About Us
St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church
Brief History:
St. John Lutheran Church - Bingen is a congregation of about 700 baptized members who gather to hear God's Word and to receive the Sacrament at the church located along Indiana state highway 27 six miles south of the 469 bypass, six miles north of Decatur.
Organized Second Christmas Day, 1845, St. John celebrated her 160th
anniversary in 2005. Founded by Missionary F. C. D. Wyneken, St. John (along with two neighboring congregations: Emmanuel - Soest and St. Peter - Fuelling) was first shepherded by Pastor F. W. Husmann. It became a charter congregation of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod in 1847. St. John is committed to the teachings of the inerrant Word of God in the Old and New Testaments and to their interpretation as set forth in the Book of Concord of 1580.Since her beginning, the congregation has been dedicated to the teaching of her children through St. John's school, which in 1969 became an association of three congregations in what is known today as Wyneken Memorial Lutheran School. The school offers Pre-K through 8th grade.
While our congregation has seen changes in recent decades, its desire to serve the Lord by receiving His blessings in steadfast faith remains
constant. Filled with the Spirit, by His grace St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church will continue to be a blessing to its members and the community for years to come. We invite you to join us!St. John has been served by the Reverend's; F. C. D. Wyneken 1838-1840, F. W. Husmann 1840-1848, J. A. Fritze 1848-1853, W. Kolb 1853-1855, P. Wambsganns, Sr. 1855-1863, G. Traub 1864-1866, H. Evers 1866-1886, R. A. Bischoff 1886-1889, C. F. W. Huge 1890-1904, H. C. Jaus 1905-1915, W. O. Bischoff 1915-1922, E. R. Truelzsch 1922-1942, H. J. A. Bouman 1942-1947, M. Behling 1948-1950, W. G. Schwehn 1950-1955, E. A. H. Jacobs 1955-1971, J. T. Hoppes 1971-1976, L. E. Russert 1977-1989, T. L. Olson 1989-2007, J. M. Dreyer 2009 - .
Doctrine and Practice:
Baptized into the Family of God. Through Adam and Eve the entire world plunged into sin only to be rescued by the promise of God fulfilled in the Incarnation (the "enfleshment") of God's Son, whose birth, holy life, innocent suffering and death, resurrection, and ascension have won for all mankind a place in heaven. Man's rescue takes place when he is baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Therein his sins are forgiven and he receives adoption and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise and gift is for adults and children alike as Jesus says, "Make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19-20), and the Apostle Peter states, "This promise is to you and to your children" (Acts 2:38-39).
The Lord's Supper is provided regularly for the people of God as well as on festival days. Through participation in this holy meal, the children of God are sustained on their earthly pilgrimage by the very Body and true Blood
of our Savior Jesus Christ until they reach the promised land of heaven. As a confessional church, we Lutherans take seriously the confession of the lips and therefore practice Close Communion (only those who share our confession of faith, that is, who say the same thing about God and His saving work in Jesus Christ, are eligible to commune).Holy Absolution is the individual reception of the remission of sins
through the laying on of hands. We believe and teach that it, too, is a work of the Spirit and a gift of Christ to His Church, for Jesus says, "whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them" Jn 20:23. Thus we read in The Apology of the Augsburg Confession, "Therefore Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and Absolution, which is the Sacrament of Repentance, are truly Sacraments. For these rites have God's command and the promise of grace, which is the heart of the New Testament." As practiced among us, Absolution is a cure without equal for troubled consciences.We believe that Christ has established His Church on earth as the dispenser of His forgiveness. To this end He has given to the Church these means of grace which, with preaching and teaching, deliver poor sinners from sin, death and the devil and give eternal life to all who believe.