A Lutheran is a Christian who believes and confesses the teachings of the Bible as explained by Martin Luther and other theologians during the early 16th century. These theologians sought to correct errors that were being taught by the Christian church during this era, with the hope of having a more biblical, Christ-centered, and unified church. The foundations of their teachings stemmed from a few guiding principles.
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod traces its origins to 750 Saxon immigrants who came to Missouri in 1839 seeking freedom from religious persecution in Germany and originally settled in the St. Louis area. The first official meeting of the synod was held in Chicago from April 25 to May 6, 1847. The twelve original congregations included about 3,000 persons. One hundred years later, in 1947, the Synod officially changed its name to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The word synod means walking together, indicating that we as a denomination have agreed to walk together in the same confession of faith.
As of 2010, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod reported a membership of 2.2 million members in 6,158 congregations. The Synod also has 10 colleges, two seminaries, 99 high schools, and the nations largest Protestant elementary school system, reporting 1,400 early childhood centers, and 945 elementary schools. The Synod has 8,927 pastors, 18,000 school teachers, and numerous other full-time workers serving congregations and schools.