Voices

Hear stories from pastors, missionaries and educators sharing the unchanging Gospel in their ministry context.

Terminally Missional

"Living missionally" was something so clear throughout Dr. Reed's years in ministry and education. However, a recent diagnosis of terminal cancer brings a new and different meaning.

J.T. served as the associate director of the doctor of ministry program and professor of leadership formation. As retired faculty, he continues to teach as senior professor of leadership formation. While pastoring he earned a M.Div., Th.M. and D.Min. from Gateway.

Followers of Jesus, Ohana in Practice

Ministry does not only entail meeting the needs of the church but one's entire community. Stacey and Ikaika Higa tell their story about their ministry calling in Oahu and their mission to instill the value of 'aloha ‘aina'.

Ikaika and Stacey Higa
Church Planters | Hamama Community Church
Ikaika was raised on Maui while his wife, Stacey grew up in Indiana. They met at Gateway Seminary when it was in San Francisco; and both shared a desire to tell others about Jesus in ways that speak to their hearts.

Kobe: Understanding a City in Mourning

The death of Kobe Bryant brought various communities in Los Angeles immense pain and loss. Gateway faculty and a local pastor reflected on this unique communal phenomenon and gave unique insights to help us understand this city in mourning.

Joshua Navarro
Student | Doctor of Philosophy
Joshua is a current Ph.D. candidate at Gateway Seminary studying New Testament studies. He also serves as a regional administrator for Send Network.

Be Missional by Dreaming Small

The term 'missional' has been added to the ever-growing Christian lexicon. Conner Smith reflects on his journey towards a proper and nuanced understanding of being 'missional'.

Conner Smith
Student | Master of Theological Studies
Conner Smith is pursuing a Master of Theological Studies degree at Gateway Seminary. He currently serves as lead pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Perris, CA.

Digital Witness

The Coronavirus pandemic could have further complicated reaching Mormons with the gospel. Instead, Gateway student Tim Peery has found the opposite true.

Tyler Sanders
Director of Communications
Tyler Sanders is director of communications at Gateway Seminary. He is an avid fan of Ole Miss football, a Gateway alum, and has been known to, from time to time, hold down a funky bass line.

Discord: A First-Gen Filipino American’s Perspective on Race

Protests erupted against systemic racism and police brutality in the aftermath of George Floyd's controversial death. Joshua Navarro, a first-generation Filipino immigrant, reflects on his experience on race in the US.

Joshua Navarro
Student | Doctor of Philosophy
Joshua is a current Ph.D. candidate at Gateway Seminary studying New Testament studies. He also serves as a regional administrator for Send Network.

Pastoring During A Pandemic

Churches faced adversity during the coronavirus lockdowns, and many tried various strategies to survive. Pastor Brian Simms at CrossPointe Church was not afraid to make any necessary changes and ended up yielding unexpected growth.

Alex Hopper
Student | Master of Arts in Christian Counseling
Alex Hopper is a Master of Arts in Christian Counseling student and serves as part of the administrative staff at Gateway. She and her husband look to plant a church in the Bay Area in Fall of '22.

Idolizing Religious Liberty

Many American evangelicals feel the decline of religious liberty and anticipate a looming threat of religious persecution. Dr. Phil Hopkins points to the history of Iranian Christianity to provide perspective on how American evangelicals should approach this 1st amendment right.

Philip O. Hopkins
Associate Professor of Church History
Philip O. Hopkins is the associate professor of Church history at Gateway Seminary. He earned Ph.D. in applied theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a second Ph.D. in Iranian history from the University of St. Andrews (Scotland). He is also a research fellow for the Institute of Iranian Studies at the University of St. Andrews, guest lecturer at Russian-Armenian University in Yerevan, Armenia, and part of the editorial board for Iran and the Caucasus (Brill).

Dr. Debbie Steele

Dr. Steele provides insight on this complex communal grief experience by attributing it to our God-designed need for connection.

Debbie Steele
Professor of Christian Counseling
Dr. Debbie Steele is Professor of Christian Counseling at Gateway Seminary. Prior to Gateway, she was employed by the International Mission Board as an overseas missionary, serving for 12 years in the former Yugoslavia during the civil war, which lasted from 1988-2000. Since 2004, she has operated a private practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist, providing Emotionally-Focused Therapy and Bible-based counseling to the local community.

Pastor D.J. Jenkins

As a native of Southern California, Pastor Jenkins reflects on the countless moments of common grace shared by a community that grew up watching LA's beloved superstar.

DJ Jenkins
Pastor of Anthology Church in Studio City
DJ is the pastor of Anthology Church in Studio City. After graduating with a BS in biology, DJ spent 9 years working with Cru - a national college parachurch ministry before moving to Studio City to plant Anthology Church with his wife. DJ received his Master of Divinity from Gateway Seminary in 2020.