our services
Our Beginning
Good Shepherd was formed in 2008 by a group of people who were concerned about providing a conservative Lutheran church in the Brainerd Lakes area that would be committed to the inerrancy of Scripture and would emphasize a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Our current building was constructed in 2012, with an addition that was completed in 2020.
Our Beliefs
We are unashamedly a conservative, Bible-believing, Christ-preaching, Free Lutheran church.
Our Mission
We are committed to helping people know Christ as their Savior, grow in their relationship with Christ, and be involved in sharing Christ other people both locally and globally.
Leadership
Our Pastor, the Church Council (Deacons and Trustees), and various ministry leaders and committees work together to help us carry out our mission to the best of our ability.
Our Ministries
There are many ways to be involved, including:
- Regular Bible study groups for men and women
- Regular classes and seasonal activities for kids (Sunday School, Confirmation, Kid’s Club on Wednesday evenings, Vacation Bible School)
- Music (Worship Team, Choir)
- Missions Committee (connecting with missionaries, planning mission trips)
- Community service opportunities (helping at the Sharing Bread Soup Kitchen)
- GriefShare (a ministry for those who are grieving the death of a loved one)
- Embrace Grace (a ministry for single pregnant women)
Please contact us if you have any questions about our ministries.
Our Affiliation
We are a member of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC), which is headquartered in Plymouth, MN. The AFLC is a conservative Lutheran denomination that honors the Word of God, values our Lutheran distinctives, and recognizes the freedom of the local congregation to direct its own affairs. Click here to visit the AFLC's website.
We Believe...
- That the Bible is God’s inspired and inerrant Word and the only authentic source of God’s revelation to all people. Through the Bible, God reveals Himself to us, shows us our need of a Savior, and invites us to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior.
- That God is Triune - one God who eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- That the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds; Luther’s Small Catechism; and the Unaltered Augsburg Confession are true and accurate expressions of biblical teaching and are useful for instruction in the daily life of the Christian.
- That Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man; that He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross to pay the price for the sins of the world, and rose again from the dead in victory in order to make it possible for people to have spiritual life and a personal relationship with God.
- That the Holy Spirit uses the means of grace - the Word of God and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper - to create and strengthen faith in the hearts of people.
- That this congregation is subject only to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. It recognizes no other ecclesiastical authority or government above itself.
