Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies
Church of the Lutheran Brethren
Church of the Lutheran Brethren
PO Box 655
Fergus Falls,, MN 56538
United States
Attesting Officer
46.28, -96.08
The Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America was organized in December 1900. Five independent Lutheran congregations met together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and adopted a constitution patterned very closely to that of the Lutheran Free Church of Norway.
The spiritual awakening in the Midwest during the 1890s crystallized into convictions that led to the formation of a new church body. Chief among the concerns were church membership practices, observance of Holy Communion, confirmation practices and local church government.
The Church of the Lutheran Brethren practices a simple order of worship with the sermon as the primary part of the worship service. It believes that personal profession of faith is the primary criterion for membership in the congregation. The Communion service is reserved for those who profess faith in Christ as savior. Each congregation is autonomous and the synod serves the congregations in advisory and cooperative capacities.
The synod supports a world mission program in Cameroon, Chad, Japan and Taiwan. Approximately 40 percent of the synodical budget is earmarked for world missions. A growing home mission ministry is planting new congregations in the United States and Canada. Affiliate organizations operate several retirement-nursing homes, conference and retreat centers.
Membership
| Full Communicants | Average Attendance | Other Members | Total Inclusive Members | Total Churches | Membership Calculation Method | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 8,362 |
11,865 |
4,737 |
13,099 |
105 |
|||
| 2009 | 8,521 |
11,785 |
4,912 |
13,433 |
106 |
|||
| 2008 | 9,070 |
13,034 |
5,682 |
14,752 |
116 |
|||
| 2006 | 8,907 |
13,375 |
5,520 |
14,427 |
110 |
|||
| 2004 | 8,435 |
13,662 |
5,328 |
13,763 |
108 |
|||
| 2002 | 8,194 |
13,097 |
5,508 |
13,702 |
108 |
|||
| 2001 | 8,194 |
13,702 |
108 |
|||||
| 1999 | 8,229 |
13,207 |
5,691 |
13,920 |
115 |
|||
| 1998 | 8,234 |
0 |
5,448 |
13,682 |
115 |
|||
| 1997 | 8,232 |
13,530 |
117 |
|||||
| 1996 | 8,181 |
13,442 |
117 |
|||||
| 1995 | 8,114 |
24,906 |
118 |
|||||
| 1994 | 8,331 |
25,548 |
119 |
|||||
| 1993 | 7,824 |
12,527 |
120 |
|||||
| 1992 | 7,684 |
12,182 |
110 |
|||||
| 1990 | 7,715 |
12,220 |
111 |
|||||
| 1989 | 7,540 |
12,625 |
114 |
|||||
| 1988 | 7,827 |
13,695 |
128 |
|||||
| 1987 | 6,530 |
11,360 |
104 |
|||||
| 1986 | 11,778 |
11,778 |
118 |
|||||
| 1985 | 6,977 |
11,374 |
108 |
|||||
| 1984 | 6,808 |
11,006 |
110 |
|||||
| 1983 | 6,789 |
10,997 |
109 |
|||||
| 1982 | 6,598 |
10,580 |
106 |
|||||
| 1981 | 6,206 |
10,153 |
106 |
Clergy
| Serving Churches | Retired | Other Service to the Church | Total Clergy | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 128 |
45 | 50 |
223 |
||
| 2008 | 135 |
48 | 36 |
219 |
||
| 2006 | 140 |
46 | 36 |
222 |
||
| 2004 | 124 |
45 | 47 |
216 |
||
| 2002 | 145 |
37 | 47 |
229 |
||
| 2001 | 145 |
229 |
||||
| 1999 | 136 |
39 | 55 |
230 |
||
| 1998 | 139 |
38 | 61 |
238 |
||
| 1997 | 136 |
233 |
||||
| 1996 | 122 |
225 |
||||
| 1995 | 114 |
209 |
||||
| 1994 | 135 |
233 |
||||
| 1993 | 135 |
234 |
||||
| 1992 | 113 |
207 |
||||
| 1990 | 115 |
207 |
||||
| 1989 | 110 |
195 |
||||
| 1988 | 115 |
202 |
||||
| 1987 | 126 |
173 |
||||
| 1986 | 113 |
184 |
||||
| 1985 | 99 |
148 |
||||
| 1984 | 97 |
137 |
||||
| 1983 | 93 |
135 |
||||
| 1982 | 89 |
136 |
||||
| 1981 | 59 |
116 |
||||
| 1980 | 73 |
134 |
Education
| Total Schools | Staff | Pupils | Total Individuals | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 105 |
1,022 |
5,333 |
6,355 |
||
| 2009 | 106 |
1,046 |
5,657 |
6,703 |
||
| 2008 | 113 |
1,130 |
6,826 |
7,956 |
||
| 2006 | 108 |
1,117 |
9,491 |
10,608 |
||
| 2004 | 105 |
1,122 |
7,718 |
8,840 |
||
| 2002 | 101 |
1,238 |
7,605 |
8,843 |
||
| 2001 | 101 |
8,843 |
||||
| 1999 | 105 |
1,231 |
7,951 |
9,182 |
||
| 1998 | 110 |
1,240 |
7,873 |
9,113 |
||
| 1997 | 105 |
9,674 |
||||
| 1996 | 106 |
10,146 |
||||
| 1995 | 110 |
10,652 |
||||
| 1994 | 114 |
11,061 |
||||
| 1993 | 118 |
11,496 |
||||
| 1992 | 108 |
11,161 |
||||
| 1990 | 111 |
10,979 |
||||
| 1989 | 114 |
10,464 |
||||
| 1988 | 124 |
10,884 |
||||
| 1987 | 104 |
9,837 |
||||
| 1986 | 107 |
10,035 |
||||
| 1985 | 102 |
9,748 |
||||
| 1984 | 103 |
9,932 |
||||
| 1983 | 102 |
9,370 |
||||
| 1982 | 101 |
9,183 |
||||
| 1981 | 100 |
8,961 |
Finance
| Total Benevolences | Total Financials | Total Giving | Local Expenses | Method | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | $20,493,564 |
$20,493,564 |
$20,493,564 |
||||
| 2009 | $0 |
$20,003,105 |
$20,003,105 |
$20,003,105 |
|||
| 2008 | $2,160,264 |
$23,828,096 |
$21,667,832 |
||||
| 2006 | $1,989,752 |
$20,565,904 |
$18,576,152 |
||||
| 2004 | $2,078,490 |
$17,075,504 |
$14,997,014 |
||||
| 2002 | $2,198,658 |
$14,103,909 |
$11,905,251 |
||||
| 2001 | $2,198,658 |
$14,103,909 |
$11,905,251 |
||||
| 1999 | $1,921,186 |
$12,284,566 |
$10,363,380 |
||||
| 1998 | $1,891,507 |
$11,579,314 |
$9,687,807 |
||||
| 1997 | $1,841,030 |
$11,300,212 |
$9,459,182 |
||||
| 1996 | $1,812,818 |
$10,419,250 |
$8,606,432 |
||||
| 1995 | $2,459,460 |
$9,157,364 |
$6,697,904 |
||||
| 1994 | $1,890,818 |
$9,166,074 |
$7,275,256 |
||||
| 1967 | $166,535 |
$1,920,601 |
$1,754,066 |
||||
| 1966 | $72 |
$0 |
$0 |
||||
| 1923 | $92,000 |
||||||
| 1921 | $265,000 |
||||||
| 1917 | $14,837 |