Our Vision
To fulfill the Great Commission of preaching the Gospel to every creature, our Missions Ministry and outreach focuses on supporting or planting local churches, as God’s primary means to reach the world.
Christians must recognize that Jesus won’t return until the Great Commission is fulfilled. Jesus commands us to “Go and make disciples of all nations,” which includes the unreached descendants of Ishmael.
Statement of Faith
Open the Gates was established as a Christian organization of believers in Jesus Christ. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is fully God and fully man, born of the virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins; He bodily rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of God, the Father, He is now our High Priest and Advocate.
Our supreme desire is to know Christ and to be conformed into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations. However, we do not agree with the overemphasis of the doctrinal differences which have led to division in the body of Christ.
WE BELIEVE that the true basis for Christian fellowship is God’s (Agape) love, which is greater than the differences we possess and without which we cannot claim to be Christians.
WE BELIEVE the Bible, God’s Holy Word, is our foundation and standard for living; it is authoritative as the rule of faith.
WE BELIEVE worship is spiritual, and we seek to be flexible and yielded to the leading of the Holy Spirit to direct our worship.
WE BELIEVE worship of God should be inspirational and consider music to be an integral part of our worship.
WE BELIEVE worship of God should be intelligent. Therefore, our services are designed with great emphasis on Bible teaching and the exhortation to search and verify the Scriptures for truth. (Acts 17:11)
WE BELIEVE worship of God is fruitful. Therefore, we look for His love in our lives and the fruit of His Spirit (Acts 17:11) as evidence that we have truly been worshiping Him.
