Who We Are Our Beliefs Our Story Our Mission Partners Staff
Gateway is an independent, non-denominational Christian church affiliated with the independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (instrumental). Nationwide, there are nearly 6,000 congregations with a combined attendance of over 1 million in this fellowship of churches. For more information about the history of our "tribe," click here.
We consider ourselves to be an evangelical church with an emphasis on unity in Christ because we agree with the basic doctrines that characterize evangelicals, beginning with the gospel message that Jesus is Lord and Savior, and the Bible is God’s inspired Word and our source of authority. We have members and attenders from all sorts of church backgrounds as well as those with no church background. All are welcome here.
Our Core Beliefs
We hold these seven belief statements as truths of Scripture and foundational to our faith. These things don’t change at Gateway. They are essential to our understanding of salvation and non-negotiable to our fellowship.
We believe in one God, Creator and Ruler of all things, existing in three persons:
Matthew 5:16,45; 6:1,4,8,9; James 1:17/John 1:1; 14:9 / Genesis 1:2; John 4:24; 14:16-20; 2 Peter 1:21
God the Father
Almighty, Creator of all things visible and invisible.
Genesis 1:1; Acts 17:24-28; Hebrews 11:3
Jesus Christ
God’s one and only Son, our one and only Savior.
John 1:14; 1 John 4:9 / John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:18
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary.
Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:30-35
Who is eternal but was born Jesus of Nazareth, both fully human and fully divine.
Matthew 21:11; John 19:19 John 1:14; Rom. 5;15-17; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 1:1
Who suffered and was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
Luke 23:1-46
Who died and was buried, and Who rose again bodily from the dead on the third day.
Luke 23:44 – 24:8; John 20:24-29; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Who ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father.
Luke 22:69; Acts 1:1-9; Colossians 3:1
Who will physically return to earth to judge both the living and the dead.
Matthew 24:36-42; John 14:1-3, Acts 1:10-11; 10:39-42; 1 Peter 4:5
Holy Spirit
Who is an active and operative part of the triune God.
John 16:5-15; Acts 1:7-8; Romans 8:26-27
Who indwells and empowers every Christian.
1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14, Acts 2:38We Believe in the Bible - God’s Holy Word, Scripture.
We believe God inspired the autographs (original writings) of the Scripture and those autographs were consequently without error.
Mark 12:36; John 14:26; 16:12-15; Acts 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; 2 Peter 1:20-21.
We accept the Bible as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice.
Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Romans 15:4; Hebrews 4:12We believe the Bible teaches that man, created by God, willfully sinned against God and is consequently lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ.
Genesis 3; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23We believe that the Bible teaches that salvation- the forgiveness of sins- is only by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ.
There is nothing a person can do to “earn” salvation. It is only possible based on what Jesus has done on the Cross and offered to all who hear the gospel.
Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 1:7We believe that the Bible teaches that a person receives God’s grace in response to hearing the gospel by placing complete trust in Christ.
Complete trust in Christ is expressed by the believer when he/she confesses Jesus as Lord and Savior, repents of (or turns from) sin, and follows Him, first in baptism by immersion and then in a life of obedience. Romans 5:1-2 / Luke 24:45-47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9 / Matthew 10:32; Rom. 10:9; Philippians 2:11; 1 John 4:15 / Acts 2:38, Rom. 6:1-7; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21We believe in the Church that was founded on the day of pentecost and which consists of all people everywhere who have trusted Christ for salvation.
These believers are simply called “disciples” or “Christians.”
Matthew 16:13-18; Acts 2:14-47We believe that the Bible teaches that elders are mature, biblically qualified men who exercise leadership and authority over the local congregation and whose responsibility it is to protect the church from false teaching and provide opportunities for spiritual growth.
The members of the church affirm their leadership by submitting to their authority and following their lead.
Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4