Gateway Life | July/August 2012

J u ly · A u g u s t 2012

TKUG p. 8 Gateway partners with The King’s University to train the next generation for ministry.

Created To B p. 10 You are on an incredible journey of believing, belonging, becoming and building.

Beating the Statistics p. 12 How Gateway’s Sr. High ministry is growing through an emphasis on spiritual growth and community.

Made Whole Again p. 14 A glimpse of God’s hand at work in Gateway’s Healing Ministry.

Contents comments

2 Welcome 3 Feedback

4

Gateway People

5 Tell Me Something Good

6 Outreach

features

8

TKUG

Gateway partners with The King’s University to train the next generation for ministry.

10

Created To B You are on an incredible journey of believing, belonging, becoming and building.

12

Beating the Statistics How Gateway’s Sr. High ministry is growing through an emphasis on spiritual growth and community.

14

Made Whole Again A glimpse of God’s hand at work in Gateway’s Healing Ministry.

Created To B p. 10

16 Calendar

on the cover Jordan Vick travelled to Greece last November with Pink (Gateway Women) to work with A21, and is passionate about fighting sex trafficking and ministering freedom to girls of all ages.

Jordan works with Gateway Groups and will marry the man of her dreams, Chase, on July 21.

18 More Than a Car 19

Song Story

20 profile

Welcome to Gateway Life Twelve years ago, when the Lord led us to start Gateway Church, Debbie and I could scarcely imagine the size of God’s plans. We held the first meeting in our living room with 30 people in attendance, including children and a pregnant woman (We counted her twice!). At the time, keeping everyone informed about what was going on in the church was pretty simple.

Today, we have more than 24,000 active members, and because I can’t fit 24,000 people in my living room, I can no longer update everyone at once! As the church has grown, we’ve developed new ways to communicate to the Gateway family. Once a year, during Vision

insight on news, ministries, people and events.

In many cases, you’ll be able to go a step further and get involved with the ministry opportunities you read about. Think of this magazine as an overflow of Vision Weekend, except instead of updating you once or twice a year, we get to update you every two months!

You need to know these aren’t just stories about what God’s doing through the church, but also stories of what God is doing through you. I often say how proud I am of your generosity. It’s because of your generosity that these testimonies and opportunities for kingdom-building are possible. You’re making an incredible difference.

As your pastor, I am so proud of you, and I’m excited for you to read about how God is blessing others through your generosity.

I’m overwhelmed by what God has done over the past twelve years, and I know He’s calling us to even greater things in the future. This magazine will keep you updated as we pursue His vision.

I’m overwhelmed by what God has done … and I know He’s calling us to even greater things in the future.

Weekend, I devote an entire message to telling you about what we’re doing and where we’re going, but to tell you the truth, I can’t cover it all in one message!

That’s why we’ve created Gateway Life.

When you read this magazine (in print, online or on the app), you’ll learn how God is growing His kingdom in and through our church. This magazine will provide you greater details and

It’s not just a magazine … it’s a connection to the heartbeat of this church. Welcome to the inaugural edition of Gateway Life.

Pastor Robert

Pastoral Oversight David Smith // editor-in-chief Lawrence Swicegood // managing editor Stacy Burnett // senior editor Josh Coad Editor Joyce Freeman // Staff Writer Shea Tellefsen // creative director Shane Dennehey // art director, designer Jeremy Tyson project manager Sarah Wethington // contributing photographers Natasha Brown, Chloé Chrysler, Scott Cornelius, Louis DeLuca, Johan Etsebeth, Roland Turner, Brad Wethington // Illustrator Adam Schweitzer // gatewaylifemag.com

2 Gateway life July · AuGust 12

Feedback

We Want to Hear from You This section will feature letters from you—Gateway Life readers. Since this is our first issue, there’s nothing here yet, so we need to hear from you! As you flip (or click, if you’re online or using the mobile app) your way through Gateway Life, you can respond to any article, column or section by shooting an email to life@ gatewaypeople.com.

Send us your thoughts, opinions, insights … anything! We can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

Sincerely, The Gateway Life Team

How Are Gateway People Spending Their Summer?

15% 38%

19% 28%

Staycation

The Beach

The Mountains

The Lake

“Going to a family reunion in the beautiful Adirondacks in Lake George, NY!” —Ginny Farrell Patton “Enjoying air conditioning.”

—Steve Hogge “Riding horses in the 5 million acre mountain wilderness around Jackson Hole, WY, all day every day from June 15 to September 15. My mountains are calling and I can't wait to answer!” —Cortney Ferguson

Information gathered from a very unscientific survey on Facebook.

