Our Mission & Vision
Core Beliefs
We believe that the only true God is the Triune God; one God in three distinct and separate persons.
All three persons are always involved in every activity together, and yet the spotlight of Scripture shines on each one individually at different points throughout time, such as
- The Father, who creates and preserves all things. (Hebrews 11:1-3)
- The Son, who redeems the world by His death and resurrection. (John 3:16; John 5:39; Acts 4:12)
- The Holy Spirit, who brings and keeps people in saving faith in Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:3)
We believe that God desires all people to be saved and know the truth.
- God loves all people and wants them to come to love Him and each other. (Ezekiel 33:11; 1 Timothy 2:3,4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 4:16)
- We are sinful at birth, alienated from God, and must be born again in faith. (Psalm 51:5, John 3:1-8, Romans 3:23; Colossians 1:21; Ephesians 2:1-5)
We believe that God so loved All people that He sent His only Son Jesus to rescue us from our lost condition.
- Jesus Christ is both God and man. (1 Timothy 2:5-6; Colossians 2:8,9)
- Jesus gave His life as the perfect sacrifice for our sins, resulting in our forgiveness and acceptance before God the Father.(Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
- Those who believe and are baptized will be saved. (Mark 16:16; Romans 10:9,10)
We believe that the Holy Spirit brings us to and keeps us in saving faith through God’s Word, Holy Baptism and The Lord’s Supper.
- We cannot believe in Jesus or come to Him without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3)
- God’s Word is true, powerful and has the ability to change lives. (Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; Hebrews 4:12)
- Through baptism the Holy Spirit offers all people new life, and makes us God’s children. (John 1:12,13; John 3:1-8; Titus 3:5; Acts 2:38)
- In Holy Communion, Jesus mysteriously offers His body and blood together with bread and wine for Christians to eat and drink. (1 Corinthians 10:16,17)
- In Holy Communion God offers believers the forgiveness of sins and increases the depth of their faith. (Matthew 26:27,28; John 6:54-58; 1 Corinthians 11:26)
We believe that through the church God equips and empowers believers to serve Him by serving others and sharing the good news about Jesus.
- God has uniquely gifted each person to do good works which He expects His children to do. (Matthew 25:34-40; 1 Peter 4:10; Romans 12:3-21)
- It is not good for people to live in isolation. God intends for us to share His love with nonbelievers and believers alike through intentional relationships. (Genesis 2:18; Galatians 6:9,10; Hebrews 10:25)
- The Christian faith is best lived in close relationships with other people — i.e. Small Groups (Proverbs 27:17; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:9-13)
- Our greatest purpose in life is to bring others into a saving relationship with Jesus their Savior. (Matthew 28:19,20; John 20:30,31)
What is a Lutheran?
A Lutheran is a Christian who believes and confesses the teachings of the Bible as explained by Martin Luther and other theologians during the early 16th century. These theologians sought to correct errors which were being taught by the Christian church during this era, with the hope of having a more biblical, Christ-centered, and unified church. The foundations of their teachings stemmed from a few guiding principles.
Faith comes by “Means” The Lutheran Church believes that faith in Jesus doesn’t just come “out of thin air.” Rather God tells us about His love and Jesus’ forgiveness through “means of grace.” These means include 1) God’s Word, the Bible, and 2) the sacraments.
The Sacraments:
Lutherans believe that God provides His grace through two sacraments: Baptism and Communion. The word “sacrament” is defined as something that is 1) instituted by Jesus during His ministry, 2) has a physical component, and 3) carries God’s promise of forgiveness of sins.
Communion
Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper (or Communion) on the night in which he was betrayed (Matthew 26:26-29). This is not an ordinary meal, but a celebration of the presence of Jesus who promises to come to us in this meal, assure us of forgiveness and strengthen our faith to live for him each day. (The Sunday worship folder includes an explanation of the Lord’s Supper so that each person can prepare to receive this sacred meal.) If you are interested in learning about the sacrament of communion contact the church office.
Holy Baptism
Jesus instituted baptism, along with teaching the Scriptures, as the way to “make disciples of all nations” regardless of age or background (Matthew 28:19-20). This is the place where we receive all of the benefits of what Jesus has done on our behalf, such as the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. If you are interested in having yourself or your child baptized contact the church office.
The Southeastern District
The Southeastern District (SED) of the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod (LCMS) is a regional district of the LCMS working with congregations and schools in creative partnerships that will result in church transformation and Kingdom growth.
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod traces its origins to 750 Saxon immigrants who came to Missouri in 1839 seeking freedom from religious persecution in Germany and originally settled in the St. Louis area. The first official meeting of the synod (synod means “walking together”) was held in Chicago from April 25 to May 6, 1847. The twelve original congregations included about 3,000 persons. One hundred years later, in 1947, the Synod officially changed its name to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.