Who We Are

We are a group of people following Jesus in the Missoula area that desire to see God's kingdom come in Missoula. We know that when REAL PEOPLE meet the REAL JESUS they experience REAL CHANGE.

THE MARKS OF OUR CHURCH

The Marks of the Church are the four pillars of who we ARE and who we are BECOMING as a church.

We are not done.

We expect to be continually changed. We read the Bible because it’s the best way to know Jesus and experience change.

We love our neighbors.

We work out our faith by loving those God has put near us but may be far from him. It is our mission to love those around us!

We practice uncommon hospitality.

We share our homes and lives with people to bring glory to Jesus and to change lives for the better.

We are champions of the family!

We love seeing families thrive and grow. We help build strong families so we can bring grace to hurting families.

MEET OUR STAFF

Mark Pritchard

Senior Pastor & Elder

Mark Resch

Pastor of Discipleship

Danny Kugelberg

Pastor of Worship & Creative Arts

Luke Overland

Director of Student Ministry

Cameron Drapes

Director of Kid's Ministry

Katie Resch

Ministry Assistant

MEET OUR ELDERS

You can contact our Elders by emailing Elders@churchatthegates.org

Mark Pritchard

Senior Pastor & Elder

Caddo Gardner

Elder

Brian Maki

Elder

WHAT DO WE BELIEVE AS A CHURCH?

ABOUT THE BIBLE

The Bible is the one and only, infinite God´s revelation to His finite Creation. Without His revelation, we would be groping around in the dark inventing false gods conjured up in our own imaginations. It was penned by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error. It is the ultimate source of truth and authority for Christian beliefs and living. It gives us all the information we need to faithfully live out what God wants us to think and do.

2 Timothy 3:16-172 Peter 1:20-21Psalm 119:105Proverbs 30:5

ABOUT GOD

God is the ONE Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons known as “the Trinity”: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These are three distinct persons who are co-equal and co-eternal and are still one God.

Deuteronomy 6:4Genesis 1:1Psalm 90:2Matthew 28:19Genesis 1:261 Peter 1:22 Corinthians 13:14

ABOUT HUMANITY

Mankind is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character and spread His life-giving rule throughout creation. They are the supreme object of God´s creation. Although they had tremendous potential for good, they have become spiritually dead through humanity’s ongoing rebellion against the holy, infinite, perfect, eternal God. Consequently, if they are going to know God and be restored to Him, God has to make them spiritually alive through the power of the Holy Spirit by His will.

Genesis 1:26-27Romans 3:10-12Romans 5:12-13Psalm 8:3-6Isaiah 53:6Isaiah 59:1-2

ABOUT ETERNITY

Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally under the wrath of God separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence not just states of being or mind.

John 3:16Matthew 25:34Hebrews 9:27Revelation 20:151 John 5:11-12

ABOUT SALVATION

Salvation is an infinitely expensive gift offered freely from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement, good works, right thinking, or an absence of desire. Jesus Christ (the holy, infinite, eternal, perfect Son of God) is the only, singular, sole, narrow, exclusive payment for sin. Jesus Christ is the only One with the singular, sole, narrow, exclusive authority to forgive sin. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God´s offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin´s penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

Romans 6:23Ephesians 2:8-9John 14:6Romans 8:1John 1:12-13Titus 3:5Romans 5:1

ABOUT JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life in historical space and time and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a wooden Roman cross. Before dying on the Cross, He absorbed the full weight of the wrath of God against the sins of humanity. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven´s glory where He now reigns in authority over all things, people, places and times. Jesus will return again to reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords.

John 1:1-51 Corinthians 15:3-62 Corinthians 5:21Matthew 1:22-23Isaiah 9:6John 14:10Hebrews 4:14-16Acts 1:9-11

ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to open people’s eyes to their sin and make them aware of their desperate need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, power for doing what is right, and gifts for building of the Church of Jesus Christ. The Christian seeks to live under the authority of God’s Word (the Bible) by the Holy Spirit every moment.

John 16:7-131 Corinthians 12:4-7John 14:162 Corinthians 3:17Acts 1:81 Corinthians 2:121 Corinthians 3:16Ephesians 1:13Galatians 5:25

ABOUT BAPTISM

Baptism by immersion in water is a symbol God commands in the New Testament for those who have personally accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Its purpose is for the individual believer to volitionally identify with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection by that Christian’s own choice. It is also a symbolic picture of the Christian’s own personal death to the slavery of sin, burial of the old self, and the commitment to walk in the new life given by Christ. Baptism does not save a person because that would be salvation by works and not by faith.

Matthew 28:19-20Roman 6:1-4Acts 2:41Acts 8:12Ephesians 2:8-9

ABOUT THE LORD’S SUPPER (COMMUNION)

As with Baptism, Lord’s Supper (or Communion) is a symbolic act to be observed only by those who have genuinely become followers of Jesus Christ. Partaking of this ordinance symbolizes the breaking of Christ’s body and shedding of His blood on our behalf. Christians should take Communion with an attitude of humility and self-examination, as a symbol of our continued dependence on Christ’s grace, and our unity with other believers.

1 Corinthians 11:23-25Matthew 26:26-29John 6:53-571 Corinthians 10:16-171 Corinthians 11:27-31

ABOUT PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security. Faithfulness is the result of salvation; salvation is not the result of faithfulness, as that would be salvation by works.

John 6:37-40John 10:29Philippians 1:61 John 2:19Romans 8:38-391 Thessalonians 5:23-242 Timothy 1:12Hebrews 7:25Hebrews 10:101 Peter 1:3-5