To give your two cents on our next survey, stalk us on Facebook.

gatewaypeople.com 3

Nachelle Belle, National Day of Prayer

Michael Brady, National Day of Prayer

Janet Mullis, National Day of Prayer

Jerry Carmody & sons, Jarrod & Zephan, Beast Feast

AJ Jones, Beast Feast

Gigi Otero, Pink Impact David Messersmith, V! County Fair

Volunteers at the V! County Fair

Kelli Huston, Gari-Anne Smith & Sarah Kiefer, Pink Impact

Alan Schumacher, V! Carnival Ladies at Pink Impact

Tell Me Somethin Good Tell Me Something Good

“To say our lives have changed over the last year as members of Gateway Church would be selling it short. During a hard time, we moved our family to Gateway. After going through Catch the Vision, we read The Blessed Life. I knew we had to obey what Scripture says about giving. This discipline has been life-changing. We also saw an amazing change in our children, Jakob (8) and Abigail (4). We are so thankful for the way Gateway pours into our kids. Thrive (marriage conference) helped my wife and I to seek the Father and mend our marriage, and the men’s ministry is like no other! From Alpha Summit to weekly Equip classes, everywhere I turn men are being challenged to be the men the Father has intended for us to be. Our family has definitely plugged in at Gateway. We love our church, the leadership and, most of all, we love following our Father.”

—Jonathan Gifford “My husband, Don, has been hospitalized twice in the past five weeks for pneumonia. We were so excited to experience the live streaming feature of the new Gateway app in his hospital room! Thanks so much for the app!”

—Don and Julie Hice “Kids Beach Club (an organization that ministers to public school children through afterschool programs) was reintroduced into Dove Elementary in Grapevine because Gateway sponsored and funded the club. Out of God’s amazing abundance, 13 children were brought to the Lord this school year!”

—Makenzie Beaver “Seeing the baptisms at church got our little girl asking questions which led to her accepting Jesus last night. Thank you!”

—@rebekahgregg (via twitter)

Say What?!

Defining Gateway Church Lingo

“Our first Pretty in Pink Retreat (March 23–25) for 7th–12th grade girls was an incredible success! Three young ladies accepted Christ while another 11 rededicated their lives.

Praise the Lord!

—Brittney Nelson

“After marrying late in life, we thought we deserved the nicest wedding, whether we could afford it or not. We charged everything on credit cards and found ourselves in a big mess of debt. It would have taken us 17 years to become debt free. Instead, we took Crown and Financial Peace University through Gateway and paid off $128,000 of debt in 2 years and 10 months! Thanks to God’s grace and mercy, we’re debt free!”

—Barry and Roxanne Nations

pres·by·ter·y [prez-bi-ter-ee] Presbytery is a gathering specifically set aside for worship, prayer and prophetic ministry. It usually takes place over a two- to three-day period in which a prophetic team ministers to individuals who are candidates for leadership and service within as well as outside a local church. During this time, seasoned ministers who have a prophetic anointing and gifting minister in prophecy and impartation.

MOR [mohr] MOR is the Senior High (9th–12th grade) youth ministry at the Southlake and NRH campuses and the Student Ministry (6th–12th grade) at the Frisco campus. It’s a place where friendships are developed with God as the foundation. At MOR, students will find a fun atmosphere with people who are friendly, energetic and ardent worshippers of God.

gatewaypeople.com 5

Outreach Local Local Dall as, TX We partnered with Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship to remodel a women’s dormitory floor at the Dallas Life Foundation homeless shelter.

Gateway members finished the work on May 5.

Local

Frisco, NRH & Southl ake, TX Through a partnership with

Dall as, TX

Children’s Hunger Fund, Gateway members donated 2,000 boxes of food

Gateway provided Youth World

for the Food Drive. Gateway members

400 Easter baskets to give to children

delivered a significant amount to

from low-income homes. Gateway

low-income homes in East Dallas.

members ministered to the children who received the baskets.

Local Forney, TX In April, Gateway members provided $14,000 worth of gift cards and volunteers to assist with Tornado relief.

Global

Nxtgen Spring Break Trip

Chichicastenango, Guatemala 25 students and leaders from MOR and AMPED painted and cleaned streets, led Bible studies and ministered through music, drama and personal testimonies in a local church.

6 Gateway life July · AuGust 12

Global Kakegawa Cit y, Japan

Global

Pastors Robert and Debbie Morris and Pastor Thomas Miller spoke

Belo Horizante, Brazil

at the All Japan Pastor’s Conference

In April, Pastor Zach Neese

in January. Pastor Thomas also led

spoke to a crowd of over 20,000 at

worship and Gateway Worship’s God

a worship conference. Zach’s book,

Be Praised and The Blessed Life were

How to Worship a King, was released

released in Japanese.

in Portuguese and the first printing of 5,000 sold out in one day.

Global

Mercy Ships, Coast of Africa Gateway member Stephanie

Global

Buchanan is working with Mercy Ships off the coast of Africa. Mercy Ships brings hope and healing to the forgotten poor by mobilizing people and resources worldwide. Follow Stephanie’s journey:

Global Nxtgen Spring Break Trip

Shreveport, Louisiana 50 students and leaders from InfinitiYouth and AMPED provided activities for children and donated food and clothing in low-income areas.

