Lutheran Free Church

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The Lutheran Free Church (LFC) was a Lutheran denomination that existed in the United States from 1897 to 1963. However the church history predates its official start and a breakaway group of congregations continues today under the LFC legacy.

Georg Sverdrup and Sven Oftedal were two professors at Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the 1870s. They had been concerned with hierarchy within the Christian church and study of the Bible. They believed that, according to the New Testament, the local congregation was the correct form of God's kingdom on earth. Their vision was for a church that:

  • Promoted a "living" Christianity,
  • Emphasized an evangelism that would result in changed lives,
  • Enabled the church member to exercise their spiritual gifts.

They called their group the "Friends of Augsburg."

In 1890 the United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America was formed. By 1896 Sverdrup and others felt their beliefs were being comprised and broke away from the UNLC, forming the LFC in 1897.

By the 1950s, however there was a growing sense and desire by many Lutherans throughout the United States to join their many small Lutheran bodies into larger body. The Lutheran Free Church joined the American Lutheran Church in 1963 after three votes. The ALC in time also joined with other Lutheran churches and, in 1988, formed the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The LFC's publishing house was Messenger Press and its official magazine was the Lutheran Messenger.

About 40 Lutheran Free Churches however did not join the ALC, instead forming the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations in October of 1962. Today the AFLC has more than 250 congregations.

[edit] Presidents of the LFC

Name Term
Elias P. Harbo 1897-1899
Endre E. Gynild 1899-1901
Elias P. Harbo 1901-1903
Christopher K. Ytrehus 1903-1905
Endre E. Gynild 1905-1907
Elias P. Harbo 1907-1909
Endre E. Gynild 1909-1910
Paul Winter 1910-1912
Endre E. Gynild 1912-1914
Johan Mattson 1914-1916
Endre E. Gynild 1916-1918
Johan Mattson 1918-1920
Olai H. Sletten 1920-1923
Endre E. Gynild 1923-1928
Hans J. Urdahl 1928-1930
Thorvald O. Burntvedt 1930-1958
John Stensvaag 1958-1963
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