Gateway’s Mission, Values & Strategy

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 9:16 PM

As we begin 2013, I want to share Gateway Community Church's Mission, Values and Strategy. But I don't want them to simply words on a page. I'd love to see us begin a conversation about how we as Gateway can bring these to life; how each of us can bring these to life. I'd love to hear from you about your thoughts and ideas. I'll also be adding some more thoughts throughout the week, so keep checking back, or better yet, subscribe to my blog so you can get the latest! Randy


Mission

Gateway’s Mission: to lead everyday people to become fully devoted followers of Christ

Our Mission is not simply the work of the corporate church, but the work of each individual member of the body of Christ who considers Gateway their church family. Our Mission requires each of us to take action, to lead, that we might accomplish it – it’s not up to the staff or a few key leaders and volunteers; it takes all of us – each one of us, doing our individual parts as the hands and feet and voice of Christ.


Values

  • Authenticity – We come as we are to Jesus and his church. We don’t try to cover up our faults and failings, but instead confess them and lay them at the feet of Jesus for his forgiveness.
  • Relationships – Spiritual growth and ministry occurs best through relationships (with God and others), and healthy, existing relationships often help us discern where God is leading us to act.
  • Servanthood – Servanthood is a lifestyle, an attitude, a way of being that puts others first, as Jesus did, and seeks to serve them. Servanthood demonstrates itself in Serving, Surrender and Sacrifice.


Strategy

Our Strategy, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is to Reach those disconnected from God, Heal those who are hurting, and Grow both ourselves and those with us to become fully devoted followers of Christ (more and more like Jesus).

  • REACH – we believe God raised up Gateway from it’s beginning to help connect people to God.
  • HEAL – we believe God has raised up Gateway to be a place of spiritual, emotional, relational and physical healing.
  • GROW – we believe God is raising up Gateway to lead everyday people to become fully devoted followers of Christ, to become more and more like Jesus, which, in fact, is who we were created to be.


Contrast Between Christ's First Advent and His Second Advent

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 6:41 AM

Most of us know and celebrate Jesus Christ's first advent here on earth - it's called Christmas. But, Jesus  said he would return - his second coming or advent. What will that be like, and how does it compare to his first advent? Below is a chart I put together from numerous sources to help you see and understand the contrasts:

Christ’s First Advent
Christ’s Second Advent
Christ’s first advent was prophesied by prophets
Christ’s second advent was prophesied by prophets and Christ himself
Christ was prophesied to be despised and rejected by people (Isaiah 53:3)
Christ will return to be worshiped by all (Philippians 2:9; Revelation 5:13; Psalms 150:6)
Christ was miraculously conceived (Luke 1:35)
Christ will miraculously return
Christ came as a newborn baby (Luke 2:7)
Christ will return as a conquering King (Revelation 19:11-16)
Christ came in secret – virtually no one knew of his coming
Christ will return visible and known to all (Matthew 24:30)
Christ came in weakness as a baby
Christ will return in power as King
Christ came and submitted himself to human authority (Luke 2:51)
Christ will return and submit to no one on earth (Revelation 19:6)
Christ came and was known simply as the carpenter’s son (Luke 4:22)
Christ will return and known in all his glory (Revelation 19:16)
Christ came into a world marked with sorrows and sin
Christ will return to a world in which there will be no more tears, death, suffering, crying or pain (Revelation 21:4)
Christ came with meekness, riding on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-5)
Christ will return with power on a white horse (Revelation 19:11-16)
Christ came to bring peace to the human heart (Ephesians 2:13-19; Romans 5:1)
Christ will return to bring peace to the entire world (Isaiah 9:6-7; Zechariah 9:10)
Christ came and comforted the oppressed, healed the blind, preaching good news, and ministered to the hurting, sick and broken-hearted (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18)
Christ will return and destroy all evil and suffering (Isaiah 63:3-4; Revelation 19:15)
Christ came and the government was in the hands of men (Herod the Great, the Romans, etc.)
Christ will return and the government will  rest on his shoulders (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Christ came to be the Savior of Sinners (Matthew 1:21)
Christ will return to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16)
Christ came and only a select handful of his followers witnessed his glory (Matthew 17:1-6)
Christ will return and all will witness his glory
Christ came into Jerusalem hailed as King, but they crucified him (Matthew 21:1-11; Matthew 27:32-44)
Christ will return to the New Jerusalem as King, and all will bow down to him (Revelation 21)
Christ came and was rejected by the Jewish people (John 1:11)
Christ will return to be received by the Jewish people (Zechariah 12:10-11; Romans 11:25-28; Matthew 23:39)
Christ came and allowed himself to be beaten, spit upon and crucified on a cross (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:30-31)
Christ will return leading his armies into battle (Colossians 2:15; Revelation 11-16)
Christ came and was killed by his enemies (Matthew 27:20-25)
Christ will return and punish his enemies (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 19:21)
Christ came to bear our sins and sorrows (Isaiah 53:4)
Christ will return to be glorified by all (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Christ came and was confronted by Satan (Matthew 4:1-11)
Christ will return and imprison Satan for eternal punishment (Revelation 20:10)
Christ came and his death/resurrection signaled the beginning of the end of Satan, but Satan continues to wreak havoc
Christ will return and vanquish Satan and cast him forever into the fiery lake of burning sulfur (Revelation 20:10)
Christ came to die (Matthew 20:28)
Christ will return to rule and reign
Christ came and wore a crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29)
Christ will return wearing a crown of power and glory
Christ left on the clouds, ascending to heaven, seen only by his followers (Acts 1:9)
Christ will return in the clouds, seen by all, with a shout of the archangel and the trumpet call of God (Revelation 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 24:30-31)
Christ came to give birth to the Church (Matthew 16:18)
Christ will return to marry his bride, the Church (Revelation 21:2)
Christ came and the Kingdom of God was a spiritual kingdom that existed only in Christ fully and partially in those who welcomed him in
Christ will return and the Kingdom of God will be a physical kingdom that exists fully on earth

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