Misfit Community

Gateway is a diverse community racially/ethnically as well with over 60 nationalities represented – just in our Austin campuses alone! When we include those connected across the United States or globally, it is even more remarkable. God’s heart has always been for all people of various tribes, tongues, races, and ethnicities, and the Church has always had to learn to see each other across cultures. In a divided world, we are uniquely called and equipped to be the unified community the world needs us to be.

We are all created and gifted by God. These gifts have to be discovered, developed, and put into action to make the world a better place. From those who are still struggling to determine what we want to do “when we grow up” to those who have started profitable businesses or led in influential industries, each of us has something important to contribute towards God’s purposes. We can all be successful in the eyes of God as we are faithful with what we’ve been given. When we take our passions, expertise, and experiences, add in our training and knowledge, and mix it together with our church community, we have the ingredients we need to make our city an even more beautiful place to be.

We live in a pluralistic society. Some of us come from a Catholic, Baptist, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, New Age, or irreligious background. Some of us have tried all of those experiences or made up our own. Discover the differences and similarities between these world-views and God’s heart for all who have struggled with religion. God wants us to know His true character rather than think He can be represented in idols or even man-made ideas. Instead, He creates the opportunity for us to experience a genuine relationship with Him.

God is taking our pasts and using them for His good purposes as a forgiven, “come as you are” community of people. God’s heart is for all people no matter how good or bad they’ve been. He brings us into a new family with a fresh start to grow into His image. This is why we say “No Perfect People Allowed.” No need to pretend to be someone you aren’t. Being honest helps us grow from where we are to where God intends us to be.