Gateway Community Church

Gateway Community Church is a diversified denomination and one of the few churches in Baguio City, Philippines that focuses its ministry in purposeful community engagement in fulfilling the Great Commission.^[1] Its remarkable diversity is exhibited through the different demographics that meet regularly for dynamic interaction in cell groups.

The cell groups are small communities that meet once or twice a week for discipleship and coaching. Its focus is to create a conducive environment for "intentional discipleship" that ensures the development of instinctive growth and attitude for outreach and mission. As an emerging church, dubbed as a 21st-century^[2] Church by Pastor Philip Tarroja,^[3][4] Gateway lives up to its dictum "Reaching people, Transforming lives" by expanding its reach to the communities, high schools and universities, and corporate and business entities.

History

The story of Gateway Community Church^[5] is inextricably bound to the story of its senior pastor, Rodolfo 'Sohl' De Guia. After his seminary studies, he and his wife, Marites, began to venture into an engaging ministry of small group of people of different background and demographics. The group later on grew to more than 70 regular attendees. In April 7, 2002, Gateway Community Church was founded with its mission creed "Reaching People, Transforming Lives."

The Gateway Performing Arts pose for a break after the 9th anniversary production performance

In the next six years, GCC has slowly gained momentum in its growth with average number of attendance at 175. With the number, three services were held in a small space at GSP Bldg. along Leonardwood Rd. The growth continued owing to the pastor’s desire to create a conducive environment for intentional discipleship that ensures the development of instinctive growth and outreach. The church bore its name The Little Big Church,^[6] thanks to Dr. Anthony Dela Fuente^[7] who lauded GCC as an Emerging Church Model.

In late 2009, GCC moved to a bigger space along Legarda Rd. The ‘crossover’^[8] was impetus to the expansion of its reach.

Ministries

Cell Communities

Cell communities are interactive homogeneous groups that meet once or twice a week for discipleship and coaching. They go beyond the traditional Bible study meeting to intentional assimilation and application of lessons that leads to the natural growth of participating members.

Kids Republic

A conducive program for kids that captures their enthusiasm and curiosity through a colorful, visual, interactive, and creative ministry format. Facilitated by intuitive coaches, Sundae Club is a fun-filled gathering that brings a new flavor to the kids ministry.

Women of Worth

Formerly called Women's Net or 'Women's Network,' Women of Worth (WOW), a network of female and the feminist gender is a peer attended, monthly fellowship featuring everyday life activities, quirks and experiences, relationship, and responsibilities from interdisciplinary perspective. It encourages dialogue and forum among the members of the network to discuss current, emerging, and recurrent issues and explore possible interventions from Scriptural point of view.

Fusion

A gathering of men and women ages 25 years old and above with the objective of bringing a holistic ministry through a variety of carefully prepared production that addresses current issues resulting to an edifying meeting and harvest opportunities.

iPro

Interactive Professionals (iPro) is a gathering of promising professionals that meet once a week for group support and interactions. It aims to promote self-improvement and provide career guidance. It upholds the credo: “Maximizing Potentials for Maximum Performance.”

The Business Club

The Business Club is a clique composed of business individuals that desire to expand and enrich their management skills by synergizing their business expertise with biblical insights and principles. Holistic business is “Making God’s business our business.”

Youth GIG

G.I.G. stands for Gateway Interactive Groups designed and programmed for the young people ages 13 to 25 years old where they can feel free and learn at the same time. The objective of the group is to provide a venue for the young where they can talk about life, about love, and about God. GIG happens every Friday, 6-7:30 in the evening.

The Youth GIG

The Gateway Interactive Groups, otherwise known as Youth GIG,^[9] is an avenue set up to cater to the needs and quirks of the youth ages 12–30. Since its inception in 2004, the number has been in constant growth owing to the installation of cell groups which aims at developing and spawning next generation leaders through Gateway’s goal: Every believer a leader of leaders.^[10]

Through the dynamic cell groups, networks in schools and academic institutions have connected the young generation from different campuses to the GIG which happens every Friday at the Gateway Community Center. The GIG, which is commonly used by the youth referring to a live performance of music or ‘to party’, has literally become a venue for mini-concerts and dance performances where they can express their individuality, personal statements, talents, and their love for Jesus Christ.

