About​ Our Church

established in 1975​

The roots of our congregation are traced back to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. In 1970, Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, San Antonio, TX, called Rev. E. R. Stallings to be her Pastor. He had received his ministerial training at the LC-MS Concordia Theological Seminary which at the time was located in Springfield, IL. In 1974, Pastor Stallings and some 100 members withdrew from the LC-MS due to the Synod’s increasing toleration of false doctrine and practice. In particular, this withdrawal was prompted by the Synod’s declaring fellowship with the American Lutheran Church, by the Synod’s approval of women’s suffrage in voters assemblies, by its continued membership in the Lutheran Council in the United States (LCUSA), a unionistic organization composed of the LC-MS, the American Lutheran Church (ALC), and the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), and by the toleration of the synod-produced adult Bible study course entitled, “Through the Desert,” which denied the miraculous parting of the Red Sea.

The 100 faithful members and their pastor reorganized as an independent congregation with the name, Faith Lutheran Church. Sadly, within a year’s time, this independent congregation split over a controversy over the doctrine of Church Fellowship (altar, pulpit, prayer). Many wanted to be able, when visiting out of town relatives, to worship and pray with these relatives who remained in the Missouri Synod. The small faithful remnant withdrew and reorganized as an independent congregation, called Pastor Stallings to serve them, and chose the name Holy Scripture Ev. Lutheran Church. The congregation remained independent for 8 years.

In 1983, the pastor and congregation joined the Concordia Lutheran Conference (CLC). The congregation and her Pastor were members of the conference until 2004. In 2004, the church and her Pastor withdrew from the conference over its mounting legalism such as making humanly devised rules for social activities such as condemning as sin even mere attendance at proms, homecomings, etc., where the so-called “modern social dance” is supposedly prominent, and for having customary dancing at “off-campus” wedding receptions. In addition, some congregations took in out of state and out of town members, but then required that they move to the city where the church is located, and if such a move was not made, the members were charged with “forsaking the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is,” and declared as sinfully separated.

Since 2004, Holy Scripture Ev. Lutheran Church has been independent, but earnestly seeks to find an orthodox fellowship and thereby be able also to provide shepherds for the future of the flock. May God grant it.

Mission

We believe we must not sit upon our orthodoxy, but spread it abroad. We strive within our God-provided means (literature, electronic technology, personal witness), to confess Christ before men.

Constitution

In order that all things be done “decently and in order (I Corinthians 14:40), our church maintains a constitution, which is broken down into articles.

Doctrine

Our congregation, Holy Scripture Ev. Lutheran Church of Windcrest, TX, confesses to be a confessional, orthodox Lutheran Church. Therefore, we adhere to the following confessional standard.