Our Beliefs
Heart transformation through personal faith in Jesus Christ is our primary focus.
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Our purpose is to glorify God by becoming a community of faith through whom Christ can reveal His glory on earth and through whom His purposes can be accomplished. We exist to adore Him, to follow Him, to serve Him, and to share Him.
A verse of scripture that has great relevance at Gateway Community Church is: "If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, how much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved through His life" (Romans 5:10).
This verse declares that Christ's death on the cross is God's way of saving us from the penalty of our selfish behavior. We enter into this salvation through personal faith that is choosing to depend on Christ alone as the one who satisfied all the demands of God's holiness in our place. Because this is true, we are able to receive forgiveness as a free gift.
But there is so much more to the Christian life than just being forgiven. Every individual who accepts Christ as personal Savior receives a second gift . . . the gift of the Holy Spirit. He takes up residence in the life of the believer. What does it mean to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit? It means that God Himself is now at home in our hearts! This is what the Bible means when it describes our decision to follow Christ as "new birth."
At Gateway, our emphasis is on the faith process which activates our new life in Christ. We are learning how to "walk in the Spirit." We are learning how to be instruments through which the glory and love of God might be experienced on earth. In the gospels we see Jesus empower His disciples to preach the kingdom of God and to substantiate their words with the authority to deliver, to heal, and to bring life from death. We don't just want to talk about Jesus and become activity oriented. We want to know Him. We want to listen to Him and obey Him. We want to be pure and responsive instruments though which His Kingdom power can be felt on earth.
- Are committed to breaking down barriers that hinder true "Community". Jesus said, "I have given them the glory...that they may be one...." As we catch a glimpse of the glory of Christ, we will share His passion for a Body that is united in the midst of its natural diversity. Our fellowship is comprised of people from mainline, evangelical and charismatic backgrounds who are united through Christ's Lordship in our hearts.
- Are committed to being a family. Our success is related to helping each other know God and care for each other's needs, and to encourage each other to bring the light of Christ's love to those outside of our family of faith.
- Expect God's Glory to be revealed through our Body. We believe that the church assembled is a spiritual beacon through whom God reveals His glory on earth. As we worship, we expect God to manifest His presence through worship, preaching, caring relationships, powerful answers to prayer, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
- Reach out because we care for hurting people. We believe that God is glorified as we help others to know and follow Christ. Jesus told His disciples: "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15:8). Gateway has an outward focus. We want to be used to bring people to Christ. The most natural way of sharing Christ is through meaningful relationships. Through our friendships, we find a natural avenue of bringing Christ's love to others.
Doctrinal Foundation: A Statement of Shared Beliefs
God. We believe in one true and living God who is eternal, infinite, holy, glorious, and in every way deserving of our praise. He is a personal God who is loving, merciful, just, and good.
Trinity. We believe that God is one, yet he has eternally existed in three distinct, co-equal persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Scripture. We believe that the Bible in its entirety is the inspired and infallible Word of God. Thus, Scripture is the final authority for believers, and it should be used to help believers grow in maturity.
Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who came to earth as one who was fully God yet truly human. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross as a sacrifice and substitute for mankind. We believe in Jesus’ subsequent bodily resurrection, his ascension into heaven, and that he will one day return again to judge the living and the dead.
Holy Spirit. We believe the Holy Spirit works to regenerate those who put their faith in Christ. Once regenerated, the Holy Spirit empowers believers to persevere and to live godly lives, and he equips believers with gifts used to serve God and his church.
Salvation. We believe every person is sinful by nature and by choice and thus are in need of God’s grace. Because works cannot save sinners, people need to be justified—declared innocent—by God through faith in Jesus Christ who died to purchase our salvation. The result of salvation is forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God in heaven.
Church. We believe Christ is the head of the church and that the church consists of all people who have been regenerated by the Spirit through faith in Christ. The universal church is made visible through local churches where believers meet for teaching, fellowship, worship, and prayer. We believe in the priesthood of believers, and that all believers have direct access to God through Christ.
We also believe that the church and its members are held to a high standard of conduct. Because believers are called to live for God’s glory and are strengthened by the Holy Spirit, members of the church should always seek to grow in holiness, maturity, obedience, and love for God and neighbor.
Last Things. We believe that Jesus Christ will personally and visibly come again to call his church to himself. We believe that Jesus will then judge the living and the dead; those who are faithful will receive eternal life in heaven, while unbelievers will be consigned to eternal punishment in hell.
Congregational Distinctives: A Statement of Shared Values
If one were to study the history of the church in the twentieth century, he/she would discover that most church splits are not doctrinal in nature. Christians are more likely to break fellowship with each other over more subtle issues. It is vitally important to agree on practical values that need to be embraced by everyone if the congregation is to be spiritually healthy. In other words, unity is as much a result of shared values (distinctives) as it is of shared beliefs (doctrinal foundation). Our uniqueness as a congregation can best be understood by studying the following ten distinctives which give us a special flavor:
- As a first principle, we are an expression of the Body of Christ through whom He is able to reveal Himself on earth. As we yield our lives to Christ and walk in the Spirit, God uses us to reveal His truth, love and power.
- Biblically, we are evangelical because we declare that Jesus Christ, as presented in the gospel, is the only hope of salvation to every person on earth. Our mission is to bring Christ to the ends of the earth.
- Congregationally, we are inclusive because we believe that our body is mature enough to embrace all who know Christ as Savior and Lord, and who are committed to living in obedience to God's Word. Christians from evangelical, charismatic, mainline denominations and no church background at all are equally welcome in our fellowship.
- Spiritually, we are committed to substance rather than appearance; godliness rather than mere outward morality. Nothing less than a "grace awakened" heart and sincere devotion to Christ will satisfy us. It is not pastoral intimidation, but the fullness of the Spirit that transforms us.
- Culturally, we are diverse because we are able to distinguish between the absolute truths we cherish and the forms we use to worship the God of truth. We confess that the forms we prefer are influenced by personal taste, background, and perhaps, our age. We honor these divergent tastes by providing cultural choices in worship.
- Structurally, we are a small church. In our home fellowships, we find pastoral care, spiritual accountability, and intimate friendships. These groups are central to our congregational health.
- Philosophically, we are a family because the Bible addresses us as "brothers and sisters" in the "household of faith." When teaching is Biblical and relevant, when love is real, and when commitments and relationships matter, the congregation will grow.
- Clinically, we are a hospital offering hope to the hopeless, care to the needy, and a second chance to those who have tasted personal failure.
- Tactically, we are spiritual soldiers standing together and engaged in intense warfare against spiritual powers of darkness intent on destroying our fellowship with God. This conflict can only be won through prayer, fasting, praise, repentance from all sin, and the skillful use of our spiritual armor.
- Strategically, we are super-naturalists who believe in the miraculous power of God. We believe He can do anything.