Nxtgen Spring Break Trip

Mumbai, India MOR and AMPED took a group of 14 students, parents and leaders to minister in orphanages, rescue houses, slum churches and schools.

gatewaypeople.com 7

The

King’s University at Gateway A look to the future.

By Shea Tellefsen

TKUG

2000 Gateway Church holds first service at Hilton Hotel in Grapevine 1996 The School on the Way founded by Dr. Jack Hayford; later renamed The King’s University

2012 The King’s University at Gateway launches 2009 Pastor Robert Morris receives mandate from God to train next generation for ministry

Neatly arranged brochures and silver pens laid out atop tables. Shiny purple banners adorned the walls and walkways. The aroma of sandwiches and kabobs filled the air as prospective students and faculty buzzed about the Gateway Lobby, each anticipating their future and how The King’s University at Gateway would be part of it.

Friday, April 20, marked the official launch of The King’s University at Gateway (TKUG)—a night essentially 16 years in the making.

It all started on February 16, 1996, when God uttered a simple sentence to Pastor Jack Hayford: “Found a seminary.” Soon, The School on the Way—later known as The King’s Institute and now known as The King’s University—was born. In 2009, Gateway entered the picture when Pastor Robert Morris received a mandate from God to “train the next generation for ministry.”

To fulfill that dream from God, Gateway partnered with The King’s University in California to create a branch campus in Southlake. With The King’s help, Gateway will be able to train and equip students for ministry within the church as well as outside the four walls of the church.

“I’m very blessed and very excited about this relationship between The King’s University and Gateway, because I see the best of both worlds,” Pastor Robert said to the launch night attendees.

“We can accomplish so much for the kingdom.”

TKUG opens Monday, September 17, and will offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees—from theology and biblical studies to Christian ministry. Students can choose from one-year to four-year programs that can simply serve to further the student’s education in God’s Word prior to entering the marketplace or can prepare students for vocational ministry.

TKUG’s mission is to “raise up a new generation of Spirit-filled, transformational

leaders, for life-impacting ministry,” all within the confines of the local church. “We want to see young people serving in, being influenced by and learning to minister in the local church while getting a strong theological foundation,” Pastor Robert explained.

Classes will be held at Gateway’s former Southlake Campus on Southlake Blvd—now known as the University Campus, which is currently being renovated to house eight classrooms, a library, student union, café and more.

On the launch night, Pastor Jack emphasized that everyone is called to ministry and urged prospective students to respond to God’s call to minister. “What God is planning to do is more

“We’re going to be able to take people deeper in God’s Word through a systematic training that I believe is going to bear tremendous fruit.” profound than what we could imagine. It has to do with training. But at the bottom line, it has to do with ministering Jesus,” he said.

TKUG is the fulfillment of the vision God placed on both Pastor Jack’s and Pastor Robert’s heart. Both men recognize how hungry the next generation is for God’s Word, and both want to provide them with a solid, scriptural foundation so they can carry out God’s calling on their lives.

“I’m excited because now we’re going to be able to take people deeper in God’s Word through a systematic training that I believe is going to bear tremendous fruit,” Pastor Robert said. GL For more information about The King’s University at Gateway or to apply, visit gateway.kingsuniversity.edu.

gatewaypeople.com 9

Created to

B

by Josh Coad

Believing / Belonging / Becoming / Building

In the Gateway series, Created to B, Pastor Robert said we are human beings, not human doings. Christians often ask the question, “What does God want me to do?” But as Pastor Robert pointed out, God created us to be someone.

What we do flows out of who He created us to be.

The right question is, “Who was I created to be?” The answer lies in Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Pastor Robert delved into the truth of this scripture by giving four actions that define the life of every believer.

1 . B e l i e v i n g i s …

• Receiving God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

• Holding to the truth found in the infallible Word of God. • Growing in faith by continually choosing to trust God. When God made mankind, He designed us to believe in and trust in Him. This starts at salvation, but it doesn’t end there. Believing isn’t a one-time event; it’s a constant process of holding to biblical convictions and living by His Word.

Adam and Eve fell because they didn’t truly believe God. The Enemy lies to us, just as he did to Adam and Eve, and tries to shake us with doubt. We have to choose to believe God instead of going our own way. Rather than following Satan’s lies, we can choose to follow His voice and believe His Word. A life rooted in Him is stronger than any difficult circumstance.

2 . B e l o n g i n g i s …

• Committing to growing in relationship with others.

• Contributing to the fulfillment of God’s vision for Gateway.

• Celebrating the privileges of being a part of His blessed family.

When we believe in Him, we are adopted into the greatest family of all time. God didn’t mold us in a random shape. He made us in His image, making an eternal statement that we belong to Him.

We are all born with a desire to belong, but our sinful natures make us feel out of place and unworthy (Genesis 3:7– 10). Because of our sin, we were born rejected (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23). When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the price for our sin. We may have been born rejected, but when we accept His sacrifice, we are absolved of our sins and born again accepted. Jesus was rejected for us (Isaiah 53:3) so we could be adopted into His family.

