Our Beliefs

Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church is a confessional Lutheran church, meaning that we hold to the Lutheran Confessions. We are affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). To learn a little bit about our beliefs, see the brief statements below. To learn more, see the official statement This We Believe or use our contact form to get connected to our pastor who would be happy to explain further.

  • We believe that there is only one true God. He has made himself known as the triune God, one God in three persons - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 44:6, Matthew 28:19)

  • We believe that the Bible presents a true, factual, and historical account of creation. We believe that this world and the entire universe came into existence in the beginning when God created heaven and earth and all creatures. The creation happened in the course of six consecutive days of normal length by the power of God’s almighty word. (Genesis 1-2, Hebrews 11:3)

  • We believe that the Bible presents a true, factual, and historical account of creation. We believe that this world and the entire universe came into existence in the beginning when God created heaven and earth and all creatures. The creation happened in the course of six consecutive days of normal length by the power of God’s almighty word. (Genesis 1-2, Hebrews 11:3)

  • We believe that God created people, man and woman, unique from all other creatures with both a body and a soul. Adam and Eve, the first people, were created holy and sinless, in perfect harmony with God’s will.

  • We believe that Adam and Eve lost their holiness and righteousness when they yielded to the temptation of Satan and disobeyed God’s command. This brought upon them the judgment of God, “You will surely die.” Since that time, all people are conceived and born in a sinful condition and are inclined only to evil. Since all people are by nature dead in sin and separated from God, they are unable to reconcile themselves to God by their own efforts and deeds. (Genesis 2:17, Genesis 8:21, Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1)

  • We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, one with the Father from all eternity. In the course of time, he took a true and complete, yet sinless, human nature to himself when he was conceived as a holy child in the virgin Mary through a miracle of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is unique, for in him the true God and a true human nature are inseparably united in one person, the holy God-man. (John 1:1-2, Galatians 4:4, Luke 1:35, Matthew 1:20)

  • We believe that Jesus Christ was sent by God the Father to redeem all people from the guilt and punishment of sin. Jesus came to fulfill the law in our place, as our substitute so that on the basis of Jesus’ perfect obedience all people would be declared holy. We believe that Jesus’ resurrection gives full assurance that God has accepted the payment he made for all.

    We believe that God reconciled the entire world, all people, through Jesus. The forgiveness of sins has been gained as an accomplished fact for all people. Because of the substitutionary work of Christ, God has justified all people, that is, God has declared them to be not guilty. This forms the firm, objective basis for the sinner’s assurance of salvation. (Matthew 5:17, Romans 5:18-19, Isaiah 53:6, Matthew 20:28, 32 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 4:25, 2 Corinthians 5:19, John 1:29)

  • We believe that God has justified all sinners, that is, he has declared them righteous for the sake of Christ.

    We believe that individuals receive this free gift of forgiveness, not based on their own works, but only through faith. Faith is trust in Christ and his redemptive work. Although Jesus died for all, Scripture says that unbelievers forfeit the forgiveness won for them by Christ.

    We believe that people cannot produce saving faith in their own hearts. It is the Holy Spirit who gives people faith. The Holy Spirit works this faith by means of the gospel. (Romans 5:18, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:28, Romans 4:5, Mark 16:16, John 8:24, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 12:3, Romans 10:17)

  • We believe that God bestows all spiritual blessings upon sinners by special means he has established. These are the means of grace, the gospel in Word and sacraments. We define a sacrament as a sacred act established by Christ in which the Word connected with an earthly element gives the forgiveness of sins.

    We believe that through the gospel, the good news of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sinners, the Holy Spirit works faith in people.

    We believe that also through the Sacrament of Baptism the Holy Spirit applies the gospel to sinners, giving them new life and cleansing them from all sin. We believe that the blessing of Baptism is meant for all people (Matthew 28:19), including infants.

    We believe that all who join in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper receive the true body and blood of Christ in, with, and under the bread and wine. As believers receive his body and blood, they also receive the forgiveness of sins and the comfort and assurance that they are truly his own. Unbelievers and those who recieve teh sacrament in an unworthy manner also receive Christ’s body and blood, but to their judgment. Therefore, we offer communion only to members. (1 Peter 1:23, Romans 10:17, Titus 3:5, Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Matthew 28:19, John 3:5-6, 1 Corinthians 10:16, Matthew 26:26-28, 1 Corinthians 11:29)

Our Name

Good Shepherd – Jesus is our Good Shepherd. A Good Shepherd does whatever is necessary for the sheep. Jesus laid down his life on the cross to take away our sins, and took up his life again so that he can always be with us.

Evangelical – Evangelical means “centered on the Gospel.” The Gospel is the good news that Jesus, our Savior, lived a holy life of obedience to God’s Law in our place, died on the cross as the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and rose again on the third day as the sure guarantee that our sins have been forgiven. 

Lutheran – By identifying ourselves as Lutheran, we are saying something about our Scriptural position. Perhaps the three phrases that have come to be identified most closely with Dr. Martin Luther (1483-1546) are these:  Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.  St. Paul writes to the Ephesians, “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.”  This good news that God saved us by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus is revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures alone.

Church – A church is an assembly of believers around the Word and Sacraments. This reminds us of what our Savior’s purpose is for us. As we gather to preach and teach, learn and hear the Gospel, Jesus daily and fully forgives all sins to us.  He sends us the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith. He produces the fruits of good works in our hearts and lives. He keeps us firm in this faith as long as we live, until he brings us from the Church on earth to the Church in heaven.

Our History

Exploratory mission work began in 1970 as a joint effort of sister congregations, St John’s in Bay City, Bethel in Bay City, and St Bartholomew in Kawkawlin, and in 1974 Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church was officially organized. Only a few years later, a Lutheran elementary school was approved. The first school year was held in 1979-1980 and has been in operation since then.

After originally meeting at Adams Elementary School, a church building was built and dedicated, with the first service held in February 1976. A building expansion to accommodate a growing church and school was dedicated in 1982. A final expansion, adding classrooms, a fellowship hall, and kitchen was dedicated in 1998, bringing the campus to its current size.

Over 50 years later, Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church is still here, preaching the Word of God, administering the Sacraments, and training another generation of Christians in our school.