GATEWAY CHURCH FIELD GUIDE
GATEWAY CHURCH
FIELD GUIDE
CONTENTS Welcome ............................................................. 5 Purpose . . ............................................................. 6 Vision ................................................................... 9 Mission ............................................................. 10 Social Covenant ............................................. 13 Cultural Expressions .................................... 14 Seven Facets of Gateway Culture Freedom ...................................................... 16 Stewardship ............................................... 22 Community ................................................. 30 Health .......................................................... 40 Empowerment ........................................... 46 Worship ....................................................... 54 Outreach .. .................................................... 62
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WELCOME At Gateway, we seek to build and nurture a culture for our organization that produces and protects a God-honoring atmosphere. We lay the foundation for this cultural expression by personally living out Gateway’s values and instilling them in all who work alongside us in ministry. As new people join our team, we welcome them and help them uphold Gateway’s vision. We expect that when someone’s values are different from our own, they will accept, adopt, and reflect our vision and values when becoming part of our team. It’s not about excluding uniqueness; it’s about not compromising our purpose. Our values must be consistent churchwide or our message becomes confused and our organizational impact declines. Our values are steady—they don’t change very often. Adding or
changing something involves a process that begins with our senior pastor and requires ratification by our elders. We recognize that we’ll have relationships with individuals, families, or organizations that differ from us. We respect their uniqueness, but those differences will not influence a change in our organization. We defend and protect our culture and expect all team members to do so in both their corporate and personal lives.
PURPOSE WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
To help people develop an intimate relationship with God.
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VISION WHAT WE, AS A CHURCH, HOPE TO CREATE
To see people saved, healed, set free, discipled, equipped, empowered, and serving.
MISSION WHAT WE ASK PEOPLE TO DO
We are here to help each person at Gateway believe in Jesus, belong to family, become a disciple, and build the kingdom.
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SOCIAL COVENANT HOW WE RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER
We commit to love, value, respect, and protect each other. Therefore, we continually choose to ... Fully invest in relationships by: • Listening to each other. • Encouraging and affirming each other. • Offering, soliciting, and receiving honest feedback. • Believing the best motives. • Resolving conflict with forgiveness and reconciliation. • Being vulnerable and teachable with each other. • Reproducing ourselves in others. Fully empower relationships by: • Trusting each other within healthy boundaries. • Challenging constraints and engaging in healthy confrontation. • Developing potential in each other, which results in personal growth. • Walking in unity with grace and truth. • Focusing on the tasks at hand. • Being accountable to produce fruitful returns. • Extending the opportunity to dream and have fun.
CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS WHAT GUIDES OUR PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY AND DECISION MAKING
There are seven facets of our culture we want every team member to uphold. As each facet is brought into focus, the corresponding core values and Gateway-specific terminology follow. • Freedom (Humility) • Stewardship (Excellence, Generosity) • Community (Unity, Equity, Compassion) • Health (Integrity) • Empowerment (Service, Submission) • Worship (Faith, Truth and Spirit Centered) • Outreach (Kingdom Centered)
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freedom
GATEWAY CULTURE
FREEDOM
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Our culture of freedom hinges on honesty and humility represented by authentic leadership. We create an atmosphere of openness and protect it by communicating with each other in a gracious, loving way.
HUMILITY JAMES 4:6
The spirit of leadership is a servant spirit. The higher a person ascends in the organizational structure, the more their rights decrease, and their responsibilities increase.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
FREEDOM
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“MINISTER FREEDOM” Freedom isn’t the practice of getting rid of sin but instead welcoming the presence of God.
“RESPOND TO THE CALL” We recognize God has a calling on each of our lives. We must first listen for it, then respond to it.
HOW WE SAY IT
FREEDOM
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HOW WE SAY IT
stewardship
GATEWAY CULTURE
STEWARDSHIP
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We strive to balance extravagant generosity with responsible frugality in our financial management. We carry a generous attitude about extending resources and sharing what God has given to us because we recognize that there can’t be real generosity without stewardship. It helps us avoid wasteful excess and stinginess and enables us to live in the center of God’s provision and purpose. This expression reaches not just into our financial assets but also to the people, opportunities, and resources within our organization.
EXCELLENCE MATTHEW 5:16
In every area of ministry and administration, we bear the standard for the glory of God. Every individual and ministry carries a spirit of excellence (not perfectionism) by embracing a continuous effort to do better.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
STEWARDSHIP
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STEWARDSHIP
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GENEROSITY 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6
We seek opportunities to generously share our resources so others can benefit from what God has done at Gateway Church.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
“LIVE GENEROUSLY” Giving is a fundamental part of our culture. It includes finances, time, energy, resources, facilities, grace, and love.
