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Stress Management "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!" (Luke 12:27-28) It is estimated that over 70 percent of Americans experience physical or psychological stress on a regular basis? According to this statistic, you probably are. The problem with stress is that it can begin to affect other areas of our lives - our health, our relationships, and even our relationship with our God and Savior. One of the bigger issues with stress is that it tends to keep us focusing too much on our circumstances and our ability or inability to change those circumstances. With this mindset, we tend to focus on the symptoms rather than the root cause. ​ While there are some physical exercises and techniques that help one cope with stress, pastoral counseling is intended to help correct and guide underlying attitudes concerning a whole array of life: possessions, work, health and fitness, marriage and relationships, etc. By focusing on Biblical encouragements to faith and prayer, along with a healthy dose of reminders about who is truly in control, the underlying causes of stress begin to subside. ​ Contact Help is just a phone call away... ​ Email: zionlutheran@zelcloganville.com Cell: 470-214-3401

End of Life & Terminal Health Concerns "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26) Receiving a diagnosis of cancer or any serious illness often brings an overwhelming sense of reality to our doorstep. It's that moment when the inevitability we've always known suddenly stands right before us. The questions flood in: What treatments will I need? Will I be okay? Who will care for my family during my hospital stay? And perhaps the most profound question of all – is God punishing me? ​ Facing a life-threatening illness or the effects of old age can force us to confront our own mortality. Most of us would prefer to avoid thinking or talking about our death, but turning a blind eye won't change the fact that we all share a 100% mortality rate. ​ In these challenging times, pastoral counseling offers a space filled with sensitivity and compassion. It can guide you to recognize the importance of not squandering your final days on worry, fret, or anger. How you approach your death communicates as much about your relationship with Christ as how you've lived. God has a good plan for us, providing a hope-filled path to magnify Jesus in our last days. Don't miss the chance to let your light shine, strengthening your faith in Him as your personal Savior. Remember, He's got this, and He's got you! Contact Help is just a phone call away... ​ Email: zionlutheran@zelcloganville.com Cell: 470-214-3401

Our Mission It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has determined our mission by commissioning His Church to "make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them... and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." We believe that it is our mission to preach the Bible as what it is - the living Word of the living God. We do not believe the social, political, theological or ethical opinions of men have any place alongside God's Word. We believe that it is our mission to help each person see himself as he is , born in sin, prone to error and doomed to hell unless rescued by God. We do not believe that man is capable of saving himself or improving his eternal destiny. We believe that it is our mission to confess God as He has revealed Himself , Father, Son and Holy Ghost–three divine Persons, yet one divine Being. We do not believe that all the religions invented by man worship the same God of the Bible. We believe that it is our mission to uphold Christian liberty in all that is neither commanded nor forbidden by our Lord in His Word. We do not believe that we are free either to set up rules that must be followed or to set aside God's commandments. ​ We believe that it is our mission to honor and worship Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God who became a man to redeem lost and condemned mankind. We do not believe that Jesus was merely a good teacher or moralist who came to show us a better way to live. ​ We believe that it is our mission to treat the Church as the creation of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel and that the Church's only head is Christ. We do not believe that it is a human organization subject to the manipulations of men. We believe that it is our mission to preach forgiveness of sins for the regeneration of individuals unto eternal life. We do not believe that the redemption of the world is to be found in conforming to any social pattern of men. ​ We believe that it is our mission to administer the Sacraments as the means by which the Holy Spirit graciously creates and preserves faith. We do not believe in self-induced religious experience or any so-called faith apart from that which is created by the Spirit through the Gospel. ​ We believe that it is our mission to proclaim salvation by grace through faith in Jesus as the only way to eternal life. We do not believe that man can be saved by his own works, no matter how sincere he may be in his beliefs or how decent he is in his behavior. ​ If you would like to share with us in this mission, please contact us .

