Gateway Seminary has been a diverse community for so long we often forget how unique we are in this regard. We started our five-campus graduation cycle this past weekend and our diversity was on full display, reminding me again of the tapestry that is the Gateway family.

The first graduate listed in the program for the first ceremony was biracial (who is also in an interracial marriage). A graduate testimony was by a Russian. An African-American was celebrated for finishing his degree 25 years after taking his first class. I later met his Anglo wife and beautiful biracial daughters. One ceremony required a Karen translator since we now have more than 100 Karen-speaking graduates. The programs of the graduations this past weekend and next include people from the nations of the world, as well as second-generation hyphenated- Americans from multiple ethnicities. All in all, a typical Gateway Seminary event!

Our diversity is more than a by-product of our urban California and Western US ministry settings. It is an intentional choice to create an academic environment and community culture which encourages people to contribute their flavor to our seminary-stew. That choice is reflected in an aspirational value adopted by our Board of Trustees which guides institutional decision-making: “We embrace diversity and confront prejudicial attitudes within the context of our doctrinal confession.”

The qualifier in this statement is significant. We embrace diversity and confront prejudicial attitudes within the context of our doctrinal confession. Embracing diversity, by today’s secular definition, means validating all aspects of another person’s reality—no matter their enculturated behaviors or outcomes. There are two problems with this. First, some aspects of every culture are counter-Christian and must be abandoned when a person becomes a believer. Second, some cultural practices emerge from behaviors prohibited among Christians.

While some schools define diversity as accepting every cultural expression, heritage claim, lifestyle choice, sexual preference, and marriage configuration—we do not. We embrace diversity as it is defined by the Bible and expressed in our theological convictions. The Bible, for example, celebrates racial/cultural diversity and invites people to come to faith in Jesus in the context of who they are and the community they represent. This adds vibrancy to our movement and broadens our appreciation for God’s creative order.

While we celebrate these diversities, we also confront aspects of cultures—including Anglo culture—that are incompatible with Christian faith and life. Embracing diversity means accepting the positive aspects of all cultures, while also rejecting aspects that contradict our Christian commitments. Confronting prejudicial attitudes means we are never satisfied, always trying to get better at understanding and loving one another as believers.

Diversity is a hot topic right now in American culture. In some ways, that’s a positive trend. But defining diversity is essential before determining the extent to which it can be embraced by Christians. We must draw the line where the Bible draws the line. While some schools (like Baylor most prominently and most recently) are embracing and facilitating alternative lifestyles in the name of diversity—Gateway is not.

Diversity matters. Biblical fidelity matters more.


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Perspective: SBC 2023

Dr. Iorg discusses what unites the SBC in light of next week’s annual convention.

Jeff Iorg
President
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president of Gateway Seminary. Prior to his service at the Seminary, Dr. Iorg was the Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for almost ten years. He was also the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has served as a pastor in Missouri and a staff pastor in Texas.

Intentionality

 The greatest problem in our world is lostness. The only solution to lostness is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jeff Iorg
President
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president of Gateway Seminary. Prior to his service at the Seminary, Dr. Iorg was the Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for almost ten years. He was also the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has served as a pastor in Missouri and a staff pastor in Texas.

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Lead On Podcast
June 4, 2023

“Life is Curriculum”: How Leaders Grow after Seminary

Dr. Iorg encourages leaders to continue growing after Seminary. He identifies seven ways to cultivate and work towards spiritual maturity. 

Lead On Podcast
May 28, 2023

Dealing with Angry People

There is a lot of anger in the world right now and a lot of that anger is spilling over into the church. This week Dr. Iorg discusses different ways to engage with and disciple angry people in your ministry.


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Spirituality of Jonathan Edwards | JEC at Gateway Seminary

Dr. Chris Chun hosted a digital symposium with Dr. Michael Haykin and Dr. Robert Caldwell to discuss Edwards’ spirituality, devotional life and theological impact in American Christianity.

Chris Chun
Professor of Church History | Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
Dr. Chris Chun is the professor of Church History and the director of Jonathan Edwards Center at Gateway Seminary. Chris’ doctoral research at St. Andrews University was focused on the eighteenth-century Edwardsean Baptists in Britain. He also has served as president of The Evangelical Theological Society (Far West Region).

Faculty Dialogues: Dispensationalism or Not

In this episode of Faculty Dialogues, Dr. David Rathel and Dr. Paul Wegner held a live discussion on their views on dispensationalism.

David Rathel
Associate Professor of Christian Theology
Dr. Rathel is the associate professor of Chrisitian Theology at Gateway Seminary. Prior to Gateway, Dr. Rathel supplied pastoral care to churches in the United States and Scotland, served as an Adjunct Professor of Theology and Philosophy for the Baptist College of Florida, and provided teaching assistance for the University of St Andrews.

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