Quick Facts
Pastor — the shepherd God holds accountable
Unknown
Founded
Unknown
Denomination
LCMS
Service Times
Sunday 10:30 AM
Men's Ministry
No
Kids Ministry
No
10-Point Theological Scorecard
Christology
Is Jesus the only way? (John 14:6)
Not directly verified.
Caution
Scripture
Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?
ELCA denominationally rejects inerrancy; affirms historical-critical method.
WARNING!
Men's Discipleship
Intentional formation for men?
Not verified.
Caution
Soteriology
Faith alone? How is salvation presented?
ELCA affirms Lutheran confessions but with liberal hermeneutic; justification affirmed.
Caution
Gender / Biblical Design
Biblical manhood and womanhood by God's design — patriarchal, complementarian, egalitarian, or affirming gender ideology?
ELCA ordains women as pastors and bishops. Affirming of gender-based leadership equality.
ELCA — women ordained as pastors and bishops
Disqualifier
Leadership Structure
Male elders/pastors? Accountability?
Not verified for this specific congregation.
Caution
Preaching Style
Expository or topical/therapeutic?
Not verified.
Caution
Mission Clarity
Great Commission central?
ELCA denominational mission includes social justice and progressive advocacy.
Caution
Cultural Alignment
DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?
ELCA is LGBTQ+-affirming since 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly decision; Reconciling in Christ program.
Disqualifier
Accountability Structure
Denominational home, elder plurality, or external network — is the pastor answerable to anyone?
ELCA — Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, liberal mainline per rubric.
Disqualifier
Assessment
St. Paul Lutheran Church in Des Moines, IA — yellow-default pending full research. Verify all categories.
#lcms#lutheran#des-moines#ia#needs-review
Sources & Evidence
Enrichment Notes
Major tag correction: LCMS → ELCA. Downgraded to black per rubric priors. | URL research: 1100 Grand Ave Des Moines does not match St. Paul Lutheran (ELCA, 12th and Walker); LCMS designation in input also incorrect
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
faithstreet.com/church/st-paul-lutheran-church-des-moines-ia
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[2] Live source
idwlcms.org/congregations.php
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
1100 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309