Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Yucaipa, CA

Our Beliefs:

The Basic, Historical, Christian & Apostolic Faith

Good Shepherd Lutheran is a Christian congregation affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), centered in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We believe the 66 books of the Bible to be God's inspired and inerrant Word; that Word focuses on Jesus Christ, God The Son, who died in our place on the cross that we might live forever with our Creator. He rose again from the dead and lives forever as our Lord, Savior and Friend.

I like to think of a denominational affiliation much like I do a product brand-name. A long track-record with a quality brand-name gives one some assurance about design and workmanship. Being a member of a historical, sound Christian denomination like the LCMS demonstrates our desire for Godly accountability and provides a sense of quality assurance in a Christian congregation.

With the universal Christian Church, The LCMS teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God: the Father, creator of all that exists; Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all people and to rise to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God's Word and Sacraments. The three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal, one God.

Being "Lutheran," our congregations accept and teach the Bible-based teachings of Martin Luther that inspired the reformation of the Christian Church in the 16th century. The teaching of Luther and the reformers can be summarized in three short phrases: Grace alone, Scripture alone, Faith alone.

Grace Alone
God loves the people of the world, even though we are sinful, rebel against Him and do not deserve His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly. Grace is God's FREE GIFT. In fact, the word grace and the word gift in the Bible are the same word. We are saved as a direct result of God's free gift because He wants to save us.

Scripture Alone
The Bible is God's inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and the Good News (Gospel) of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine. We don't teach from any other source than from the 66 books of the Bible. We believe that the Bible contains the Good News of eternal life and the individual Christian is encouraged to read, mark, and learn the contents of God's Word.

Faith Alone
By His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life for all. Those who hear this Good News and believe it (trust it) have the eternal life that it offers. God creates faith in Christ and gives people forgiveness through Him. It is important to understand that saving faith is not "knowledge about" the truth, but rather a trust that results in action. If I believe that exercise is good for my body, but never exercise, then my "belief" is worthless because I don't put that faith into action. In a similar way, merely believing that God exists and that Jesus is God in the flesh isn't necessarily faith (trust). Faith by its nature, is active.

The word "Synod" in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod comes from the Greek word that means "walking together". Congregations voluntarily choose to belong to the Synod. Diverse in their service, these congregations hold to a shared confession of Jesus Christ as taught in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

If you would like more information about our denomination, please visit www.lcms.org