Luther called the church a “mouth house” and by that he meant a place where a lot of speking goes on. God speaks and we listen. God speaks and we respond with our own s
Luther writes: “Our pastor steps before the altar,in the hearing of all he very distinctly chants the words of Christ’s institution of the Holy Supper, and we, especially those among us who would commune, kneel (during the consecration) alongside of, behind, and around him, all of us real holy priests together with him, sanctified by the blood of Christ, anointed by the Holy Spirit, consecrated in Baptism. . . . We do not let our pastor speak the words of Christ for himself, as though he were speaking them for his own person, but he is our mouthpiece, and we all from our very hearts speak the words with him. If he should make a mistake or become confused or forget whether he have spoken the words, we are there, hear
what he says, hold fast to the words, and are sure that they have been spoken; therefore we cannot be deceived.”