God made a way for us to belong because He loves us.

He has also commanded us to love others in the same way (John 13:34). When we fulfill our calling to love others, we invite them to belong as well. Together, as part of His blessed family, we pursue His vision for us and celebrate His love and goodness.

3 . B e c o m i n g i s …

• Embracing the journey of transforming into the image of Christ.

• Pursuing God by investing in spiritual disciplines.

• Living a grace-filled life empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Becoming like Jesus is an incredible journey offered to every believer. Sin makes us selfish. Born with a desire to rule our own lives, we seek personal gain and glory. When we are born again, we discard our self-centered nature and receive a Christ-centered purpose and begin the process of becoming like Jesus. God wants to conform us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). The more we surrender to Him, the more we become like Jesus.

The Enemy lies to us, just as he did to Adam and Eve, and tries to shake us with doubt.

We surrender through obedience. Becoming like Jesus means living by the spiritual disciplines written in His Word, all while understanding you cannot accomplish anything unless it’s powered by His grace working in you. Pursue God, live in the freedom of His grace, and let the Holy Spirit empower you, turning you into a mirror image of Jesus. continued on page 19

gatewaypeople.com 11

Beating the Statistics

by Josh Coad

12 Gateway life July · AuGust 12

What do you think of when you hear the words “youth group”? Maybe some games and free food?

Maybe noisy teenagers barely paying attention to a short, simple message? That tends to be many people’s experience.

When Mike Guzzardo became the lead pastor for MOR (Gateway’s Sr. High ministry) a year ago, he brought a clear vision to develop a youth culture of spiritual depth and genuine community. “Statistics tell us that most students who go to church in high school won’t by the time they graduate college. That tells me that students are hearing about God, but they’re not being challenged to engage and experience God in a way that changes their lives,” says Pastor Mike.

Mike serves as the MOR Pastor at Southlake and is joined by Pastors James Brown (NRH campus) and Jared Lyons (Frisco campus). Together, they work to beat the statistics by creating a youth group that encourages students to pursue real relationships with God and others.

This starts with an emphasis on God’s presence. “The presence of the Lord is the tool for transformation,” Pastor Mike says. Through extended times of worship, MOR students encounter His presence. During weekly messages, students are challenged to follow God on a daily basis.

“We’re not apologizing for going deep,” Pastor James says. This mindset is reflected in every MOR sermon series, which focuses on helping students build community with each other while understanding the foundations for our faith and why we believe what we believe.

While a student’s relationship with God remains top priority, the MOR pastors are adamant about fostering true community among the students.

“We don’t want students to feel invisible,” Pastor Mike says.

After responding to the Lord through worship and the message, students meet in small groups (divided by gender and grade) where they express what the Lord is doing in their lives and build relationships rooted in His Word.

As a relatively new addition to the MOR service, small groups bring a fresh challenge: the need for more adult leaders. As MOR grows, small groups cannot remain small

without more leaders to host them. Each leader is critical, as they set the tone for their group, start discussion among the students and help them put into words what God is saying to them. Thanks to the work of current leaders, small groups have already had tremendous impact. “It’s created community,” Pastor Jared says. “Our students love it.”

This increased focus on spiritual depth and community within MOR leads to a unique vision for this year’s summer camp, Metamorphosis. According to Pastor James, it would be a mistake to treat camp as a stand-alone, hyped event and “count on it to fuel the youth group until next summer.”

Instead, Metamorphosis will build on the foundation already established in weekly MOR services. “We want camp to be an extension and accelerator of what the Lord is already doing in MOR,” says Pastor Mike.

Metamorphosis will be the perfect opportunity for current MOR students to take the next step in experiencing God and community. It will also serve as a perfect entry point for new students. “It’s a great time to become part of the family and get connected,” says Pastor Jared. “You’ll come out of camp with new best friends.”

Pastor Mike is excited to see lives change as students continue to pursue God at Metamorphosis: “When you give God sixteen hours of your day, He’s going to transform your life in a powerful way.

In the Bible, when Israel experienced life-defining moments with God, they would build a monument. At the end of our lives, I think we’ll each look back at a few spiritual markers that changed us forever. Camp can be one of those spiritual markers. When we meet with God, amazing things happen.” GL

“It’s a great time to become part of the family and get connected”

To register your student for Metamorphosis or to volunteer as a leader for MOR, visit mor.gatewaypeople.com or email mor@gatewaypeople.com.

MOR meets at all Gateway campuses every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm.

gatewaypeople.com 13

+ Made Whole Again An Inside Look at Gateway’s Healing Ministry

by Josh Coad

The Bible instructs us to pray for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, with the goal of a permanent establishment of His kingdom, not an occasional invasion. In other words, miracles should be business as usual.

14 Gateway life July · AuGust 12

“We think of miracles as abnormalities—faraway heaven invading earth in a way that breaks the normal rules,” says Pastor Alan Smith (Freedom Ministries). “We need to get a different perspective.

We need to align with the biblical worldview.”

