Independent Lutheran Diocese

The Independent Lutheran Diocese diocese is registered as a non-profit religious organization in the State of Oregon and maintains its headquarters in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Started in 2008 by independent, conservative Lutheran pastors and Parishes dissastisfied with liberal theology and politics of the major synods, it is committed to return to the Historical Lutheran Faith and message. It maintains a Seminary and has its own publishing program.
Our Purpose
-- Return to an Authentic Christian Worship Experience
-- Seek and find True Spirituality in our hearts and lives.
-- Discover and present Genuine Christianity to those around us.
-- Experience the Joy of Jesus Christ in our daily life.
What We Blieve
The Bible
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, completely free from error. It is the final authoritative guide for faith and practice. The Word of God and the Sacraments are the means of grace through which the benefits of Christ's redemption are bestowed
to all who believe.
God
There is only one true God, who eternally exists in three distinct persons in one divine essence, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is called "the Trinity" or "the Triune God."
Man
God created Adam and Eve in His image to live in fellowship with Him. Through their disobedience they fell into sin. As a result,the entire human race became self-centered sinners who oppose God and as such are separated from Him and under His eternal wrath. Because human nature is sinful, and because the promise of God includes little children: infants are baptized into faith and are subsequently led by the Holy Spirit and the nurturing influence of the church into a personal assurance of faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is true God and true Man. By His perfect obedience
and substitutionary death on the cross, He made full satisfaction for all human sin. He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where He is now seated at the Father's right hand to make intercession for those who believe. Finally, He will come again to judge the living and the dead, make an eternal separation between
believers and unbelievers, and establish His eternal Kingdom.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God - eternally one with the Father and the Son. Through the Word of God, He convicts people of sin, persuades them to acknowledge their sinfulness, and calls them to faith through the Gospel. He regenerates, sanctifies, and preserves
believers in the one true faith; and empowers them to proclaim the message of salvation to the world.
The Church
The Church consists of all those who have truly accepted and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. The confessing membership of our local church shall include only those who have been baptized into the name of the triune God and
confess a personal and living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Creeds
We accept the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, the
Athanasian Creed, and the doctrines of the Church as expressed in
the Book of Concord as being in conformity with the Word of God.
Differences with Other Lutherans
We are a confessing and reforming Church. The Unaltered Augsburg Confession of 1530 AD is a particular guidance for Parishes within the Independent Lutheran Diocese. This confession expresses the entire Christian faith of the one ancient holy and apostolic church. Further guidance is found in the 1580 Book of Concord which includes Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms and the Three Creeds of the Christian Church.
We are however distinct in viewpoints with other Lutherans. We seek to be a home for those who desire authentic, genuine Christianity and true spirituality. In doing so, we seek those who have lost their way from the Church. We seek out those who have no church home, disenfranchised, disheartened, hurting, lonely, and weary and nowhere to turn to spiritually.
Our church services of Baptism, The Lord's Supper, weddings, funerals, and other services, are held using biblically based liturgies.
We hold that communion should be open to those who:
1. Confess that they are sinners in need of God’s forgiveness, and repent.
2. believe that Jesus Christ is their only Savior from sin, Satan and death, and is also Lord of their life.
3. believe that Christ is really present in the Sacrament and that with the bread and wine they receive His true Body and Blood.
4. resolve to dedicate their lives to the Lord and Savior in His Body, the Church, by regular worship and devoted Christian service and living.
The Independent Lutheran Diocese believes that while Seminary training is good and worthwhile, one does not need a college or Seminary degree to hold the office of Pastor. We further believe that ordination is necessary for those called for mission work and those who are starting Parishes.
We hold to the Biblical doctrine of anointing with oil those who are sick - see Mark 6:13, James 5:14-15
We provide Free Seminary training for those who desire it. Above all else, we examine the heart, motives, and theological stances of each candidate before ordination. This includes those who transfer their credentials from other denominations.
Publications
*Pontoppidan, Erik, Epitome of Martin Luther's Small Catechism Klamath Falls, OR: ILD 2005
*Gerberding, G. H., The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church Klamath Falls, OR: ILD 2008
*Gerberding, G. H., The Priesthood of Believers Klamath Falls, OR: ILD 2009
*Osmundson, R. H., The Lutheran Pastor's Liturgical Guide Klamath Falls, OR: ILD 2009

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