About Us
Our Congregation
The congregation of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was formed in late 1986, and was accepted into
The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as a mission congregation in October of 1987. Meeting in a specially designed
double-wide modular building set on land purchased by the congregation just west of Carthage, Good Shepherd continued
to grow in membership and ministry. In 1995, construction of the present worship facility began, and was dedicated in
February of 1996. With a current membership of some 450 baptized believers, Good Shepherd continues in its mission of
fulfilling our Lord Jesus Christ’s Great Commission: “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.” (Matthew 28:19, 20)
Our Pastor
Rev. James Schnackenberg has been pastor of Good Shepherd since 1993. A 1971 graduate of Concordia Seminary—St. Louis, Pastor Schnackenberg began his ministry as pastor of First Lutheran Church of Neosho, Missouri. In 1985, he accepted a position as the Director of the Parkside Unit at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, during which time he also served area congregations as vacancy pastor. In August of 1993, he accepted the call to be full-time pastor at Good Shepherd, overseeing the growth of the congregation, the building of our new worship facility in 1995, and continued growth in ministry into the new millennium.