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Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)

St. Lucas Evangelical Lutheran Church (WELS, Milwaukee, Bay View 1872)

2605 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
WELS confessional Lutheran — Historic 1872 Bay View German-immigrant congregation
Quick Facts
Pastor — the shepherd God holds accountable WELS-rostered pastor (per yearbook listing)
Founded 1872
Denomination WELS
Service Times Weekly worship per congregation schedule
Men's Ministry Yes
Kids Ministry Yes
Pastor Credentials Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary-trained WELS pastor.
10-Point Theological Scorecard
Christology
Is Jesus the only way? (John 14:6)
WELS confessional — Book of Concord and This We Believe; Trinitarian.
Strong
Scripture
Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?
WELS This We Believe affirms verbally inspired, inerrant Scripture.
Strong
Men's Discipleship
Intentional formation for men?
Verify in person.
Caution
Soteriology
Faith alone? How is salvation presented?
Lutheran sola gratia / sola fide; Augsburg Confession.
Strong
Gender / Biblical Design
Biblical manhood and womanhood by God's design — patriarchal, complementarian, egalitarian, or affirming gender ideology?
WELS male-only pastoral ministry per 1 Tim 2:11-12 and BoC.
WELS confessional Lutheran — male-only pastoral ministry per Holy Scripture (1 Tim 2:11-12) and the Lutheran Confessions (BoC). Women may serve as deaconesses but not as pastors.
Strong
Leadership Structure
Male elders/pastors? Accountability?
WELS congregational polity; Southeastern Wisconsin District accountability.
Strong
Preaching Style
Expository or topical/therapeutic?
Lutheran lectionary expository; law/gospel.
Strong
Mission Clarity
Great Commission central?
Historic German-immigrant congregation founded 1872; cornerstone of Bay View neighborhood.
Strong
Cultural Alignment
DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?
Yellow — verify in person.
Caution
Accountability Structure
Denominational home, elder plurality, or external network — is the pastor answerable to anyone?
WELS — full denominational accountability.
Strong
Assessment
St. Lucas Evangelical Lutheran Church is a historic 1872 German-immigrant founded congregation in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood. Operates an associated Saint Lucas School. Standard WELS confessional posture — Book of Concord subscription, male-only pastoral ministry, two-kingdoms doctrine.
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MOOP Engagement Tracker

How this church was personally verified by the MOOP directory team:

Researched church website
Sources & Evidence

These are the URLs consulted to arrive at this church's scoring. Score-note claims are synthesized from homepage content, denominational directories, and public statements of faith at the time of review. Church websites change frequently; we're progressively adding Internet Archive snapshots to prevent link rot.

  1. [1] Live source saintlucas.org
  2. [2] Live source yearbook.wels.net/unitsearch
  3. [3] Live source historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open/buildings/st-lucas-evang…

Transparency note: MOOP ratings are researcher judgments about publicly available theological and ecclesial evidence. They are not infallible. If a church's public posture has changed since our review, or if we've mis-read evidence, tell us — we publish corrections.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-16 — Annual review recommended
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