In the summer of 2006 two families set out from the northern suburbs of Atlanta with a dream of beginning a new and exciting church south of Nashville, TN. One left behind a successful landscape architecture business and the other a 13 year ministry tenure at a mega-church. Why? Why move from family, friends and success to tackle maybe the most difficult of all Christian assignments in the 21st century? It was simply God’s time.
You can’t ask God, "what’s next for me?" without taking the risk that He will say, "It’s time for the next chapter of your life.
"Hi, my name is Charlie and I was the guy at the mega-church. I have spent 18 years in professional ministry leading up to planting Gateway Church; 9 working with middle and high school students and 9 with missionaries. I still am enjoying the fruit of my first 9 years of ministry to students. Kids I used to eat lunch with in their school cafeterias, I have married and dedicated their children. The last 9 years have also been hugely rewarding for me. I have preached, taught and coached leaders in 10 countries. Together with a strong team of people, I helped launch at least 6 new international churches.
So why did I leave? It was time to go, that’s really the only way I know to put it. God had been making me uncomfortable in my present position for nearly a year. Down deep I was wondering if there was something more. After a great deal of prayer, fasting and counsel my wife Gina and I knew it was time to leave to plant a new church.
Daniel and Niki (the other couple) were experiencing their own version of what Gina and I were going through. Niki was active in the worship and creative arts ministry at church and Daniel traveled international at least 2 times of year leading short term ministry teams. Business was good, 2 great children, part of a great church, wonderful friends, yet something was missing. Our families had long term connections. Niki was one of those students we had eaten lunch with in her high school cafeteria, I participated in their wedding and Gina and I prayed for their children shortly after delivery. When we began telling people we were leaving they said "we feel called to go, too."
So that’s how we got here. Together we have connected with several other families that share our vision for a new church south of Nashville. If you have read something today that has caught your attention, contact us we would love to answer any questions you may have. Who knows you may be the next part of the Gateway story!
