Everything Lutherans believe comes from the Bible. The Bible is the written Word of God, that conveys to us that we are saved from our sin and eternal death by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe that the Bible is completely reliable and without error. In it we learn everything we need to know about God’s love and His gifts to us.

There is only one true God—the Triune God—who exists in three separate but equal Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father is our Maker and the Creator of all things. Jesus Christ is the Son, who came to earth and bridged the gap between God and humanity. He has redeemed us and pleads for us before the Father. The Holy Spirit calls us to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, keeps us in the one true faith, and equips us for living out our faith.

Jesus Christ, the Son who took on human flesh, has already done everything necessary for our salvation. In His death and resurrection, everyone who believes in Jesus as Savior has been brought back into a right relationship with God and is declared innocent by God. We do not cooperate in our salvation, and there is nothing we could ever give to God to earn eternal life. Neither can we reason our way. All we can do is to believe in Him, trusting that Jesus has already done all that is necessary for us.

Through faith in Jesus, we receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. By faith we believe that He has freed us from the guilt, punishment, and power of sin. Faith is a gift worked in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We simply receive what God is already offering out of His great love.

Christ paid the debt for our sin, and we receive forgiveness and eternal life from Him. This is freely offered out of unconditional love. It's grace because it's truly undeserved. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).” God has provided tangible ways to give us this grace, assuring us that the sins we commit are forgiven. These are called the “means of grace.” They are God’s Word, Holy Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion).

Baptism is a Sacrament, a visible means of grace that God uses to give us forgiveness, salvation, righteousness, faith. Baptism was instituted by Jesus. Baptism includes both water and God's Word.

The Lord's Supper is a Sacrament, a means of grace, instituted by Jesus, for the forgiveness of sins. As Christians and Lutherans, we believe Jesus's Words to be what He said, without overthinking it: "This is my body, given for You. This is my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins."

God doesn't need our good works, but our neighbor does. Salvation is by faith, not by our works. We do good works because it's in our nature as children of God to do these works. He commands that we serve one another, and He delights in these works.

God made both male and female. Marriage is between one man and one woman.

Lutherans are Amillennial, meaning we now live in the Church Age which started in the book of Acts. The Church Age is what the Bible refers to as a "Thousand Years" which we believe means a long time. At the end of the Church Age, Jesus will return.

Good Shepherd is a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, LCMS. Detailed LCMS doctrinal positions and answers can be found at these links: Doctrinal Position of the LCMS FAQs