“UNDER-PROMISE, OVER-DELIVER” We communicate clearly and manage expectations, which always leads to improvement.
“PLAN, PREPARE, PITCH” Every idea pitched should include adequate research and preparation out of respect for others’ time.
HOW WE SAY IT
STEWARDSHIP
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“STEWARD YOUR TIME, TALENT, HEALTH, AND RESOURCES” We manage and shape every resource God has given us in order to glorify Him.
“CULTIVATE EXCELLENCE” Our culture encourages excellence throughout our organization. Half-baked ideas and mediocre efforts are not the norm.
HOW WE SAY IT
community
GATEWAY CULTURE
COMMUNITY
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We recognize that relationships are important to God. He uses them to reveal Himself to us and mature us because relationships are the only things on this earth with eternal value. While engaged in furthering God’s kingdom around us, we remember that relationships are more important than issues, and true and deep spiritual growth happens in community. Relational oversights within our staff are expressed by consistent and regular meetings, which include personal care and address our work. In our personal interactions, we extend honor and grace toward each other. Our social covenant defines the type of interaction we promote among staff relationships.
UNITY PSALM 133
Unity requires us to focus on our vision—our purpose, mission, and principles—and the efforts of every individual must be harnessed to it. A team approach to ministry, problem solving, decision making, and operating within the integrity of our structure are the norm. Relationships come first when addressing issues. All disagreements and offenses are dealt with in a timely and biblical manner.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
COMMUNITY
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COMMUNITY
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EQUITY JEREMIAH 22:13–16; JAMES 2:1–4
We’re committed to justice and treating everyone right, showing impartiality to any individual or group, and striving to remain above reproach in dealing with people.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
COMPASSION PHILIPPIANS 4:5; EPHESIANS 2:8–9
We express an attitude and spirit of compassion to everyone, and we relate to each other with mercy and grace balanced with truth. We’re focused outside the walls of the church with a patient heart of long-suffering and a desire to reach the lost and to heal and restore the hurting.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
COMMUNITY
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“LIVE OUR SOCIAL COVENANT” Our social covenant guides how we interact with each other by encouraging fun, productivity, and high transparency.
“VALUE RELATIONSHIPS OVER RESULTS” Our first interest is in the person then in their accomplishments because we want to build relationships that support us doing ministry together for a long time.
“WE’RE ALL ABOUT PEOPLE” We view ourselves through the lens of our church attendees and evaluate our actions with their perspectives in mind.
HOW WE SAY IT
COMMUNITY
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“ESTABLISH AND CONVEY CORE VALUES” Our rapidly growing and changing environment is strengthened and stabilized by relationships that reflect our core values.
“EXTEND GRACE” We give everyone the benefit of the doubt and believe the best of others.
HOW WE SAY IT
health
GATEWAY CULTURE
HEALTH
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Health is the manageable expression of our individual pace, priorities, purpose, and physical condition. It’s through health and its expression that we accomplish God’s will and find peace. It begins with the time God gave us to rest: Honor the Sabbath intentionally and diligently; take one day a week to rest, renew, and restore—our body, soul, and spirit. We cultivate systems, policies, and practices for personal and ministry calendars that encourage and support healthy lifestyles rather than prioritize the immediate demands of people and events.
INTEGRITY PHILIPPIANS 2:15
We uphold all biblical standards of conduct and reputation for personal, family, business, financial, and community involvement. We strive to remain above reproach in all areas, realizing that we represent Christ to the world as His ambassadors.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
HEALTH
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“HEAR, BELIEVE, OBEY” Our actions are governed by hearing the inspired voice of God. It’s the source of our faith.
“OPERATE WITH INTEGRITY” We value having ethical, transparent character, and we are always looking for ways to grow in integrity.
HOW WE SAY IT
HEALTH
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“CREATE A HEALTHY GOVERNMENT” Healthy structure honors God and people, improves communication, and enhances the leadership’s ability to make good decisions.
“STEWARD YOUR HEALTH” We manage our pace and involvement in extra activities because we want our bodies and souls to be healthy as well as our spirits.