To date, the average attendance of the GIG ranges from 150 to 170. The larger bulk of the number comes from the students of Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) which consists of 30% of the total crowd, Pines City National High School (PCNHS) with 20%. Among the colleges and universities, University of the Cordilleras (UC) represents 11% of the total GIG attendance and University of Baguio-College (UB), 9%. Of the 170+ regular attendees, 56% are males and 44% females. Close to 70% of the attendees of the GIG has been put into cell groups.

With the launching of the GIG’s second year in June 2011, the group aims to expand its reach to the lesser represented institutions such as Saint Louis University, both high school and college, University of Baguio Preparatory and Science High Schools, and Benguet State University, among others while maintaining its connection with the well represented ones. We have proven that it is possible to win this city for Jesus Christ. Now, we are up for a challenge of a larger scale - to achieve a self-sustaining ministry to win, consolidate, disciple, and send more souls for the greater glory of Jesus Christ!

Campus Reach

The serious intent of Gateway Community Church with its community involvement and drive for development is manifested in its extending campus scope. Since June 2010, the number of campuses reached, high school and universities alike, has grown to at least 17 schools in and outside Baguio City. These schools are Baguio City National High School, Pines City National High School, Baguio Patriotic High School, University of Baguio Preparatory High School, University of Baguio Science High School, Saint Louis University High School, Berkeley High School, Guisad National High School, University of the Cordilleras, University of the Philippines-Baguio, Saint Louis University, University of Baguio, Benguet State University, AMA Computer College, STI College, Easter College, and Cordillera Career Development College.

Team L.E.AD.

Team LEAD (Team Leadership Empowerment And Development), training arm of Gateway Community Church, is a corporation that facilitates self-improvement trainings to private individuals as well as advises business corporations and public offices on their organizational and managerial training requirements.

The team believes that in every individual is a unique potential waiting to be discovered, developed, and deployed. The team pursues the desire and objective to aid in the stimulus and facilitation of “potentials discovery” by encouraging proactive development and interaction of participants through a workable and conducive workshop environment.

Through this initiative, among others, that GCC is able to continue to reach more individuals in the academic and business sectors. Team LEAD has established two organizations in two universities: Y-iPro (Young Interactive Professionals), an exclusive organization in the University of Baguio-School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management; and ProACT (Professionals in Advancing Career Development), a non-academic organization in the University of the Cordilleras. Both organizations aim to prepare the university students in their pursuit of better career opportunities here and abroad and to develop their professional competence.

Since its inception in 2004, Team LEAD has conducted hundreds of professional trainings and seminars in universities and corporate agencies. Among the regular clients are government offices such as Department of Social Welfare and Development in which Rev. De Guia is the Vice Chair of the DSWD LNet (Learner’s Network), Department of Public Works and Highways, Land Bank of the Philippines, Cordillera Association of Regional Executives (CARE), and Bureau of Internal Revenue. Rev. De Guia is also a frequent speaker in trainings and conferences organized by the Philippine Association of Administrators of Student Affairs (PAASA), Philippine Association of Campus Student Advisers (PACSA), University of Baguio, Benguet State University, Saint Louis University, and University of the Cordilleras.

Since 2008, the team has been facilitating the annual recollection of two major high schools in the city, University of Baguio Preparatory high School and University of Baguio Science High School. The recollection is usually conducted with priests and religious leaders of the Catholic church facilitating the activity. In 2010, at least 1,200 students from these two high schools were exposed to the Word of God.

Statistics

In 2009, Gateway Community Church started to plan to move out from a space of 60 sq m to 400 sq m, from a monthly lease of PhP12,000 to PhP112,000. The dream was big. But beyond the monetary strain was a bigger challenge - how to fill a room larger by eight times the original space with people. The congregation was undaunted by the task and so the ‘crossing over’ began. By the end of that year, GCC changed its address and its statistical records updated.

A year after the ‘diaspora,’ the challenge of numeral growth is now one for the historical books of GCC. The number now averages from 220-270 every Sunday - an 82% increase in attendance from 2007. The constant growth is attributed to intentional community engagement and dedicated discipleship. Weekly coaching of cell leaders and the Ladder of Success^[11][12] program are in place to train and prepare all members for discipleship. In three years, over 30 cell groups have been created and new ones are born each week.

References

External links

• Gateway Community Church
• Team L.E.AD.