The Gateway Growth Trail

Developing a relationship with God is more obtainable than one would think. However, like a lot of things in life, we talk about it more than we pursue it. In order to grow spiritually, we need two basic things; passion and a plan. Most things in life pull against you developing spiritually. God promises to complete the work He began in us when we first surrendered our life to Christ, but His plans for us are opposed. However, if we possess the passion to be the whole person God created us to be in Christ, we can conquer all the obstacles designed to hold us back.

Without passion you won’t finish what you start. Without a plan you won’t accomplish what you set out passionately to do. If you supply the passion, Gateway will provide the plan. We call this plan The Gateway Growth Trail. The Gateway Growth Trail has three paths. Each of these paths is designed to be interactive and engage our minds, our affections, and our lifestyle. This "head, heart, and hands" approach addresses the total transformation that God wants each of us to experience in our relationship with Him. This perspective will both challenge and encourage you to continue to develop your relationship with God throughout the rest of your life. The three interactive trail experiences are outlined below.


  1. Fresh Starts Path

    Every journey has a destination and requires that we begin the journey by taking our first steps. "Fresh Starts" is about taking the initial steps in establishing, building up, and living out a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. "Fresh Starts" is an eight (8) week interactive experience designed to help you with your journey of growing in Christ. The focus of each of these sessions is identified below:
    1. Finding God, Knowing God: Making The Relationship Personal And Real
    2. Encountering God: Embracing The Role Of The Holy Spirit
    3. Discovering God’s Authority: The Power Of Applying Scripture To Our Circumstances
    4. Receiving And Giving Forgiveness: Living In Freedom And Giving Freedom
    5. Victorious Living In Christ: Walking With God On A Daily Basis
    6. Overcoming Our Fears: Getting Past Your Past
    7. A New Lifestyle: Becoming A Worshiper
    8. Baptism And Communion: Ancient Reflections Of Our Relationship With God

  2. Great Friends Path

    Jesus changed our understanding of what real friendship means, friendship with God, friendship with other followers of Jesus, and friendship with those who don’t have a relationship with God yet. "Great Friends" is an eight (8) week interactive experience designed to enhance your relationship with God, other followers of Jesus and preparing you to become a friend to others that need Him. These eight sessions break down into the three components identified above.

    3. Friendship with God:
    1. Connecting With God: Spending Quality Time With God In Order To Develop Your Personal Relationship With Him
    2. Receiving From God: How To Hear From God And Apply What He Is Saying
    3. Entering Into God’s Presence: Real Fellowship With God And Experiencing His Will For Our Lives
    4. Growing In Spiritual Power: Disciplines That Enhance Our Relationship With God
    Friendship with One Another:
    1. Friendship In Christ’s Community: Relating To Other Followers Of Christ
    2. Serving Others: Using The Gifts That We Are Given By God To Reflect Him
    3. Living And Growing Together: The Beauty Of Small Groups
    Becoming a Great Friend:
    1. Becoming More Like Jesus: Becoming A Great Friend

  3. Real Purpose Path

    God has a plan and a purpose for each of His children to have an impact for Christ in their spheres of influence. Becoming a person of spiritual influence and serving others belongs to each and every member of the Body of Christ. Becoming a leader in Christ’s community means to become a servant, to use our giftedness, and to be sensitive to the direction of the Spirit in terms of opportunities to serve. This model of leadership is in direct contrast to the model of leadership that is promoted in the world. This six (6) week interactive experience focuses on learning and practicing this radically new model of leadership.
    1. Jesus The Servant Leader : How Jesus Led His Followers
    2. Becoming A Servant Leader: Developing A Lifestyle Of Leadership
    3. The Role Of The Holy Spirit In Building Leaders: We Are Not Alone
    4. Discovering Opportunities For Serving And Leading: Becoming A Spiritual Influence
    5. Servant Leadership In Small Group Communities: Keys To Leading Small Groups And Helping Others Develop As Followers Of Christ
    6. Servant Leadership In Mentoring : Everybody Needs Somebody