What We Believe
We treasure our faith at Immanuel, and are eager to share it with you. Everything we believe and teach is based on clear passages from the Bible, and on nothing else. The best way to discover our teachings is simply to come to worship, and hear us as we preach, sing, and pray. You are always welcome…in person or online. When you come, you will hear us proclaim Jesus as the Son of God, as the one who has influenced history more than anyone else, and as love personified, who guarantees eternal life to all who believe.
We believe that Jesus Christ, the very son of God, came into our world as the infant son of Mary and Joseph.
God the Father sent him for the sole purpose to live, to die, and to rise again so that everyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life in heaven. It was necessary for Jesus to come into our world because of our sin. We do not live a perfect life and need to be forgiven for the wrongs we do to each other and to God. Forgiveness is free and offered to all who believe. God the Holy Spirit works faith in our heart so that we continually grow stronger even though each day brings more than its share of temptations. In the New Testament, Saint John describes God’s love for us when he writes,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired word.
God caused a select group of writers to be inspired and record his message for us in a rich variety of writing styles including history, allegory, song, and parable. God’s word is relevant today and brings us great comfort as well as guidance for our lives. We believe, as Saint Paul writes,
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
We believe that God desires all people to be saved.
It is only unbelief that condemns a person. Our mission at Immanuel is to share the message of Jesus Christ, that is the good news that he came into our world lived, died, and rose on Easter so that all who believe in him are saved. We strive to share this message in our community and throughout the world. Saint Peter describes how Jesus saves us from our sins through his death:
“… knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19
We believe that God wants all people to be baptized.
Baptism is washing away the sin we are born with, making us a child of God. Saint Peter also said,
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:38:41
There is so much more to share about our faith, our beliefs! These are shared to strengthen your faith and give you a brief perceptive of our teachings as we have learned from the Bible.
Immanuel is a Christian Church and a member congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). For detailed information, please visit the LCMS webpage Belief And Practice