Good Shepherd Lutheran began as a mission start by Our Savior Lutheran, Crestview. The first service (attendance 17) - the first Lutheran service in the Fort Walton Beach area - was held on May 29, 1955 with Reverend William P. Kniffel presiding. Five months later, in October of 1955, the first Lutheran Sunday School (attendance 19) started in Fort Walton Beach. 

On March 2, 1956, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church became the first officially organized Lutheran Church in the Fort Walton Beach area. On May 4,1956, the congregation was received into the membership of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). 

In May 1972 an Education building was built that later became the present Family Education Center on July 12, 1998 after a building program.

The current Sanctuary building was dedicated on July 6, 1986. 

A localized wind storm forced renovations to the Fellowship Hall which were completed May 2,2001. 

Called Church Workers:

John E. Ellermann, Pastor -27 Jan 1957 to 16 Nov 1965; 

Richard O. Ziehr, Pastor - 20 Mar 1966 to 31 Aug 1995; 

Ray Angerman*, Director of Christian Education (DCE) - 8 May 1977 to 28 Apr 2002

Karl W. Haeussler, Pastor - 17 Oct 1993 to 19 Jul 1998; 

Brian E. Runge, Pastor - 12 Nov 1995 to 30 Oct 2001; 

Ray Angerman*, Pastor - 28 Apr 2002 to Present 

Daniel P. Parsch, Pastor - 3 Nov 2002 to 30 Aug 2007

Curtis Wiese, Family Life Minister (DCE) - 4 Jan 2009 to Present

*  Ray Angerman has served Good Shepherd through two Calls. One Call as a DCE and in his current Call as Pastor. Pastor Ray began serving at Good Shepherd during the summer of 1974 on a part-time basis as a DCE student. A year later, he returned to us for a one year DCE internship, and on May 8, 1977, he was commissioned and installed as Director of Christian Education. Pastor Ray studied for the pastoral office through the DELTO (Distance Education Toward Ordination) program from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He completed his Vicarage at Hope Lutheran Mission (now Hope Lutheran Church), in South Walton County while continuing to serve Good Shepherd in his Call as DCE. On April 28, 2002, he was ordained and installed as a Good Shepherd pastor.

Mission Starts:

We were instrumental in the mission starts of Grace Lutheran Church in Destin (received into the membership of the LCMS 31 Dec 1982) and Hope Lutheran Church in South Walton County (received into the membership of the LCMS 18 Mar 2001)

Charter members still active with the congregation are: George and Beryl Brenner. Others still active who joined during the "early" years are: Linda Babiak, Anna Ocenasek, Bobbye Pearson; Elsie Kelly, Wilmer Neumann.