by Jared Risner
Discovering the ancient church I didn’t know existed.
From a very early age, I couldn’t reconcile Sunday church services with what I read in Scripture. How could what we were participating in look so different from what I saw taught in the New Testament?
I was raised in church with Christian parents and good intentions, and for that I’m thankful. But something always felt missing.
As I got older, I began devouring the Bible, theological books, and the sermons of popular online pastors. I joined mission trips, served my community, and searched for Christ in all the ways I’d been taught to. Still, something inside me said, “This isn’t it.” I wondered if I was the only one who felt this way.
Early in my marriage, I began to feel the cracks in my evangelical experience become more like chasms. Worship felt like work, like it was centered more on my experience than God’s truth. Sermons often sounded like TED Talks, and Sunday services felt more like concerts. The liturgy of the early church was nowhere to be found.
Where were the creeds? The confessions? The connection to those taught by the Apostles—who were taught by Christ Himself?
I craved something deeper. Something older. Something rooted.
Like many others who leave contemporary evangelicalism, I assumed there were really only two options for historic Christianity: Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. After all, they had ancient liturgies, beautiful churches, and a clear connection to the early church.
But as I dug deeper, I ran into roadblocks.
I wasn’t comfortable with some of the teachings and practices—doctrines that seemed to go beyond Scripture, the idea of praying to saints, or placing tradition on par with the Word of God. And yet I couldn’t go back to the shallow end, either. I needed something more.
That’s when I discovered something I didn’t even know existed:
Confessional Lutheranism.
Ancient. Biblical. Centered on Christ.
At All Saints Lutheran Church in Jonesboro, I found the Church that still confesses the ancient creeds, celebrates the historic liturgy, and centers everything around the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I found the Church that:
• Preaches salvation by grace through faith—not works.
• Confesses the inerrancy of Scripture—not the shifting opinions of culture.
• Celebrates the Lord’s Supper as a true means of grace—not just a memorial.
• Prays ancient prayers, sings Psalms, and follows the liturgical calendar—not just trendy sermon series.
• Baptizes, catechizes, and actually believes what the Church has always taught.
In other words, it’s both ancient and evangelical in the best sense of the word. It’s the Church of the Reformation—deeply rooted in the early church, yet boldly centered on Christ and His Word.
Confessional Lutheranism: The Church You Didn’t Know You Were Looking For
If you’ve grown weary of church-as-performance…
If you’re hungry for reverence, structure, and theological clarity…
If you’re curious about the Church that still kneels, chants, and teaches from Scripture without compromise…
If you thought your only options were Roman Catholicism or Orthodoxy, but can’t imagine compromising the truths of the Word of God…
You’re not alone.
You may not have known it existed—but it does. And it’s here in Jonesboro.
Join Us This Sunday
📍 All Saints Lutheran Church
1812 Rains Street, Jonesboro, AR
🕙 Divine Service at 9:30 AM
☕ Coffee, fellowship, and Bible study after the service
At All Saints, we welcome seekers, wanderers, and those who love Jesus but are longing for more. You’re not alone in your search—and we’d love to walk with you.
All Saints Lutheran Church and School 