MERCY & JUSTICE

“HE HAS SHOWN YOU WHAT IS GOOD. AND WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU? TO ACT JUSTLY AND TO LOVE MERCY AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.” - MICAH 6:8

After accepting the call of the Lord to pioneer a church here in Virginia Beach, we began to seek the Lord for a name that would reflect his heart for our church.  At once, we were reminded of the history of the region we are called to serve and the Lord’s mandate to us in establishing this work.  Our name flows out of these two points, encompassing a four-hundred-year-old covenant, and a specific call upon our local assembly. 

In the early morning hours of Sunday, April 26, 1607, three small ships carrying the first permanent settlers of what would become the United States approached the shores of Cape Henry (Modern Day Virginia Beach) at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.  After landing, the Rev. Robert Hunt led those first settlers in a prayer of dedication, declaring "from these shores the gospel will go to the New World and to the entire world". 

It is our conviction that in His sovereignty, God choose the shores of Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads region to be the birthing place of a new nation.  A nation called by Him and set apart for His purpose. 

The declaration made that spring morning still remains a central element of the destiny of our City, to be a gateway to our nation and the nations of the world!  We believe that God is raising up a people that will fulfill this prophetic assignment, and that The King’s Gate is a part of that fulfilment.  America’s first region will once again be a place known for her covenant, and the River of God's presence will flow from this place touching the ends of the earth.  

Further, it is our mission to raise up a people who themselves will become living gates for the King of Glory.  They will be the very access points through which the Lord of Host enters, transforming everything and everyone connected to them.  

This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah 

(Psalms 24:6-10 NKJV)

"We do hereby dedicate this Land, and ourselves, to reach the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom of God to all the earth. May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all generations, as long as this earth remains, and may this Land, along with England, be Evangelist to the World. May all who see this Cross, remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit join us in this Covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled."

— Reverend Robert Hunt, April 29, 1607

MANDATE

The four main points of the covenant may be summarized in four words: Reach, Raise, Remain and Remember

  • Creative outreach to bring the Gospel to the region, winning the lost and bringing them into the obedience of Christ. This is to include all forms of outreach including humanitarian and other practical means. Through media, travel and other teaching resources expand to reach the nation and nations.

  • He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Generational legacy and inheritance are central to the heart of God. It is our responsibility to nurture faith in the generations that will follow us.  We will be intentional about discipleship through various methods, such as teaching materials and online resources. 

  • Ministry in the region must maintain the covenantal well and stay connected to the principles it represents.  We must build to last, identifying faithful men and women who will be entrusted with carrying forth this legacy to successive generations.

  • This is not simply a charge to remember what was, but to bring forth the living reality of the covenant.  In the same way that communion does not simply recall what Jesus did for us,  it brings the substance of His sacrifice into our present.  As people encounter this living reality they are brought into it, finding their own place in God's vision and purpose for them being in this region.

Reach the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom of God to all the earth.

May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all generations, as long as this earth remains,

May all who see this Cross, remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit join us in this Covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled.

core values

  • This is our first and highest call, and the reason for our very existence.  It is the "one thing", "the better part", and true eternal life.  Ultimately, everything else we do and value flows out of this. 

    “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

    John 17:3

    “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

    Philippians 3:7-8

  • Passion for the King leads to the desire to see His Kingdom come!  We are devoted to seeing the reign of Jesus in full expression, consuming our communities, cities and nation.

    “Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

    Matthew 6:9-10

  • The victory of Jesus made us more than servants, more than friends; His victory brought many Sons’ to Glory. Living in light of that Sonship produces an overcoming life.  We desire to see Sons and Daughter’s coming into their full identity in the Father.

    “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

    Galatians 4:6

  • Prayer is foundational to everything we do.  Nothing of eternal worth can be accomplished outside of the faith-filled passionate practice of both corporate and personal prayer.

    “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

    Colossians 4:2-4

    “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”

    James 5:16-18

  • True unity can only be found in comm-"unity".  Each one of us is designed to be a one of a kind expression of the Father. It is in the context of community that we grow, develop in gifting and find our unique roles in the Kingdom. 

    “…from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

    Ephesians 4:16

  • Before we were even born, God had a plan for us.  Understanding and walking according to that plan is essential to the Fulfilled Christian life and the advancement of the Kingdom.  We believe the more we help people find and function in their God given purpose, the more transformation will occur in our world. 

    “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

    Ephesians 2:10

    “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”

    Psalm 139:16

  • We hold the conviction that every person who walks through the doors of Gateway is called to lead in some measure.  We are intentional about removing the “lid” and helping each other identify and flow in our highest level of gifting and ability. 

    “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."

    Ephesians 4:7-8

  • We are not only passionate about winning the lost, but also about discipling them to maturity in Christ.  True discipleship is vital, and we believe every member of the Body is commissioned to this assignment.

    “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

    Matthew 28:19-20

  • A culture of honor provides the right atmosphere for growth and mutual edification.  Honor is the key that unlocks the “treasure hidden in our earthen vessels”.  

     "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward".

    Matthew 10:40-42