HOW WE SAY IT
empowerment
GATEWAY CULTURE
EMPOWERMENT
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We are committed to discovering and fulfilling God’s purposes, but we recognize the greater expression of ministry happens through gifted individuals working as a team. We establish an atmosphere of empowerment through our attitudes, relationships, and investments with our team so we can produce measurable results. We develop individuals into mature believers grounded in God’s Word, free from physical and spiritual bondage, and empowered—not only by us but also by the Holy Spirit— to serve God and others. We encourage opportunities that challenge people to grow and succeed and create clearly defined roles and responsibilities. We offer training at every level, provide the necessary resources for every task, and operate in a system of relational oversight that serves the “person” more than the “employee.”
SERVICE EZEKIEL 44; MATTHEW 20:28; JOHN 13:1–17
God has called us to demonstrate the heart of a servant. Our administrative arm both facilitates and serves ministry.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
EMPOWERMENT
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EMPOWERMENT
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SUBMISSION ROMANS 13:1
We embrace God’s ultimate position of authority and His plan for local, delegated authority. We adhere to the principles of submission and honor authority at all levels of the organization. We operate within the integrity of our structure. Appeals of decisions are sometimes warranted and are allowed with a right spirit and within the boundaries of our established structure.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
“MAXIMIZE YOUR STRENGTHS” God has given everyone unique talents and callings. Aligning ourselves with those gifts brings out the best in us.
“CULTURE OF HEALTH” God designed hard work to be complemented with appropriate rest and a Sabbath; our personal and work activity must reflect that value.
HOW WE SAY IT
EMPOWERMENT
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“RELY ON GOD TO PROVIDE FOR THE VISION” We believe when God provides the vision, He will provide the finances to carry it out.
HOW WE SAY IT
worship
GATEWAY CULTURE
WORSHIP
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We believe that worship is, at its essence, an expression of sincere and heartfelt love, and it is our intent that our love for God is evident at all times. We strive to create and protect an atmosphere that welcomes, honors, and prioritizes God’s presence so we can grow in intimacy with Him and partner with Him to establish His heart, will, and purpose in all we do. We deepen our worship by encouraging the personal and individual spiritual formation of every believer, beginning with preaching and teaching that builds biblical knowledge of God and His nature through spiritual disciplines.
FAITH HEBREWS 11:6
Faith creates a positive, grateful atmosphere. We are decisive and proactive based on God’s revealed direction and plans. We aren’t arrogant or overconfident, but we aren’t driven or hindered by fear based on circumstances or the unknown.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
WORSHIP
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WORSHIP
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TRUTH AND SPIRIT CENTERED JOHN 1, 14, 16
We are committed to being grounded in scriptural truth and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is our final authority, and the Holy Spirit is our guide to reach God’s destiny for us as a church.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
“RELY ON GOD’S PRESENCE” Our worship experience is guided by the presence of God; His presence is our goal in all we do.
“PROPHETIC PRESBYTERY” God still speaks prophetically, and we make time to hear what He has to say.
HOW WE SAY IT
WORSHIP
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HOW WE SAY IT
outreach
GATEWAY CULTURE
OUTREACH
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We extend ourselves to those around us with a heart of humility and service to God and people, sharing the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ in every expression of our ministry. We serve all people but focus on extending the gospel to the Jew first through Messianic ministry, then to all others—locally, nationally, and internationally. We follow the model declared by Jesus and seek to represent Him as we serve God and people.
KINGDOM CENTERED 1 CORINTHIANS 12:14–27
We are committed to advancing the work of the kingdom in the body of Christ by recognizing and supporting other churches and ministries as God gives us the opportunity to collaborate.
GATEWAY CORE VALUE
OUTREACH
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“TO THE JEW FIRST” Our purpose for reaching the Jew first is not just a literal interpretation of Romans 1:16 but a belief that God’s plan for evangelizing the world begins with the Jewish people.
“KEEP A KINGDOM FOCUS” We only accept opportunities for Gateway’s advancement that also advance the kingdom.
HOW WE SAY IT
OUTREACH
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“THERE’S A PLACE FOR EVERYONE” We offer a wide variety of ministries for our congregation to experience personal growth.
HOW WE SAY IT
Dear Gateway Team Member, I hope you found this Field Guide about Gateway culture as much fun to read as it was to create! It is our way of distilling the way we do things at Gateway Church into manageable ideas. I believe culture is as much caught as it is taught, and this guide will help keep the meaning of our cultural terms consistent as our team grows. I am very grateful to God that you have joined us, and it is important you know you are loved and that we need the gifts God has invested in you. If you are interested in learning more about Gateway’s culture, be sure to take a class in the culture track on First Tuesdays. I pray you will find working at Gateway Church as much of a blessing as I have. God bless you,
Todd Lane Lead Executive Senior Pastor