For over 90 years, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has been a place of refuge, connection, and transformation in Brooklyn.
We are a community of faith committed to love, hope, and service. Our church is a home for everyone, where every person is valued and welcomed to grow spiritually with us.
To embody a message of hope and bear witness in spirit and truth to the power of non violent love as we walk in the footsteps of our brother Jesus, equipping agents of compassion and change.
To be a vibrant, multicultural table centered community church that impacts our city, being a beacon of light, a haven of peace, and a source of imagination, healing and compassion for all those who come to our tables.
Solidarity, Faith in action, Transformative Love, Beloved table, Witness Integrity, Soulful Worshiping and Nonviolent Praxis. These principles guide every one of our actions and decisions as a Godly body.
Our community is a table where all are welcomed, valued, and empowered. We enlarge our circles to make room for every voice and story.
Love is the center of our witness. We practice nonviolent, prophetic love that challenges oppression and nurtures healing—personally and collectively.
We believe faith without works is incomplete. Our spirituality calls us to embody justice, compassion, and transformative love in tangible, everyday ways.
We stand with our neighbors, especially those facing injustice and hardship. Solidarity is not charity—it is walking alongside one another in mutual respect and shared humanity.
Rev. Juan Carlos Ruiz has dedicated over twenty years of his life to the liberating power of the Word made flesh in the dreams and visions of the prophets of old. His journey in faith began in his youth and was radically altered as he migrated to the US as an undocumented, unaccompanied minor. The spirit led him to discern theological studies and became a minister of the Word and the praxis of love as the Sacrament of solidarity and compassion. He is passionate about making theology accessible and relevant to everyday life, encouraging everyone to discover their purpose in God’s great story.
The core of my ministry is to build the beloved community, recognizing one another as children of God. I want to enlarge our tables so that everybody feels welcomed, valued, and empowered. We focus on the practices of biblical, principled convictions, the affirmation of the non-violent praxis of love that leads us to the prophetic service of the Word made flesh, within and beyond our church walls.
Whether you’re seeking spiritual community, need support, or want to make a difference—we’d love to meet you.