Topical Bible Studies Sometimes, a Christian has a specific question in mind or issue in his life. We just want to know "What does God say about...?" If there is a particular question that you have been wondering about, take a look at these topical studies. Maybe you will find what you're looking for. Then again, you might find something you didn't know you were wondering about. "Reason for Repentance" ​ The Bible speaks of repentance as an important part of the Christian life. What makes it so important? Is God dependent on our repentance before He can forgive us, or do we need to make a change in our attitude before God before God will have a change of heart toward us? Click the image on the left to watch a video recording of this Bible study. Click the title above for a digital copy of the handout. ​ "Purpose of Prayer" ​ Prayer has often been referred to as the Christian's native breath, yet it is an aspect of the Christian life many struggle to practice consistently. How can we be certain God hears our prayers? What if nothing changes after we pray? How is it even possible to pray without ceasing? If you are looking for answers to such questions about prayer then this Bible Study is for you. Click the image on the left to watch a video recording of this Bible Study. Click the title above for a digital copy of the handout. ​ "Sacrifice & Sacrament" ​ In many Christian denominations there is a confusion about the difference between a sacrifice and a sacrament. A sacrifice is something that man does for God. A sacrament is something God does for man. When churches teach that Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper are things which they do in obedience to God, they are turning God's grace into works which man performs for God rather than what God does for man. This Bible study emphasizes the distinction between the two and thus shows the great comfort that God offers us in the sacraments. Click the image on the left to watch a video recording of this Bible Study. Click the title above for a digital copy of the handout. ​ "The Olivet Discourse" ​ Many point to supposed "signs" that the end of time is upon us. The teachings of Jesus in His Olivet Discourse (so named because of the location from which He taught His disciples) has been the subject of much debate within the Christian Church for generations. A major reason for this ongoing debate is, quite simply, a misunderstanding of Jesus' words and of prophetic language. To receive the instruction Jesus has in mind for us, it will be necessary both to take Jesus’ words as they come, unless there is Scriptural warrant to take them in a different way. ​ "Timely Topics" ​Does it seem like you're swimming upstream against the rushing river of society's thinking? You believe one thing, but so many around you at your work, school, and in your neighborhood - not to mention influential people that you hear or read about - believe something else. It's almost like you speak a completely different language. ​ It's often difficult to speak intelligently on current issues, especially in a way that is faithful to God's Word and loving toward others. This series of lessons brings some of today's challenging topics into the open and into the light of God's Word so that we can be prepared to speak the truth in a spirit of Christian love. ​

Pamphlets & Fliers Introduction to Zion Advent 2 - December 10, 2023 Advent 3 - December 17, 2023 Advent 4 - December 24, 2023 Christmas 1 - December 31, 2023

Bible Series Studies These studies examine the individual books of the Bible in the way they were originally received - as a unit. ​ If you are looking for a months, maybe even years, long study to grow in your knowledge of God's Word, these studies will provide you just that. Follow Me: Discipleship Accor ding to Saint Matthew ​ The goal of this course is to study the whole gospel of Matthew. Matthew reveals to us how Jesus taught his disciples to make disciples of others. Matthew tells us to watch Jesus, learn who he is, and see his compassion and power and how he ushers in the kingdom of God. Watch him die for our sins and rise again. As we do this, we will be willing and able to follow him and grow in our ability to live for him. ​ The Gospel of John ​ The Gospel of John is noticeably different from the first three Gospels. It reads more like a theological textbook, explaining how different things are in the Kingdom of God. This series attempts to present the teachings of this important biography of Jesus in a way that focuses on the details so that the intent of the message becomes clear. ​ ​ The Acts of the Apostles ​The book of Acts may seem like a compilation of stories that are only distantly connected by the Gospel message. However, there is a very specific order to the book. We notice that it begins in Jerusalem, the heart and center of the Jewish religion. From Jerusalem, the apostles go out. They go down to Egypt. They go to Asia Minor. They go to Macedonia. They go to Greece. And finally, they go to Rome, the heart and center of the largest empire of the time. The Gospel of God’s grace toward all men is not bound up and squelched in Jerusalem, as the Jews would have had it. It continues to go out until it reaches the capital of the Roman Empire, from which is could easily be spread to every nation on the earth. That is the course, the journey, on which Acts takes us. ​

