Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS)
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is the largest confessional Lutheran synod, with over 1.7 million members and 5,000+ churches across the United States. Founded by German immigrants in 1847, it has since helped to expand the Lutheran tradition globally through extensive missionary efforts in South America, Africa, and the Pacific. The LCMS is in full “altar and pulpit” fellowship with the American Association of Lutheran Churches.