In the past week, our church world has been turned upside down. Church members who have sat in the same pews for decades have had to navigate to Facebook, YouTube, or Zoom to participate in worship. Pastors who are skilled at speaking to a room of congregants have had to become instant tech experts and Instagram influencers. Even in the midst of so much change, something surprising is happening, and if we watch carefully we may learn something new about community.

When life is normal, we tend to default to certain expectations and habits. We assume that the average person is doing fine. We assume it’s business as usual for the pastor. We assume that the church will just keep plugging along as normal. We slip into routines; fulfilling church obligations, socializing with the same church friends, and spending our days caring for our typical, day-to-day concerns.

In a time of upheaval, as we are in now, our regular assumptions and defaults are null and void. We recognize the average person who isn’t doing fine-they are likely fearful and anxious. They are learning to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances. We expect our pastors are stressed as they learn how to serve the church from their computers and phones. Further, most of our routines aren’t even options any more.

If we look carefully – through the chaos and change – we can see something surprising and beautiful emerging. I noticed it during our weekly prayer “gathering” that was conducted through video conference software. We saw each family in their own home-many of which I haven’t had the joy of entering yet since we are new to the church! We opened up about fears and challenges. We prayed with more dependence on God and a fresh sense of our hope in him.

The readjustment of our assumptions, the demolition of our defaults, and the creativity of our care is doing something. It’s reminding us of our need for God. It’s alerting us to our need for each other. We are praying more urgently for our pastors. We are conscious of the church’s financial needs. We are relating to our shut-ins who have been socially distant for years. We are using all our creative means, technology, time, and energy to connect in new ways.

Although many are worried social distancing will harm our churches, I think there is a surprising possibility that it’s actually building community. Perhaps when we all are able to meet in person once again, the community we have built while apart will be sweeter, more intentional, and entirely dependent on God in ways that we have never seen before.


Read More

A Perfect Opportunity

Dr. Iorg expresses why he loves living in the West and in particular Southern California. The need for the gospel is great and Dr. Iorg encourages others to do more work in areas that may not be so comfortable for Christians.

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.

The Lord’s Dinner

The first-century churches, when they met, ordinarily ate a proper meal together, a meal including the bread and the cup, and this meal was at the heart of their common life and worship.

John W. Taylor
Director, Academic Graduate Studies Program | Chair, Biblical Studies | Professor of New Testament
Dr. John Taylor serves as chair of biblical studies and professor of New Testament at Gateway Seminary. Dr. Taylor earned a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies at the University of Cambridge with a research interest in Pauline Studies.

Listen

10 Questions with 10 Pastors
March 20, 2023

Ruben Reyes III

Ruben Reyes III joins this episode of Ten Questions with Ten Pastors to discuss church planting, developing leaders in the church and preaching. Reyes planted Solid Rock in Claremont, California, then transitioned from

Lead On Podcast
March 19, 2023

Making Ministry Marriage Work with Ann Iorg – Part 2

In this second part of this two part podcast, Dr. Iorg talks with his wife, Ann Iorg, about some important lessons they have learned about making ministry marriage work. 


Watch

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.

Get updates on new content!