End of Life & Terminal Health Concerns "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26) Receiving a diagnosis of cancer or any serious illness often brings an overwhelming sense of reality to our doorstep. It's that moment when the inevitability we've always known suddenly stands right before us. The questions flood in: What treatments will I need? Will I be okay? Who will care for my family during my hospital stay? And perhaps the most profound question of all – is God punishing me? ​ Facing a life-threatening illness or the effects of old age can force us to confront our own mortality. Most of us would prefer to avoid thinking or talking about our death, but turning a blind eye won't change the fact that we all share a 100% mortality rate. ​ In these challenging times, pastoral counseling offers a space filled with sensitivity and compassion. It can guide you to recognize the importance of not squandering your final days on worry, fret, or anger. How you approach your death communicates as much about your relationship with Christ as how you've lived. God has a good plan for us, providing a hope-filled path to magnify Jesus in our last days. Don't miss the chance to let your light shine, strengthening your faith in Him as your personal Savior. Remember, He's got this, and He's got you! Contact Help is just a phone call away... ​ Email: zionlutheran@zelcloganville.com Cell: 470-214-3401

Wel come Below you will find a brief historical sketch of Zion's existence as a Christian congregation together with basic information that sets us apart as a community of Christians. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church is a congregation of Christians whose chief desire is to hear and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that the Bible is God's holy word and is given to us on earth to know the way to everlasting life through faith in Jesus, who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Zion first began back in the 1980s as Christians who desired to hear nothing but God's truth began meeting in hotel rooms and homes in the greater Atlanta area. We first established Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church and chose a semi-permanent location in Lawrenceville, GA until such a time as we were, with the Lord's blessings, able to find a permanent home for our church. With the Lord's blessing, we were able to purchase a permanent location just south of Loganville, GA. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church is an evangelical church, in the original sense of the word. Evangelical simply means "good news." We exist for the purpose of proclaiming the good news that God has forgiven the sins of the world through the cross of Jesus Christ. This is the Great Commission which Jesus entrusted to His believers. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church is also a Lutheran church. We continue to h old to and to teach the truths of the Bible as they were brought back to light during the Reformation in the 1500s. We are happy to take on the name of Martin Luther only insofar as he himself was captive to the Word of God. Like Luther, we also recognize that there is only one name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, and that one name is Jesus Christ. As a Lutheran church, we believe and confess the following: The Bible is the holy, inerrant Word of God and is therefore the only reliable guide for faith and life. The God of the Bible is the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The world and universe were created by the power of God's Word in six 24-hour days. Sin and death entered into God's perfect creation through Adam and Eve who were seduced by Satan. In love for the world, the Father sent His Son into the world to bear the punishment for our sins. Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of the Father who became a man for our salvation. Through the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross God has taken away the sin of the world. By the Holy Spirit, God calls sinners to faith in Jesus and thereby delivers to them the benefits of Jesus' cross. The Holy Spirit works the miracle of faith in the hearts of sinners through the means of grace, that is, through the preaching of the Gospel and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. All to whom are granted this faith in Jesus are members of Christ's Church and will live forever in heaven. Those who believe in Jesus are called to be lights in the world by loving and doing good to all people. ​ Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church is associated with other churches throughout the United States and the world who share in these beliefs. You can find a list of these other churches by visiting our synodical web page at Church of the Lutheran Confession .

