About Gateway Branson
Gateway Branson is all about helping unchurched people become a unified community of growing, multiplying Christ-followers. Everyone is welcome at Gateway regardless of what you think about church, God, or religion. You don’t have to dress up, just come as you are. Gateway Branson Church is a place where God meets people who are far from perfect. This church is for people who really don’t like church. This is a safe place for skeptics and doubters to ask their questions. We know lots of people have been burned by church experiences in the past. We hope this is a safe place where everyone can sort out authentic faith in a very real God and begin to experience it themselves.
Our purpose as a church is simply to “Love God and Love Others.” We get that purpose from the bible in the book of Mark, Chapter 12 where it says, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
At Gateway Branson we also believe in...
We believe serving and belonging brings about God's amazing restoration and transformation in a person's life. Check out this link below to see how you can get involved.
COME AS YOU ARE ...
BUT DON'T STAY THAT WAY KIND OF CHURCH...
YOU BELONG AT GATEWAY BRANSON if you are any of the above you will fit right in! That’s why we say “No Perfect People Allowed.” We want to be known as a church full of messy people. A church where atheists, agnostics, sinners, addicts, alcoholics, homeless, divorced, and people with all kinds of issues can walk through our doors. A church where God can heal, restore and redeem our issues for significant life change. A church that draws outsiders in and insiders are known for their compassion and generosity. A church that turns our community upside down. A church that has the same mission as Jesus!
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. - Luke 4:18-19
HOW IT GOT STARTED AND WHERE WE ARE
Elevate Branson began serving meals to the Branson, MO extended stay motel community in 2009. People would ask the volunteers “What church are you with?” Elevate Branson wasn’t a church; it was a community outreach. At the time, there wasn't a church in the area that would be non-judgmental and a safe place for messy people to explore God. After getting connected and visiting Gateway Church in Austin, a group began to gather and watch the Sunday messages online. In 2011, this group began meeting at various locations once a month until landing at Denny’s where breakfast was purchased for everyone in attendance. Then in March of 2012, the first Gateway Branson Church Inspire service was held.
A lot has changed over the years at Gateway Branson but the same heart and legacy are still carried on today. Up until 2021, Gateway Branson Church had never had a full-time lead pastor. That is pretty crazy but it also shows the amazing people that God used to help the church move forward. In 2021 pastor Wayne Yost became the first full-time lead pastor for Gateway Branson Church. Our main focus is to go after THE ONE. The one that is desperate, alone, depressed, despised, broken, and forgotten. All of our efforts and motives of the heart are to engage THE ONE. This is intended to keep us on track to follow the same heart Jesus has.
That is just a little bit of the story of Gateway Branson. Will you be a part of the next chapter?