The Model Is Changing but the Vision Continues
One thing that makes Gateway Church such a special place is a deep conviction we’ve held since day one: to the Jew first.
Over the past several years, this vision has taken many different forms. It always includes prayer, sometimes it’s in-person ministry, and other times, it’s financial. We give one percent of our overall budget to support, bless, and invest in the Messianic and broader Jewish community in Israel and the nations.
Another major marker of this value at Gateway has been our monthly Shabbat services, which are set aside once a month for our church to discover the Jewish foundation of our faith, worship with Jews and Gentiles together as one in Yeshua, and to experience the beauty of Scripture in its original context.
After much prayer, counsel, and clarity from our leadership, we believe the Lord is leading us to sunset our monthly Shabbat services after May. In other words, our Shabbat services are going away, but our commitment to Israel and the Jewish people is not decreasing; it is increasing.
Two Mountains in Front of Us
As we’ve prayed about the future, we believe we are standing between two significant realities, or facing two “mountains” ahead of us: A mountain of opposition and a mountain of opportunity.
A Mountain of Opposition
There is a swell of antisemitism, and sadly, even Christian antisemitism, growing in our world today. You don’t have to look far to see it. A quick scroll through social media reveals a troubling shift. Language toward Israel and the Jewish people is becoming more hostile, even among those who claim the name of Jesus.
Recently, one of our Messianic Jewish ministry partners attended a large conservative event where hundreds of ministries and organizations had booths sharing their mission with fellow conservatives. Our Jewish partners had a banner at their table that said, “Jesus is Jewish—let’s talk about it.”
What followed was not curiosity, but hostility.
They were yelled at, harassed, and met with phrases like “Christ is King” used not as worship but as a weapon. The phrase “Christ is King” is not inherently antisemitic; for many, it’s a statement of their faith in Jesus, the Lord and King of their lives. The statement, however, has been co-opted by many anti-Jewish Christians who use it either subtly or aggressively against the Jewish community.
Many influential voices within the Church are becoming more vocal about their stance against anything related to Judaism or Israel. One major ministry that offers theological training to ministers recently made the following statements:
- Israel is not God’s chosen people.
- The Jewish people have been rejected by God because they rejected Jesus.
- There is nothing biblical about Messianic Judaism.
- The term “Judeo-Christian values” is a lie, for there is nothing Jewish about our faith.
This stands in direct contradiction to Scripture. Romans 11:1 says, “Has God rejected His people? By no means!” (ESV) Romans 11:28–29 says, “As regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (ESV) Yet in a digital age, repetition shapes belief, and the narrative is shifting.
A Mountain of Opportunity
As antisemitism grows, we are witnessing something else remarkable: Jewish hearts, both in Israel and around the world, are more open than ever to genuine Christian love.
There is a growing openness to the message of Yeshua when it is carried with honor, humility, and service—the way that Jesus/Yeshua carried Himself when He walked on the earth—especially when it is done by believers who understand the value of Jewish identity as a covenantal identity, not to be erased.
And we believe this moment matters. Because Scripture tells us in Romans 11:11, “Through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.” (ESV)
In other words, the Church has a role to play—not in replacing Israel but in revealing the heart of God to Israel.
So the question becomes: Is our congregation at Gateway Church equipped to handle these two mountains?
Why Change the Model?
As we evaluated everything we do through the Gateway Center for Israel, we recognized something important. Within our current model, we have three primary expressions of this “to the Jew First” vision:
- Global – Supporting and resourcing Jewish ministries in Israel and around the world.
- Content – Teaching the Church to develop a biblical love for Israel.
- Local – Discipling our Gateway family in this understanding.
Our global and content efforts are thriving and clearly aligned. But our local expression needed clarity. The question we had to wrestle with was this:
What is the best way to help every person at Gateway develop a biblical and sincere love for Israel and the Jewish people?
And here’s what we realized. While the Shabbat service is incredibly special, it is not reaching the majority of our church, and here’s why.
It is:
- Centralized at one campus.
- Resource-intensive.
- Limited in its ability to scale across all 10 campuses and beyond.
So we made a difficult but prayerful decision: We will sunset the Shabbat service to expand the mission of discipling our Gateway family.
What We Are Moving Toward
We are not stepping back; we are stepping out. Instead of one centralized expression, we are building multiple pathways for engagement across Gateway Church. We believe these pathways will reach more of our congregation and lead to even more relational community.
- Shabbat Dinner Groups Across the Metroplex – Led by trained leaders to create intimate, relational spaces for learning and fellowship.
- Messianic Jewish Groups – In partnership with leaders and organizations such as Yachad B’Yeshua, we are creating spaces specifically for Jewish believers to explore their identity, family life, and tradition in Messiah.
- Church-Wide Devotional & Curriculum – Including a 21-day devotional, Israel & the Church, and small group studies based on our Israel Masterclass.
- The Bible in Jewish Context Classes – We desire to offer classes or groups regionally at many campuses to help every Gateway member learn more about the Bible in Jewish context and develop a biblical and sincere love for Israel and the Jewish people.
- Global & Local Engagement Opportunities – Local serve communities and prayer groups designed to mobilize our church to serve the Jewish community here and abroad.
What Is Not Changing
- We are not reducing our financial support to Israel and Jewish ministries.
- We are not reducing our teaching on Israel and the Jewish people.
- We are not reducing our commitment to “To the Jew First.”
In fact, we are doing more than ever before. But we are doing it in a way that reaches more people, forms more disciples, and prepares our church for the moment we are living in.
We know this is personal for many in our congregation. We also want to acknowledge something honestly. This is hard. For many of you, the Shabbat service has been deeply meaningful. For our team, it has been the same. The decision to move away from the Shabbat serve is not one we made lightly. But we believe this is a Nehemiah moment, not preserving what previously existed but building what is needed for what’s ahead.
The Invitation to You
We believe we are living in a time of both increasing opposition and unprecedented opportunity, and the Church must be ready to stand against antisemitism, understand the Scriptures in their fullness, and carry the love of Jesus to the Jewish people with humility and truth.
This next season is not about doing less. It’s about equipping more people to carry this vision forward.
So while we are laying something down, we are doing it so something greater can be built.
The best days of Gateway’s commitment to Israel and the Jewish people are not behind us. The best is yet to come.