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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was formed in 1988 by the merger of two major Lutheran denominations, the American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church in America, along with the much smaller Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches.

Over 40 different Lutheran denominations currently exist in North America. However, most North American Lutherans belong to one of the three largest denominations, namely, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, or the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

There a large number of Lutheran denominations, with the two main bodies in America being the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA).

Lutherans believe that humans are saved from their sins by God's grace alone (Sola Gratia), through faith alone (Sola Fide), on the basis of Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura).

LCMC is congregational in structure, rejecting the historic episcopate which was adopted by the ELCA, the denomination to which many LCMC members had previously belonged, in the Called to Common Mission agreement.

The level of agreement necessary to join together in one church body. While the LCMS believes the Bible requires agreement in all that the Bible teaches, the ELCA holds that disagreement in some matters of doctrine, such as the mode of Christ's presence in Holy Communion, do not prohibit church fellowship.

Each week Lutherans hear from various parts of the Bible, and also a sermon based on the word of God. God also listens as we pray for the church, the world and each other.

Luther's primary task in his exposition of the Sermon on the Mount is to proclaim God's Word of law and gospel that works first as caustic salt against the glorious-looking good works and pieties of the human project before the Word brings faith and new life in Christ.