ABOUT

Gateway Fellowship Church

Nights

Our Mission

Helping Friends Become
Devoted Followers Of Jesus

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Our Vision

Finish The Race

To finish our race by growing into spiritual maturity as a devoted follower of Jesus. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. – Hebrews 12:1-2

Our Story

Ministry wasn’t on our radar back then, but we knew if we wanted to make our marriage work, we needed more than what the world offered. We found a church home at Gateway Fellowship Church that poured into us and believed that God can restore all things. We learned how to put God back at the center of our marriage but more importantly at the center of our own lives. We begin to trust and believe in Him that he would do mighty work and he did. We surrounded ourselves with men and women that feared the Lord.

Since then, we have seen the promises of God all around us. In 2018 we became small group leaders and learned how to make disciples. In 2020 we helped plant our downtown campus and it was there where we saw the heart of men and women that answered the call to GO. We witnessed their perseverance and how they fought for the Lord and people. Their love for the Lord spoke to my soul, it awakened something inside of me. I knew I wanted to have that kind of love for the Lord.

April and I decided we wanted more. We enrolled in Gateway School of Ministry to be equipped and to learn how to win souls for the Lord. This is where we learned how to lead ourselves, lead others and lead an organization.

We believe in the infallible word of the Bible, and we believe in the Great Commission. There is only one true King, and his name is Jesus, and we believe He is Alive today and sitting at the right hand of God the Father.

Our hope is that we will see lives transformed, marriages restored, and souls being won back to Jesus. We believe in the power of worship and know it will change the atmosphere within our city, we know it will break down strong holds, soften the hearts of the people, we will see breakthroughs and captives set free. So, through much prayer and support from Gateway Fellowship church we are honored to say yes to planting GFC Nights.

The summer of 2015 is when it all started. The events that transpired set us on a path that was either going to break us completely or bring us closer to God. Our marriage had fallen apart we had put God on the shelf and forgotten about Him but through prayer and fasting we began this journey. David writes in Psalms 34:18, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” This is where the chase began, this was the wake-up call.

The Leals

Meet The Team

Rick & April Leal

Pastors

Noani Griffis

Worship Pastor

Mike & Rachel Lockwood

Small Group Pastors

Natalie Martinez

K-5th Kids Ministry Lead

Statement of Faith

There are two ways we can remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. Communion is memorial and a celebration. The eucharist consists of two elements: the bread helps reminds of his body and the cup reminds of his blood. The Bible encourages us to follow his example by being immersed in water as soon after we make a decision to follow him. It is a public way for us to show that we are changed. – ACTS 2:41,42

The Bible says that Jesus will return to the earth to bring his followers to Heaven. There will be a final judgement in which the dead will be resurrected and judged. Everyone whose name is not in the Book of Life, will be separated for eternity in Hell. Those whose names are written in the Book of Life will be rewarded and spend eternity with other followers in Christ in Heaven. – 1 THESSALONIANS 4:17

There is one all powerful God that is the creator of Heaven and Earth. He loved us so much that he sent his Son so we can have a relationship with Him. Jesus Christ is fully God who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, taught truth, died on a cross, and resurrected from the dead. His same healing power is available for us today. – JOHN 17:3

Beliefs

We live each moment with the awareness that we are in God’s presence. Our life can be fully devoted to Jesus by loving, talking, listening, reading scripture, journaling, and obeying his voice constantly.