End of Life & Terminal Health Concerns "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26) Receiving a diagnosis of cancer or any serious illness often brings an overwhelming sense of reality to our doorstep. It's that moment when the inevitability we've always known suddenly stands right before us. The questions flood in: What treatments will I need? Will I be okay? Who will care for my family during my hospital stay? And perhaps the most profound question of all – is God punishing me? ​ Facing a life-threatening illness or the effects of old age can force us to confront our own mortality. Most of us would prefer to avoid thinking or talking about our death, but turning a blind eye won't change the fact that we all share a 100% mortality rate. ​ In these challenging times, pastoral counseling offers a space filled with sensitivity and compassion. It can guide you to recognize the importance of not squandering your final days on worry, fret, or anger. How you approach your death communicates as much about your relationship with Christ as how you've lived. God has a good plan for us, providing a hope-filled path to magnify Jesus in our last days. Don't miss the chance to let your light shine, strengthening your faith in Him as your personal Savior. Remember, He's got this, and He's got you! Contact Help is just a phone call away... ​ Email: zionlutheran@zelcloganville.com Cell: 470-214-3401

Timely Topics It's often difficult to speak intelligently on current issues, especially in a way that is faithful to God's Word and loving toward others. This series of lessons brings some of toda y's challenging topics into the open and into the light of God's Word so that we can be prepared to speak the truth in a spirit of Christian love. Individual Lessons Lesson 1 The fundamental differences between a biblical, creationist viewpoint and what is known as intelligent design. Lesson 2 Just as God created the earth’s atmosphere to sustain human life, he also promises to preserve the earth’s atmosphere and climate in such a way that it will always be able to sustain human life. Lesson 3 Without the Fall, attraction and gender identity would be in accord with God's perfect design. Because of the Fall, attraction and gender identity do not always align with God's perfect design. Lesson 4 As we think about our annual celebration of Christ’s birth, we want to make sure that we are giving full glory to God. Can we do so while also engaging in make believe? Lesson 5 A good review of what the Bible says about Baptism centered around the question of whether grandparents should baptize their grandchildren when their own parents don't. Lesson 6 There is much confusion regarding the practice of "Close Communion." We want our practice to be in accord with God's Word, so what does the Bible say about this always timely issue? Lesson 7 As separate as the kingdoms of the world and the Kingdom of God are, both are established by God, and they inevitably overlap. Most notably this occurs in the life of the individual Christian since Christians are citizens of both kingdoms.

Library ​ Feel free to browse our library and make use of whatever you find to be beneficial. Since it is our mission to share the Gospel of sins forgiven through Jesus Christ, we offer our material free of charge. We simply request that you do not make any edits. ​ ​ ​ ​ ou r Library Feel free to browse our library and make use of whatever you find to be beneficial. Since it is our mission to share the Gospel of sins forgiven through Jesus Christ, we offer our material free of charge. We simply request that you do not make any edits. Bible Study Each Sunday, Zion conducts a Bible Class for our growth in faith and understanding of God's Word. These classes vary between topical discussions and the study of specific sections of the Bible. The student of God's Word will always find that there is more to learn from a study of the Bible and will find that God's Word is gives timeless knowledge for living in the world while not being of the world. Sermons The primary work which Christ entrusted His Church to perform is to make disciples by preaching the Gospel. As such, the sermon is the highlight of the worship service. The sermons found on this site are centered on God's Word, applying both God's Law and Gospel to those who hear or read them. If you are looking to be entertained, you will most likely be disappointed. However, if your intent is to have God's Word applied to your heart and life, assuring you of forgiveness, life, and salvation in Christ, then these sermons will do just that. Pamphlets & Fliers Since our desire is to put God's Word into the hands of as many as we can, Zion publishes and distributes pamphlets and fliers for various purposes - outreach, personal spiritual growth, helping to answer questions that others might have about God and His will for them, etc. As these pamphlets and fliers are produced, they will be posted to this page. Take a look at the list to see if there is something that will assist you or a friend. Better yet, print some out and leave them somewhere for others to read. "God's Hand in Our Lives" Our larger church body, the Church of the Lutheran Confession, has produced and published an entire Sunday School curriculum that we make available at no charge. This curriculum contains 58 lessons from the Old Testament and 58 from the New Testament to help familiarize children with the main lessons of the Bible. There are five levels available, ranging from pre-school to late elementary school ages. The teachers' notes are there to assist you in teaching Jesus' little lambs.