Gateway Community Church

Gateway Community Church is a diversified denomination and one of the few churches in Baguio, Philippines .

For other churches with a similar name, see Gateway Church.
Gateway Community Church
Gateway Concentrix symbolizing the three major directions: Need Meeting, Nurture, Natural
MottoReaching People, Transforming Lives
FormationApril 7, 2002
Headquarters4th Fl., ECCO Bldg., 43 Assumption Road., Baguio CIty, Philippines, 2600
Coordinates16.415°N 120.598°E / 16.415; 120.598
OwnerGateway Community Church is a religious corporation operating as a non-profit organization registered under Security & Exchange Commission.
Board of trustees
  • Rev. Rodolfo D. De Guia — President/Senior Pastor
  • Marites T. De Guia — PEPSOL Director
  • Wilfreda P. Flores — Finance Manager
  • Faustina M. Fetalvero — Personnel/Human Resource Manager
Ministers
3 full-time, 40 volunteers
AffiliationsAssociation of Baptist Churches in the Philippines
Websitewww.gatewayphilippines.com

History

The story of Gateway Community Church is inextricably bound to the story of its senior pastor, Rodolfo 'Sohl' De Guia. After his seminary studies, he and his wife, Marites, began to venture into an engaging ministry of small group of people of different background and demographics. The group later on grew to more than 70 regular attendees. On April 7, 2002, Gateway Community Church was founded.

The Gateway Performing Arts pose for a break after the 9th anniversary production performance

In the next six years, GCC has slowly gained momentum in its growth with average number of attendance at 175. With the number, three services were held in a small space at GSP Bldg. along Leonardwood Rd. The growth continued owing to the pastor's desire to create a conducive environment for intentional discipleship that ensures the development of instinctive growth and outreach. The church bore its name The Little Big Church,[1] thanks to Dr. Anthony Dela Fuente[2] who lauded GCC as an Emerging Church Model.

In late 2009, GCC moved to a bigger space along Legarda Rd. The ‘crossover’[3] was impetus to the expansion of its reach.

Statistics

In 2009, Gateway Community Church started to plan to move out from a space of 60 sq m to 400 sq m, from a monthly lease of PhP12,000 to PhP112,000. The dream was big. But beyond the monetary strain was a bigger challenge - how to fill a room larger by eight times the original space with people. The congregation was undaunted by the task and so the ‘crossing over’ began. By the end of that year, GCC changed its address and its statistical records updated.

A year after the ‘diaspora,’ the challenge of numeral growth is now one for the historical books of GCC. The number now averages from 220-270 every Sunday - an 82% increase in attendance from 2007. The constant growth is attributed to intentional community engagement and dedicated discipleship. Weekly coaching of cell leaders and the Ladder of Success[4][5] program are in place to train and prepare all members for discipleship. In three years, over 30 cell groups have been created and new ones are born each week.

References
  1. . Dela Fuente, Anthony. The Little Big Church Has Grown Bigger, 2009.
  3. Scanlon, Paul. Crossing Over: Real Change, Real Courage, Real Transformation. Ignite, 2006.
  4. ‘Ladder of Success’
  5. G12 Vision Castellanos, Cesar. The Ladder of Success. Dovewell Publications, 2001.
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