Who We Are
At Lutheran Church of the Master our purpose is twofold:
to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ,
and live out our faith in loving service for others.
Enjoy your freedom.
Jesus said, “If the son sets you free, you will be free indeed!” (John 8:36).
Freedom is a scary proposition because after the Fall of humanity (Genesis 3), we only know bondage to sin, death, and the devil. Sure, we have freedom over things like what toothpaste to use and what we will eat for breakfast. Of course, even in that, our choices are heavily influenced by corporations providing the very items we choose. Furthermore, the idea of freedom is terrifying because though we trust ourselves with freedom, we get nervous when the person next to us abuses their freedom. Our mantra is: “freedom for me, but not for you.”
Too often religious types think freedom is based on doing the right things like praying, reading the Bible, doing acts of kindness, and living an upright life. These are all healthy and good things to do; however, no matter how much improvement we make in this life, there is not enough strength within us to truly free us from our fallen condition.
The good news is that Jesus came to rescue us. His life, death, and resurrection accomplished what we could not do ourselves. Being united to Jesus, we are free. That does not mean we are a little free, but entirely free.
Because of Jesus, the Christian life is a life where we enjoy the freedom, he won for us. We no longer have to earn God’s favor. We have it. All the energy or trying to be holy now can be used for other things such as loving our family, playing music, learning more about God, walking on the beach, working out, telling others the good news, and much more. In truth, this freedom gives us the opportunity to lean into the gifts and passions we have for life.
At Lutheran Church of the Master, we end each service by saying, “You are free in Christ.”
We hope that you will enjoy the freedom that comes from Jesus.
Believing
We believe, teach, and preach under the authority of the Christian faith as it has been handed down from Jesus and his first apostles and disciples. We believe in the Triune God and affirm the historic creeds of the church: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. We believe Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through His life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation. We believe the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.
This congregation accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God and the authoritative and reliable source and norm of its proclamation, faith and life. Inspired by God’s Spirit speaking through their authors, the Scriptures record and announce God’s revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them, God’s Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world. We subscribe to the historical writings of the Lutheran Reformation (often called the “Book of Concord” or “Lutheran Confessions”) that help to keep us clearly Jesus-centered and Biblically faithful.
Belonging
At Lutheran Church of the Master, you are not part of a crowd, you are part of a family. Since 1957 our congregation has lifted high the cross of Jesus Christ, proclaiming the Good News of God's love, mercy and grace. We invite you to worship and find community with us. Lutheran worship provides stability in an often chaotic, fast-paced world. We value warmth and solemnity in our worship, which gives us relief from the rush and demands of daily life. Most importantly, we come together to hear God's truthful, gracious Word. In worshiping, serving, and growing together, we find belonging.
Meet Pastor Russ Lackey
Russell L. Lackey is the pastor at Lutheran Church of the Master in Corona Del Mar, CA. He is the former Campus Pastor at Grand View University and inaugural holder of the Rasmussen-Skow Chair in Pastoral Excellence. Russell has authored the book, Power and Purpose: The Book of Revelation for Today. During his time at Grand View, he led two Lilly Endowment initiatives to strengthen pastoral ministry and is a sought-out speaker. Russell received his Doctor of Ministry in Christian Leadership from Duke University; Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary; and Bachelor of Arts from Westmont College. He is married to his wife, Jamie; together they have three daughters.