This is the mindset behind Gateway’s Healing Ministry, where anyone can come receive prayer for healing every Monday night. Pastor Alan provides pastoral oversight and vision, while Robert McKinney, a Gateway volunteer, mobilizes and directs the volunteers who show up every week to pray for the sick. “God is willing and able and wants to heal His people,” Robert says. “The Bible says lay hands on the sick and they shall recover (Mark 16:18). It’s that simple.”

Before receiving prayer, attendees watch a brief, 10-minute teaching video in which Pastor Alan explains the biblical foundation for miraculous healing. This teaching serves to answer the question, “What is God’s part and

and told them what it was about or He told them about the kingdom and showed them what it was about.” Jesus could bring the kingdom to earth because He lived in the presence of His Father.

That’s what Pastor Alan wants for anyone who comes to the healing rooms: “The whole thing is designed to connect people to an encounter with God. Healing just overflows from that.”

The overflow is staggering. In the past year, people have been healed of cancer, eczema, deafness, chronic pain, STDs and mismatched legs (a girl’s shortened leg literally grew to match the normal size of the other).

Terri Jones brought her 13-year-old son Nathan so he could receive prayer for his migraines.

In her testimony, Terri writes, “Since then, he has not experienced any migraines nor has he needed the medicine. All glory to our Lord and Savior!”

One woman received prayer for Hepatitis C: “I instantly knew I was healed.” After testing

“We’re seeing more and more healing … because we’re intentional about cultivating God’s presence.” what is their part? Many people have a lot of confusion about that. Their part is to rest and to receive; to recognize what Jesus has done is a finished work,” he says, echoing Isaiah 53:5 (“by His stripes we are healed”).

After the teaching, each person spends time in a prayer room where they’re encouraged to simply sit and connect with God’s presence.

As worship music plays in the background, volunteers pass out the communion elements and silently pray over each person. Sometimes, people are healed in this room, even before anyone lays hands on them. In fact, people have even been healed during Pastor Alan’s teaching video.

When people move from the prayer room to the Auditorium, they are each met by a small prayer team. During prayer, the prayer team calls out the problem and commands it to change in the name of Jesus. They pray for His kingdom to operate physically on earth as in heaven.

The gospel is “a show and tell gospel,” Robert says. “Jesus either showed them the kingdom

negative for Hepatitis C a few weeks later, she sent in her testimony. “I began to thank and praise God loudly … this continued for the next three hours. The note on the new test results indicated there was ‘insufficient presence of the virus.’

Praise God! With Him, nothing is impossible!”

Pastor Alan attributes these miracles to one thing: God’s presence. “We’re seeing more and more healing. It’s not because we figured out a new way to pray. It’s because we’re intentional about cultivating God’s presence.” Robert agrees.

He says the healing rooms are “meant to point our faces towards Him.” Every week, as a team of dedicated volunteers and those in need of healing seek His face together, God’s presence fills the NRH Campus. This is the “show and tell” gospel: God’s love on display as He heals His children. When His finished work is received, miracles become the new normal, forever redefining business as usual. GL The Healing Ministry is available at Gateway NRH every Monday night from 7:00–9:00 pm. No appointment is necessary.

gatewaypeople.com 15

Calendar

J u ly Sun

Mon

AuGust Tues

wed

thurs

fri

sat

Sun

Mon

Tues

wed

thurs

fri

sat

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

25

26

27

28

25

22

23

24

29

30

31

*No events are scheduled for Independence Day, July 4, including recurring monthly events.

19

20

21

22

23

24

26

27

28

29

30

31

July 31–August 2

2–3

Wacky week Frisco Campus

June 29–July 2

Single Parent Family Camp

Gateway’s version of Vacation Bible School.

August

July

5–9

Metamorphosis

Riverbend Retreat Center, Glen Rose

11–12 Baby Dedications

Summer Camp for Sr. High (9th–12th grade) students.

August

July

5–9

Camped

Riverbend Retreat Center, Glen Rose Summer Camp for Jr. High (7th–8th grade) students.

July

13–16 MixUp Camp Lakeview Camp & Conference Center

Generate Night of Worship

20

Join us as the next generation gathers for a night set aside to seek and worship God. Everyone is invited.

Summer Camp for 5th and 6th graders! MixUp is about relentlessly, unashamedly and passionately going crazy for the glory of God.

16 Gateway life July · AuGust 12

19

KAIROS 9:00 am–5:00 pm Southlake Campus A Freedom Ministry event designed to create a safe atmosphere for you to experience God’s healing power by having an intimate encounter with the Holy Spirit.

Laugh! | a pink night 7:00 pm // Southlake Campus

Friday

7:00 pm Southlake Campus

August

A night of laughter and friendship just for women.

August

23

Gearing Up 7:00 pm // NRH Campus

A time of food, fellowship and fun for men.

