United in Faith
The purpose of this congregation, a gathering of Christians, is to serve all people through the Gospel of Jesus Christ as described in the Holy Scriptures. We do this by proclaiming the Law and Gospel, leading sinners to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for life and salvation, strengthening believers in faith and sanctification through the means of grace, and equipping believers as disciples, stewards, and witnesses to share the Gospel of Jesus with the world. Our congregational family is part of a larger family, the church body known as the WELS. It is the third largest Lutheran church body in America. More information on WELS and other affiliations can be found here.
Below are some of our core belief statements.
God is the creator and giver of all good things. God created a perfect world at the beginning of time.
Genesis 1:1 & 31 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God saw all that He had made, and it was good.
Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Mankind, all people, has fallen into sin. Sin is a lack of perfect faith in, love and respect for, and gratitude to God. Sin is the breaking of God’s teachings and commandments. Sin destroys individuals, families, and nations.
Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
God still loves mankind. He wants to forgive us our every sin. God loves us and wishes to give us the gift of eternal life in heaven. God forgives and saves everyone who repents of his or her sins and trusts in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Acts 16:30, 31 What must I do to be saved? Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.
1 John 1:8, 9 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.
Forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven has been earned for all people by Jesus Christ. People are forgiven and saved from death and damnation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus, their Savior and Lord. Out of love for God and mankind, believers strive to live according to all of God’s teachings and commandments.
Ephesians 2:8-10 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
John 15:17 This is My command: Love each other.
1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to obey His commands.
God wants us to believe in Him as the Father, our Creator and Preserver; and as the Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and as the Holy Spirit, our faith-giving counselor. God wants everyone to be baptized in His sacred name and taught to believe and obey all of His teachings and commandments.
Matthew 28: 19, 20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Mark 16: 15, 16 Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Jesus suffered and died in payment for our debt of sin, rose from death in victory, and ascended back into heaven to prepare an eternal home for all believers. Jesus will return on judgment day to take believers home to live eternally with Him in heaven.
John 14: 2, 3, 6 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9