Mission
Grow in God’s Truth. Show Jesus’ Love.
"United in one body through Christ's life-giving sacrifice, we share with all - in word and deed - the love of "God".
The purpose of the church in earth and heaven is to declare the praises of God. (1 Pet. 2:9). The church’s twin priorities are expressed in the first two petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.” This happens when God’s word, in all its truth and purity, is taught and believed among us and shared with others throughout the world. Because of the unique values and opportunities God has given our church, the special focus of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in North Mankato is on Christian education for all ages and gospel outreach to those who need faith in Jesus.
We grow in God’s truth as a group and individually through worship and Christian education. We believe, teach and confess the truth of God as revealed in the Bible, God’s fully inspired and true word. This truth is accurately described in the Lutheran Confessions, which identify salvation by grace alone, through faith alone. Our worship focuses on God’s word and sacraments, through which God comes to us and produces the responses of faith. Our liturgical worship uses elements and patterns we have in common with the church throughout the ages and throughout the world. The message of our worship centers on what God has done for us through Jesus. Our intention is to provide high quality worship which enables people of all ages to apply this gospel to their every day lives. According to Jesus’ command to “make disciples…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,” our goal is that all Christians continue to grow in understanding and applying the truths of God’s word, from childhood through old age. We will do this by offering classes, individual and group instruction, and reading material. Our teaching will be centered in the Bible, rightly dividing law and gospel, and will focus on what God has done for our salvation.
We show out God’s love as a group and individually through fellowship, service and evangelism. We believe that because of God’s free grace, Jesus died to redeem the whole world. Faith in Jesus is the only way to be saved from sin and eternal death. (John 3:16) God’s plan is that all believers are his witnesses in their local and regional areas and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) Every believer should be ready to share the reason for the hope they have. (1 Pet. 3:15-16) Through fellowship, service to others, and godly relationships, we will help encourage other toward love and good deeds. (Heb. 10:24-25) Our goal is that every member is involved with others in some way in the activities of the church and in personal relationships in which faith is shared. (Eph. 4:16) We recognize the family as the primary group in which faith and love are to be learned and shared. In our service to human needs, our primary goal is to show others God’s own love. We will seek out and reach out to those around us who do not yet fully know and trust God’s truth and love. We will do evangelism through personal contacts, through various media, and through our support of LCMS outreach ministries. We will support this work with constant prayer, relying on the enabling work of the Holy Spirit. Our intention is not merely to enlarge our own congregation but to draw all people into churches which confess the truth.