our
beliefs
What We Believe
As a member of the Christian & Missionary Alliance of Canada, we affirm the Alliance’s Statement of Faith:
1. God
1. Isaiah 44:6; 45:5-6 | 2. Matthew 5:48; Deut. 32:4 | 3. Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19
2. Jesus
Jesus Christ is true God and true man.1 He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.2 He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures.3 He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest.4 He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace.5
1. Philippians 2:6-11; Hebrews 2:14-18; Colossians 2:9 | 2. Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35 | 3. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; 1 John 2:2; Acts 13:39 | 4. Hebrews 4:14-15; 9:24-28 | 5. Matthew 25:31-34; Acts 1:11
3. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a divine Person, sent to indwell,1 guide, teach and empower the believer, and to convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.2
1. John 14:16-17 | 2. John 16:7-11; 1 Corinthian 2:10-12
4. The Bible
The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of people. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.1
Because the Bible is God’s Word, we refuse to add to it or take away from its teachings, but receive it as the final and sufficient standard by which all teaching, prophecy and practice are tested.
1. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
5. Sin
Humankind, originally created in the image and likeness of God,1 fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All people are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ.2 The destiny of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment, but that of the believer is everlasting joy and bliss.3
1. Genesis 1:27 | 2. Romans 8:8; 1 John 2:2 | 3. Matthew 25:41-46; 2
6. Freedom from Sin
Salvation has been provided only through Jesus Christ. Those who repent and believe in Him are united with Christ through the Holy Spirit and are thereby regenerated (born again), justified, sanctified and granted the gift of eternal life as adopted children of God.1
1. Titus 3:5-7; Acts 2:38; John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 6:11
7. Christian Living
It is the will of God that in union with Christ each believer should be sanctified thoroughly1 thereby being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to God, receiving power for holy living and sacrificial and effective service toward the completion of Christ’s commission.2
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 | 2. Acts 1:8
8. Healing
We believe healing may come instantly through prayer, or gradually through a process which may include ongoing prayer, medical treatment, and counselling. At times, full healing is not experienced until eternity, when all sickness and disease is eliminated in God’s presence. We pray for the sick in faith, believing God can do the impossible, while entrusting outcomes to His will. Healing is both a present work of grace, and a foretaste of God’s promised redemption when every sickness and pain will be fully removed in His kingdom.
1. Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:13-16
9. The Church
The universal Church, of which Christ is the Head, consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and commissioned by Christ to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the Gospel to all nations.1 The local church, the visible expression of the universal Church, is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together to worship God, to observe the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to pray, to be edified through the Word of God, to fellowship, and to testify in word and deed to the good news of salvation both locally and globally. The local church enters into relationships with other like-minded churches for accountability, encouragement and mission.2
1. Ephesians 3:6-12; 1:22-23 | 2. Acts 2:41-47; Hebrew 10:25; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8, 11:19-30; 15
10. Life after Death
There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life;1 for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.2
1. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 | 2. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
11. The Second Coming of Christ
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal and visible.1 As the believer’s blessed hope, this vital truth is an incentive for holy living and sacrificial service toward the completion of Christ’s commission.2
1. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 | 2. 1 Corinthians 1:7; Titus 2:11-14; Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20
Frequently Asked Questions
What we believe about…
Filling/Baptism of the Spirit
We believe that every believer receives the Holy Spirit at salvation, but that God calls us to a continual posture of surrender and to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). This filling is the empowering presence of God that enables us to live holy lives, deepens our intimacy with Christ, and equips us for mission and service. The filling of the Spirit is not tied to one particular manifestation, but is God’s empowerment for deeper life transformation, for active partnership in His mission of kingdom expansion, and for experiencing His miraculous work in and through our lives.
Prophetic Ministry
We believe that God still speaks today through a gift known as prophecy. Prophecy is a spiritual gift available to all believers, meant to strengthen, encourage and comfort the church (1 Cor. 14:3). God may speak through impressions, insights, dreams, visions or words of knowledge through the Spirit, which are then weighed by the community against the standard of Scripture, which remains the final authority for faith and practice. Prophetic ministry must always be tested by Scripture and God’s character, discerned in community, and practiced in humility.
Women in Ministry
We believe that men and women are equally and uniquely created in God’s image, and are equally gifted by the Holy Spirit for the work of ministry. At creation, God entrusted both men and women to steward His creation together, and though sin distorted that relationship, in Christ the original unity and equality is restored (Gen. 1:26-28, Gal. 3:28). At Pentecost, the Spirit was poured out on sons and daughters alike (Acts 2:17-18), gifting believers without limitations on gender.
At Gateway, women and men are welcome to serve in all areas of ministry, including leadership, preaching, and teaching, according to their spiritual gifts and godly character. Because leadership in the church is rooted in servanthood, not hierarchy, we seek to empower both men and women to use their gifts fully for the sake of Christ’s mission.
Baptism
We believe that baptism is a public declaration of faith in Jesus where we identify with His death, burial, and resurrection. We practice baptism by immersion as a step of obedience and a public testimony of our new life in Christ, rather than as a prerequisite for salvation. Baptism symbolizes cleansing from sin and the new life given through Christ. We baptize people on confession of faith, and thus do not baptize infants.
Communion
We believe that communion is a symbolic act of remembering and declaring Jesus’ sacrifice until He returns (1 Cor. 11:26). In the bread and the cup, we remember His life of loving service, proclaim His death, celebrate His resurrection, and anticipate His promised return as King over all creation. Communion is not a means of salvation and does not promise any blessings or returns, but is an act of obedient worship, open to all who have placed their trust in Jesus as Savior.
