“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!” (Luke 19:38). Jesus enters into Jerusalem precisely in order to suffer and die on the cross for us and for the sake of acquiring our salvation and life. He came not in order to be served but to serve, in order that through His sacrifice we might live forever as God’s born-again children. Still today, He comes not to be served but to serve, and to give us of Himself through the precious Means of Grace. Christ comes each week in the Divine Service to forgive us anew and strengthen us in the new life He’s given.
On April 6, 2025, the first Lutheran bishop for Turkey, head of the Istanbul Lutheran Church, was consecrated in Adana, Turkey, near Tarsus of Cilicia, the native town of the Apostle Paul.
Bishops and pastors from Russia, Finland, Latvia, the USA, Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey gathered in Adana to share the privilege of being witness to a historical event. Feymi Madjirov was called to bishop’s ministry after serving as a pastor in Lutheran congregations in Turkey and Bulgaria since 2005. Bishop of the Church of Ingria Ivan Laptev was the presiding bishop during the consecration, assisted by bishops Juhana Pohjola from Finland and Hans Jönsson from Latvia.
The Istanbul Lutheran Church is part of the world Lutheran community. The Church is a member of the International Lutheran Council.
The territory of modern Turkey has had an extremely rich Christian background since the 1st century AD. It was in the city of Antioch where the name “Christian” first emerged. The New Testament contains the Epistles to the Galatians, the Ephesians, and the Colossians. The seven churches from the Book of Revelation were located in this territory. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, died a martyr there around 155 AD. The first seven ecumenical councils were held there.
In 1709, Sweden sent the first Lutheran priest to Constantinople. In 1741, the Parliament of Sweden decided to collect money for the construction of a church in Istanbul. Funds for the plan were also raised in Germany and in Finland. The church was built in the garden of the Swedish Embassy in 1748. After 1884, the Swedish Government no longer covered the expenses of the chapel and the priest’s salary.
Finnish brothers and sisters have been supporting the local Lutheran community since the 1970’s and continue their ministry today. At the beginning of our century, the Istanbul Lutheran Church was registered by the Turkish government. After a while, several Turkish-speaking congregations in Bulgaria joined the Church.
In 2013, the Church of Ingria and the Istanbul Lutheran Church made a cooperation agreement. The Church of Ingria intended to support the Gospel preaching in Turkey and Bulgaria. Indeed, our Churches have much in common. As an example, the Church Statute of the ELCIR served as a basis for the Constitution of the Istanbul Lutheran Church. Isto Pihkala, former general secretary of the ELCIR, was the church official who played an important part in drafting the Constitution.
The Istanbul Lutheran Church continues to be a spiritual support for Lutherans in Turkey as well as an active participant of the international Lutheran community. The new bishop’s consecration was a significant milestone in the Church’s history. Under modern conditions in Turkey where Christians comprise a minority, spiritual leadership is needed as never before. Bishop Feymi Madjirov will contribute to interconfessional dialog and strengthen relations with other Christian denominations and state bodies in Turkey and Bulgaria.
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 