August 24

August 27

Gateway Kids Night of Worship

Gateway Groups Begin

7:00 pm // Southlake Campus

Recurring Events Kids/Students

Unity (Marriage)

AMPED (7th–8th Grade)

• Marriage Challenge Sundays // 9:30 am MIN

Sundays // 5:30 pm

SLK NRH

InfinitiKids (Birth–6th Grade, Kids of Single Parents) Mondays // 6:00 pm

SLK

InfinitiYouth (7th–8th Grade, Kids of Single Parents) Mondays // 6:00 pm SLK

Gateway Equip Wednesdays // 7:00 pm

SLK

Habitation Sun, Jul 15 & Aug 12 // 6:00 pm

MOR (Sr. High, 9th–12th Grade) Wednesdays // 6:00 pm SLK NRH MOR Frisco (6th–12th Grade) Wednesdays // 6:00 pm FRS

SLK

Jewish Messianic Service Fri, Jul 6 & Aug 3 // 7:00 pm

NRH

Sat, Jul 14 & Aug 11 9:00 am–12:30 pm SLK

GSA (Singles) SLK • Meal Mondays // 6:00 pm • Worship Service Mondays // 7:00 pm • Divorce Care Mondays // 7:00 pm • Breakout Classes Mondays // 7:40 pm

Sundays 9:00 am, 10:45 am & 12:30 pm

Sat, Jun 30 & Aug 4 FRS Sun, Jul 1 & Aug 5 // 6:00 pm

SLK

NRH Campus 7501 Davis Blvd North Richland Hills, TX 76182

Spiritual Growth Career Development Classes Tuesdays // 7:00 pm SLK

PrimeTime (50+) • DayTime (60+) Sundays // 10:00 am • DayTime Bible Study Tuesdays // 10:00 am

Seven (18–29) SLK Tuesdays // 7:00 pm

Saturdays 4:00 pm & 5:45 pm

Water Baptism

SLK

RE (Single Parent Families) • Meal Mondays // 6:00 pm • Worship Service Mondays // 7:00 pm • Breakout Classes Mondays // 7:40 pm • ReNew (Single Moms) Mondays // 7:00 pm • Legacy (Single Dads) Mondays // 7:00 pm

Southlake Campus 700 Blessed Way Southlake, TX 76092

Membership Class Adults

Weekend Services

Healing Ministry Mondays // 7:00–9:00 pm

SLK

NRH

Prayer • Prayer Tools Class Sundays // 9:00 am SLK • Pray First Saturdays // 4:00 pm SLK NRH Saturdays // 5:45 pm FRS Sundays // 9:00 am SLK NRH FRS • Corporate Prayer | Nation Sundays // 10:40 am SLK • High Noon Prayer Wednesdays // 12:00 pm SLK • Men’s Prayer Meetings Thursdays // 5:30 am SLK • Prayer Walking for Our Nation Thursdays // 6:00 pm SLK

Saturdays 4:00 pm, 5:45 pm & 7:30 pm Sundays 9:00 am, 10:45 am & 12:30 pm

Frisco Campus 7125 Legacy Drive Frisco, TX 75034 Saturdays 5:45 pm Sundays 9:00 am, 10:45 am & 12:30 pm

Key MIN Ministry Center FRS Frisco Campus

NRH NRH Campus SLK Southlake Campus

gatewaypeople.com 17

More than a Car

by Josh Coad

G

ateway is a giving church, but the generosity of our members extends far beyond weekend tithes and offerings. I discovered this firsthand when I spent a morning with Pastor Gunnar Johnson learning the ins and outs of Gateway’s car donation program, which gives cars to needy families.

Here’s how it works: When a Gateway member donates a car, Pastor Gunnar drives it around for a few days to see if it needs maintenance. If needed repairs are minimal, Generous Life (Gateway Financial Stewardship) fixes it up and gives it away. “If the cars are not in good shape, we’ll sell them,” says Pastor Gunnar. The money from these sales funds repairs and maintenance for the cars that are actually given away. Since the program started in 2006, Generous Life has received around 500 cars and given away more than 300!

When Generous Life gives a car away, it’s more than a simple handout. The goal isn’t a quick fix, but complete financial restoration—the car is just one part of the process. In Generous Life classes, people struggling in their finances learn the principles of biblical stewardship.

Pastor Gunnar says, “Our heart is to walk with people through a hard season, discipling them … helping them walk out of a position of poverty.”

Through mentoring and prayer, the Generous Life staff identifies individuals whom they can bless with a car. He often tells people who receive

18 Gateway life July · AuGust 12

vehicles, “We want to help you so you can one day give a car away!”

This is only possible because of the generosity of Gateway members. “Our people are some of the most generous people in the country,” Pastor Gunnar says. Still, he hopes to expand the program even further: “We always have a waiting list. I look forward to the day when we have an inventory of cars. I want this ministry to grow so we can give away 300 cars a year.”

Donations of any kind will help Generous Life reach this goal. Any car is accepted, and cash donations help fund car repairs.

The results are absolutely life-changing. I watched as Pastor Gunnar gave away a 2000

“Thank you, and God bless you!”

