What We Believe

Lutheran Christians follow the beliefs and practices of the New Testament church. Three major foundations are... 

  • There is one Triune God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
  • The Ten Commandments show us the way to live by God's holy Word;
  • The Lord Jesus calls us to trust in Him as the Son of God, and to pray to our Father.

With this foundation, we also confess the “marks of the church” by which we receive gifts of forgiveness, faith, and the promise of eternal life. Jesus gave Holy Baptism (Matthew 28:18-20), Holy Communion (Luke 22:14-20), and the Gift of Forgiveness (John 20:21-23).

Basic Beliefs about God

We confess the Apostles’ Creed, a summary of what the original disciples believed and taught. It serves as an accurate description of God’s gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Ten Commandments

Christians are called to live by God's Word.  The commands are His gracious boundaries to guide us when tempted, give order to our society, and show a path of holy living.

  1. You shall have no other gods.
  2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 
  3. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
  4. Honor your father and your mother.
  5. You shall not murder.
  6. You shall not commit adultery.
  7. You shall not steal.
  8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
  9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.
  10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

The commands are given unnumbered in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.  Israelite and Jewish tradition actually began with the prologue (I am the Lord your God) as the first word, and the second was “no other gods.”  The majority of Christians worldwide use the historic numbering from the early Church described above.

The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, and we continue praying as He taught us:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Keeping the Faith

Our preaching and teaching is based on a Christ-centered, Scripture-only method of interpretation.  We follow traditional understandings of the Old Testament, that it is inspired by God and points to the coming Messiah.  We confess the writings of the New Testament are inspired by God and tell the good news that our Messiah has come bearing eternal salvation, forgiveness of sins, and new life for all who trust in Him.

How to study the Bible

The study of Scripture is not to be taken lightly. Those who teach in God’s name are called to account, for hearers receive their words as the very words of God. Thus, our pastors learn strict principles for interpreting the Bible.

  1. The entire Bible, Old and New Testaments, is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
  2. Scripture interprets Scripture.  The entire Bible reveals God's word and will to mankind.
  3. The Old Testament is to be read with the perspective of the New Testament, which shows its promises fulfilled;
  4. Christ is the central teaching of both testaments.  Salvation is God's redemptive work through His Son.
  5. Clear passages help us understand unclear passages, and inform our beliefs and practices.
  6. Using original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek is essential to interpret Scripture to prevent cultural and translator bias.

Living in Christ

  • Personal prayer. We are called to an active prayer life. Setting aside time each day for silence, reading God’s Word, and corporate prayer in Bible study and worship with other believers is necessary.
  • Family makes God a priority. Many examples in Scripture show that when one person believes in Jesus as Lord, the entire family can be brought to faith. We are called to raise our children in the Lord’s ways, to have faith in Him as our Maker and Redeemer, and to put God’s Word in their hearts singing hymns and spiritual songs, learning His ways, and teaching narrative accounts of God’s people of the past.
  • Challenge to live in holiness. What are you to do when you’ve sinned on purpose and are stricken with guilt? Ask the Lord’s forgiveness, repent of the sin, and pray for the Holy Spirit to help you in times of temptation. While we will never be rid of sinful desires, we know and believe that Christ is in us and with us. He empowers us to identify and turn from worldly ways, and obey the will of our Father.
  • Our mission is still to tell about Jesus. When a man in Scripture became free of his demons, he couldn’t keep silent. When the woman at the well was offered eternal life, she told her family and friends that Jesus is the Messiah. We also are called to bear witness to Christ and give our testimony of faith—that He is faithful.

How a healthy Church functions

  • Worship feeds and shapes. We gather in worship, and the object of worship matters. Hymns and songs point to Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and rule over the whole Christian church.
  • Interact with God’s Word. We nurture the faith begun in Baptism, where the Holy Spirit comes upon us as an act of God’s grace. From the time children are little we teach them about Jesus the Good Shepherd, and all through adult years we provide sound Biblical teaching.
  • Fellowship with others. We plan a variety of fellowship events where we spend time learning, talking, eating, and celebrating our life together in the Name of the Lord.
  • Witness about God’s love. We bear witness to Jesus as the source of hope.  When you bring friends and family to church they can hear the Gospel and come to faith in Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life.

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