Quick Facts
Founded
Established Salina WELS congregation/preschool (Little Lions since 2006)
Denomination
WELS
Service Times
Weekly worship — see website for current times
Men's Ministry
No
Kids Ministry
Yes
Pastor Credentials
WELS pastor; previously 24 years in Mesa AZ before Salina (2023)
10-Point Theological Scorecard
Christology
Is Jesus the only way? (John 14:6)
Confessional Lutheran Christology.
Strong
Scripture
Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?
Verbal plenary inspiration per WELS confession — 'all of the Bible's words are God's words, as if he spoke them directly to us.'
Strong
Men's Discipleship
Intentional formation for men?
Verify men's ministry.
Caution
Soteriology
Faith alone? How is salvation presented?
Justification by grace through faith.
Strong
Gender / Biblical Design
Biblical manhood and womanhood by God's design — patriarchal, complementarian, egalitarian, or affirming gender ideology?
Male-only pastoral office.
Male-only pastoral ministry per WELS confessional position on 1 Tim 2 / 1 Cor 14.
Strong
Leadership Structure
Male elders/pastors? Accountability?
Pastor + congregational council + preschool faculty.
Strong
Preaching Style
Expository or topical/therapeutic?
Lectionary-based expository preaching by experienced 24-year Mesa AZ veteran pastor.
Strong
Mission Clarity
Great Commission central?
Verify local outreach posture.
Caution
Cultural Alignment
DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?
Verify cultural posture — unvisited.
Caution
Accountability Structure
Denominational home, elder plurality, or external network — is the pastor answerable to anyone?
WELS Nebraska District accountability (covers KS).
Strong
Assessment
Salina KS WELS with veteran pastor Winterstein (former Mesa AZ); Little Lions Preschool ministry since 2006.
#wels#lutheran#confessional#salina#kansas#nebraska-district#preschool
MOOP Engagement Tracker
How this church was personally verified by the MOOP directory team:
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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.
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[1] Live source
stmarksalina.org
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[2] Live source
stmarksalina.org/our-congregation
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
2349 S Ohio Street, Salina, KS 67401
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