Gateway Fellowship

The baptism of the Spirit is a baptism of love.

How did you meet Jesus? What was the value of an English degree and a Counselling degree if now you're a bearded Harley driving weight lifting shouting revivalist prophet? How did you meet Nicole? What happened to your little youth group after you were baptized in the Holy Spirit...and other such questions.

We're getting back to the heart of worshiping Jesus. Knowing Jesus. Serving Jesus. Learning the attitudes of Jesus. Giving away Jesus. Savoring Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

It really matters if we keep our hearts close to Jesus. It really matters if we keep our ears tuned to Jesus. It really matters if we live intimately with Jesus. He WILL direct and guide us if we give him our full and abiding attention...

The truth of Jesus as Creator has a lot of practical importance! What practical importance, you ask? Well, for starters, that sense of awe and wonder and joy you feel at the creation? Yeah, that's a totally correct intuition. And that sense you have that beauty, goodness, and truth matter? Same. And that sense that the whole universe is full of mystery and wonderment? Yep. And that sense that some...

The life of Jesus in eternity past is deeply significant in understanding the nature of the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And the relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is deeply significant for understanding the nature of the gospel. Much of the time we have been presented with a vision of the gospel that seems to make salvation a matter of "where you go after y...

Sometimes we can lose sight of Reality and get so focused on threats and problems that we live in fear or self-directed projects (spiritual or otherwise) designed to stave off fear. Colossians 1:15ff are actually lyrics to a very early Christian worship song, entirely about Jesus. Jesus existing before everything. Jesus being the agent of creation. Jesus holding all things together. Jesus being th...

In this talk Mark Yoder shares stories on the theme of friendship and closeness with God. There's a lot in his words that hints at the mystery and miracle of grace. There are some warnings as well that if we aren't careful our hearts can get very deceived by life and we can lose our way. But Jesus. But Jesus. Here are a few of my paraphrases of things Mark shared that impacted me: "A lot of my fri...

There is a story about God in the world that is so common that many of us don't realize just how profoundly untrue it is. It asks a lot of questions like, "Where is God? Is he there? Where was he when that happened? Is he involved? Does he care?" In relationship to God, it tends to play the victim, making life more about putting God on trial with our hearts as the judge. It is a sneaky story, even...

Sometimes people have thought about redemption as God paying off the devil, like a good man who, in mercy, pays off the evil gang of thugs who have taken over the neighborhood. "Here you take my son, and you give me back these folk. Do we have a deal?" But is that what the cross is about? Paying off the devil? Around the year 1,100, others realized, "Hey, that can't be right," so they decided that...

Joy and happiness are often described by believers are being entirely different realities, but sometimes I think we are simply trying to avoid admitting that we lack true joy. True joy will be a fruit of the Holy Spirit, not a rule to keep, but a byproduct of a life lived abiding in Christ. The word sometimes rendered "qualified" here is used by Paul in 1 Cor 3:6 where Paul said that God is the on...

It's been too long since I got to preach! Back at it again, this time we spent some time in Col 1:11, and talked about the difference between endurance, which is our capacity or stamina to keep going, and patience, which is the inner attitude that is willing to pay the pain price and doesn't give way to entitlement, anger, self-pity, and complaints during the trial... As usual, God's interest is o...

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All … Continue reading "Pray for what’s working"

You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you. (Colossians 1:7-8 NLT)

This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. (Colossians 1:6)

3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever … Continue reading "We Always Pray (Colossians #2)"