Our Beliefs and Values

Gateway Church is part of the Evangelical Alliance, and our beliefs are consistent with their basis of faith. However, we recognise that our real statement of faith is demonstrated by what we do and how we live. We would much rather be known for kindness, for devotion to Christ, for love for one another, for concern for the poor and needy, for integrity in business, for generosity, for love of life…than be defined by a particular theology.

We recognise that different things are important to different churches. Here are some of the values that are important to us and which shape our life and mission.

Jesus is the main thing. It’s not about us, it’s about him. The best thing we can do for people is to help them know Jesus, and enjoy a growing connection with Him. The best thing we can do for our community is give them a flavour of what Jesus is like. More than anything else, we want to point people to Him.

We see church as a community and a family we are part of where all people are valued, and not just a service we attend.  We like to laugh and have fun together.  In addition, we see the defining marks of the community of Christ to be the empowering presence of God and the priority of mission - making the good news of Jesus known to all people everywhere.

We aim for transformation. Usually change begins with being ourselves, so we want to create an atmosphere where people feel safe to relax and be real. The good news is that when we put our trust in Christ, God accepts us totally just as we are. But fortunately for us, he doesn’t leave us there – his goal is to change us from the inside out to become the person he created us to be.

We believe that God enables all of us to play our part in what he is doing.  We want to help every member of Gateway to become confident, effective and fruitful for God, having a positive influence on the people around them.
 
Finally, we see God's concerns extending way beyond church meetings! We want to extend His kindness into the wider community through serving people in practical ways, and by helping them find hope for their future.