A History of Good Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church, Downers Grove, Illinois

Abstract

John Carter recounts the founding and growth of Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Downers Grove, Illinois, tracing its roots to doctrinal unrest within the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Disillusioned by theological liberalism and lack of reform, members of Bethel Lutheran Church sought affiliation with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). After internal conflict and failed attempts to lead Bethel out of LCMS, a group of committed laypeople formed a new congregation. With support from WELS pastors and the Board for Home Missions, Good Shepherd held its first worship service in November 1975. The congregation grew rapidly, establishing a church building, Christian day school, and expanding facilities. Carter emphasizes the congregation’s unity, perseverance, and reliance on God’s Word, portraying Good Shepherd as a testament to faith-driven mission work and the blessings of confessional integrity. —Abstract prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)