, often enriching our faith and leading us to spiritual growth. Tough questions are nothing to fear because we believe God is there in the midst of the questions, accompanying us on our journey. We remain faithful not through our perfection in daily life, but through our trust in God's presence and in God's care ... even at those times when we doubt.

We hope Lutheran Campus Ministry provides you with a place to a search for truth that is exciting and intellectually stimulating. You may be challenged in what you believe, and we wish to struggle with your questions with you.

We embrace diversity and live life with joy, having fun with the precious gift of life that God has given us. We believe laughter is a gift from God and seek to dwell in that holy hilarity. We believe we have been saved by grace through faith, and that even that faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9).