Looking Back Q&A

Is discipleship a separate ministry at Gateway?

This is a great question, and the short answer is, no, there is no separate “Discipleship” ministry at Gateway. Our mission, vision and values are an excellent place to begin, though, when considering what discipleship at Gateway should look like. Our mission is to connect people to Jesus Christ and to one another by:

• Worship that is Gospel-centered, contextual, and done with excellence
• Connecting through Word-based application and care for one another
• Serving the people in our church family
• Going into the world by equipping, partnering and sending members to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ

So, if someone were to ask me what they need to do to grow as a disciple of Christ at Gateway, my response would be to begin by embracing and participating fully in the life of the church. Start by being regular and consistent in attending worship. Secondly, plug into a Life Group - this is where you have the opportunity to discuss and discover how the Word you hear preached on the weekends or that you read on your own throughout the week is practically lived out. Life Groups are also our first line of care for one another when life happens. It’s also important to get plugged into a serving team. This is where we have the opportunity to follow Jesus’ example of serving one another. Mark 10:43-45 says, “...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” We follow Christ’s example and grow as His disciples when we sacrificially serve our fellow believers. Finally, we grow as disciples by going into our community (and the world) to share our faith with others.

Within each of these values, there is infinite room to grow deeper, as well. For example, if you already attend worship regularly, a deeper challenge for you may be to grow in your personal worship by participating in a daily Bible-reading plan with a friend. Or if you have been on a serving team for a couple of years, maybe it’s time to step up and start leading the team. Another great way to grow as a disciple is to start meeting intentionally with someone who is younger in their faith than you. Nothing will help you dig deep and grow like answering questions from a young believer!

For a more in depth look at our four values or for more suggestions on how you can grow as a disciple of Christ, check out a booklet by Pastor Josh titled “How Do I Grow?”. You can pick up a copy at your campus’ What’s Next wall.