Acura to Gateway member Robert Childers.

Robert, at the time of the donation, was inbetween jobs and completely dependent on friends for transportation.

When Robert arrived at the Gateway Ministry Center, Pastor Gunnar and his children, who helped him clean the car, gave Robert his new vehicle and prayed with him. Afterwards, Robert told me the car would help him tremendously.

When I asked him if he wanted to say anything to the anonymous donor who provided the Acura, Robert, grinning from ear to ear, said, “Thank you, and God bless you!” GL If you’re in need of a vehicle, email compassion@gatewaypeople. com.

If you’re interested in donating a vehicle or money, email stewardship@ gatewaypeople.com.

All He says I Am Song Story

BELIEVING / BELONGING / BECOMING / BUILDING

CREATED TO

B

by Josh Coad

In the Gateway series, Created to B, Pastor Robert said we are human beings, not human doings. Christians often ask the question, “What does God want me to do?” But as Pastor Robert pointed out, God created us to be someone.

What we do flows out of who He created us to be.

The right question is, “Who was I created to be?” The answer lies in Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Pastor Robert delved into the truth of this scripture by giving four actions that define the life of every believer.

1. BELIEVING IS …

• Receiving God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

• Holding to the truth found in the infallible Word of God. • Growing in faith by continually choosing to trust God. When God made mankind, He designed us to believe in and trust in Him. This starts at salvation, but it doesn’t end there. Believing isn’t a one-time event; it’s a constant process of holding to biblical convictions and living by His Word.

Adam and Eve fell because they didn’t truly believe God. The Enemy lies to us, just as he did to Adam and Eve, and tries to shake us with doubt. We have to choose to believe God instead of going our own way. Rather than following Satan’s lies, we can choose to follow His voice and believe His Word. A life rooted in Him is stronger than any difficult circumstance.

2. BELONGING IS …

• Committing to growing in relationship with others.

• Contributing to the fulfillment of God’s vision for Gateway.

• Celebrating the privileges of being a part of His blessed family.

When we believe in Him, we are adopted into the greatest family of all time. God didn’t mold us in a random shape. He made us in His image, making an eternal statement that we belong to Him.

We are all born with a desire to belong, but our sinful natures make us feel out of place and unworthy (Genesis 3:7– 10). Because of our sin, we were born rejected (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23). When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the price for our sin. We may have been born rejected, but when we accept His sacrifice, we are absolved of our sins and born again accepted. Jesus was rejected for us (Isaiah 53:3) so we could be adopted into His family.

God made a way for us to belong because He loves us.

He has also commanded us to love others in the same way (John 13:34). When we fulfill our calling to love others, we invite them to belong as well. Together, as part of His blessed family, we pursue His vision for us and celebrate His love and goodness.

3. BECOMING IS …

• Embracing the journey of transforming into the image of Christ.

• Pursuing God by investing in spiritual disciplines.

• Living a grace-filled life empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Becoming like Jesus is an incredible journey offered to every believer. Sin makes us selfish. Born with a desire to rule our own lives, we seek personal gain and glory. When we are born again, we discard our self-centered nature and receive a Christ-centered purpose and begin the process of becoming like Jesus. God wants to conform us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). The more we surrender to Him, the more we become like Jesus.

THE ENEMY LIES TO US, JUST AS HE DID TO ADAM AND EVE, AND TRIES TO SHAKE US WITH DOUBT.

We surrender through obedience. Becoming like Jesus means living by the spiritual disciplines written in His Word, all while understanding you cannot accomplish anything unless it’s powered by His grace working in you. Pursue God, live in the freedom of His grace, and let the Holy Spirit empower you, turning you into a mirror image of Jesus. continued on page 19

GATEWAYPEOPLE.COM

“All He Says I Am”

By Cody Carnes

11

Created to B

continued from page 11

4 . B U I L D I N G i s …

• Giving of yourself sacrificially to expand God’s kingdom.

• Partnering with God to reproduce Christ in others.

• Answering the biblical call to a life of service.

God is a builder. Before we existed, He designed and crafted the universe. Now, He is building us into the people He created us to be, so we can partner with Him in building His kingdom on the earth.

Building with Him requires a commitment to give sacrificially. This means giving physical resources through tithes and offerings to further the work of the church, but it also means giving in intangible ways. We are called to serve others any way we can so they can see His love for them. We partner with Him to serve others so they too can believe, belong, become and build.

These four words are lifestyles, not one-time actions.

Actions go away once completed, but a lifestyle determines who you are and colors everything you do.

Who God created us to be is our calling as a church and as individuals. It’s woven into the fabric of every Gateway service and ministry. As a Christian and as a member of this church, you are on an incredible journey of believing, belonging, becoming and building. GL

In January 2011, I traveled to Angel Fire, New Mexico, to lead worship for a youth retreat. The day I left, I received an email from Jillian Edwards (the co-writer on “All He Says I Am”) saying she had a new song idea she wanted to run by me. She sent me a 30-second clip of the first line of the chorus—“I am all He says I am”—playing over and over.

During the retreat, I encountered the presence of God like never before. He spoke to me about identity and showed me I am not defined by what I do, but by what He says about me. So many voices try to tell us who we are—our insecurities, other people, our pasts—and the Enemy uses those voices to convince us we’re not loved.

The Lord spoke to me about this and said, “Other voices are always going to try and tell you who you are, but in the midst of that, I am always speaking. You have a choice.

You can choose to connect your faith with the voices of the Enemy, or you can connect with what I am saying.”

Out of that powerful revelation, I finished writing “All He Says I Am.” Towards the end of the writing process, God told me, “I’m going to help restore identity to the church through this song. They don’t know who they are, and I want to restore My identity to them.”

That promise started to come to pass almost immediately.

Two weeks later, I was playing at a church in Mississippi with Kari Jobe. During the altar call, the Holy Spirit filled the place. As the congregation received ministry, Kari asked me to play a song, so I played “All He Says I Am.” The response from the church was powerful.

As I toured with Kari over the next several months, we played the song at countless more churches. The song exploded, as people worshipped and responded through singing and clapping … even shouting. Just as God said it would, the song became a catalyst to help people discover who they really are as His children. They found their restored identity in His love for them.

God’s love really is the foundation for everything. No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, God loves you and wants to bring redemption to your situation. Don’t listen to any voice that says otherwise. Forget about your past, your insecurities, your insufficiencies, your sins and your mistakes. Believe the truth: God loves you, and through that love, you can be new and free. GL Cody Carnes has been a part of Gateway Worship for five years and is now the Worship Pastor of Gateway Church Scottsdale.

gatewaypeople.com 19

Profile

Pastor Randy Cochran Pastor Randy joined the Gateway staff in August 2006 and became the Executive Pastor of the Gateway Frisco campus in February 2012. He and his wife Cheri have two kids—Andrew (9) and Lindsay (7)—and a dog named Zoe.

all four years of high school in three different events.

Before I really pursued ministry, my

What did you do before

a good leader. He leads with

you were in ministry?

integrity and kindness.

Residential and commercial construction, which

If you could be on

wasn’t cool because I’m

any television show,

scared of heights!

what would it be?

Dancing with the Stars

What’s your favorite part about being a pastor?

If a movie was made

Seeing people walk in the

about your life, what

gifts God has given them.

would the title be?

Simple Man

What’s your life motto?

None of us individually are as smart as all of us collectively.

plans were to be a professional calf roper.

What book or books would you recommend to encourage someone on their spiritual journey?

The Sacred Romance

by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. It’s a strong book on connecting to the Lord.

Think Differently Live Differently by Bob Hamp Where do you see Gateway Frisco in three years?

As a vibrant church where

What’s your favorite thing

What’s your favorite

people are truly discipled,

about the city of Frisco?

restaurant and your favorite

connected and embracing

I love the people. They’re

item on the menu?

the purpose of God in their

very down to earth.

Anamia’s. The chicken lunch

lives. I see Gateway Frisco

fajitas, not the sizzling ones

connected to and meeting

Who are your role

that come out on onions—

the needs of the community.

models or heroes?

those make you smell bad.

Andy Stanley—His insights

The lunch ones don’t sizzle,

What do you love

on leadership are brilliant

so you can go back to work

about Gateway?

and fresh. He addresses real

and not smell like an onion!

I love that the bedrock of Gateway is grace. It’s a place

issues in a very practical way.

My dad—He demonstrated

What would people be

where people can truly be

a love for people like

surprised to know about you?

themselves, address the

nobody I’ve ever seen.

Growing up, I was a rodeo

areas they need to grow

Tom Lane—He was the first

guy—a calf roper and a team

in and not be judged in

leader who showed me you

roper. I qualified for the High

the process. People are

don’t have to be a jerk to be

School National Rodeo Finals

encouraged as they grow.

20 Gateway life July · AuGust 12

August 9-10, 2012 | gls.gatewaypeople.com

BILL HYBELS

CONDOLEEZZA RICE Former U.S. Secretary of State

Nationally Acclaimed Business Thinker and Author

JOHN ORTBERG

MARIO VEGA

PATRICK LENCIONI

Founder and Senior Pastor, Willow Creek Community Church

Senior Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and Author

Senior Pastor, Misión Cristiana Elim, El Salvador

JIM COLLINS

Founder and President, The Table Group; Best-Selling Author

MARC KIELBURGER

SHERYL WUDUNN

CRAIG GROESCHEL

GEOFFREY CANADA

PRANITHA TIMOTHY

WILLIAM L. URY

Best-Selling Author; Co-Founder, Free The Children; Pulitzer Prize Winner; Business Executive Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Me to We, Toronto, Ontario

President & CEO, Harlem Children’s Zone

Founder and Senior Pastor, LifeChurch.tv

Director of Aftercare, Co-Founder and International Senior Fellow, Harvard Justice Mission, University’s Program Chennai, India on Negotiation

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