Gateway Church Austin

Can life truly be eternal? What will that be like? Many who have had a near-death experience speak of the “City of God.” Will it have art, music, or film? How will we experience life in such a place? Are pets allowed? This week wraps up the What’s After Life? series by answering some of these questions. Before we begin, consider the day you step from this life into the next. Don’t let fear or anxiety take over your mind at this thought. Instead, imagine how great that life will be in the City of God.

Over the past several weeks during our What’s After Life? series, we have learned about the hope of heaven through those that have had near-death experiences. But, not all near-death experiences are blissful. Some are downright hellish. Jesus taught that hell is just as real as heaven, but he doesn’t want any human to go there. So how can a loving God allow so much suffering?

The relationships you have with your children and those around you are important to Jesus. In fact, loving relationships are truly meant to last forever. Those who have experienced heaven speak of great reunions and a love that matters more than we can imagine. Knowing this can propel us to be better parents, spouses, and friends!

Have you ever wanted to be in a movie? Watch yourself on the big screen? That’s a scary thought for some, but for others it’s a dream come true. And, one day, everyone will get their moment to shine. It’s nothing to be afraid of! You will have your very own private screening of your life with Jesus by your side. Many who have had a near-death experience describe it as a “life review.” Even if that brings you anxiety now, our hope is that this exercise will help you understand how the movie of your life can still be a great reward for a life well lived—it’s not too late!

There’s something strange about the intense desire we all have to love and be loved, yet it can be difficult at times to give or receive it. Why is that? C.S. Lewis, an Oxford scholar, once said “creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists.” What do you think will ultimately satisfy our desires? All across the globe, people who clinically die and then resuscitate come back to talk about a God of Light who satisfies the deepest cravings to be known, seen, accepted, and loved—like finally being home with ultimate belonging. But who is this God of Light?

What will heaven be like? Does it even exist? Scripture tells us that heaven is going to be more beautiful, more alive, more exciting, and more real than anything we’ve ever experienced. That can be hard to fathom, but God is trying to get our attention and help us understand that He’s prepared a place. Heaven is not unlike what we can see, smell, and touch here on earth, but is exponentially more intense, breaking into new dimensions of time and space.

Easter is a time to celebrate life and renewal. Today, Gateway is doing just that in homes all across the Austin area and around the world. We’re celebrating that Jesus is alive. But, this is a unique Easter. For the first time in human history, the entire globe is shut in. So many are scared or anxious about death, about life, about jobs, and about family and friends. What can all of this mean? Is God trying to get our attention? Does God really want to give us life and renewal? Yes, He does! God put promises in Scripture and history to illustrate how He wants each one of us to have unending peace, unshakable confidence, and unwavering purpose.

In American culture, independence and liberty are valued highly. Because of this, it’s easy to base life decisions on these desires. But we also view as heroic those who give up their life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for the sake of others. So, how do we handle these opposing ideas, and what does God want us to value most highly?

For many of us, our mentality of “more is better” impacts our lives in a great many ways. Having more can cost us, because it can leave little room for the things that matter in life. The side effects of striving for more can mean fewer deep relationships, more FOMO (fear of missing out), and more unrealistic expectations. How do we let go of the “more” in our lives in order to be truly content?

In our world today, we often feel like we’ve lost control. We search for an escape from the chaos, but many times we look for quick fixes, treating symptoms instead of getting to the root of our issues. We know when life isn’t as it’s meant to be, but we have trouble letting go of control and figuring out what “meant to be” really looks like. How do we deal with things that are out of our control in a life-giving way?

Each of us has a story. God pursues each and every one of us, and the Scriptures tell us that we were born at the exact time in history and place on this planet that might help us best find Him. Join us as some of our leaders share their story of transformation and discover God’s invitation to be a part of the transformation in the lives of those for whom we care.

Each of us has a story. God pursues each and every one of us, and the Scriptures tell us that we were born at the exact time in history and place on this planet that might help us best find Him. Join us as some of our leaders share their story of transformation and discover God’s invitation to be a part of the transformation in the lives of those for whom we care.

Most of us have had times in our lives when kind words lifted us up and harsh words tore us down. Words can impact someone’s destiny and eternity. Keeping in mind the possible weight of our words, how do we change our approach to our conversations in order to make our impact positive? How can adjusting our perspective to an “eternal” one also change the words we choose for ourselves and others?

We can’t change a person’s heart, but we can challenge them in love. And God tells us that as followers of Him, we are called to challenge others to seek God. Although there are great rewards that come from such a challenge, guiding others in this way can be difficult. Are we willing to love people enough to overcome all self-focused fear?

Jesus often asked questions of others, and in that, he modeled an important behavior for us all. People respond best when they feel heard and loved. So, how can asking questions and listening well, like Jesus did, lead to meaningful spiritual conversations with others?

More Than Words - Initiate by Gateway Church Austin

There’s something about teams and working together to win that’s in the human spirit. Maybe what draws us to teams is that we were all meant to be players on God’s winning team. How can we work together to defeat our evil opponent and bring goodness and light to the world around us?

Through the chaotic rhythms of life in which most of us find ourselves, it’s easy to move to the same beat we’ve always known. Instead of growing and maturing, we can get distracted by the things we’re trying to accomplish or acquire and miss out on God’s invitation to experience what matters most: loving and being loved by God and loving and being loved by each other. When we dive into God-centered community, we receive the healing and accountability we need to change our lives and our world through God’s loving grace.

Have you ever known a person who was willing to lay down his/her interests to serve and care for you? Jesus said we are to love God and love people, but these straightforward commands can be pretty tough to follow in our everyday lives. Though the commands involve sacrifice, the payoff is priceless. What could we accomplish together if we were all as servant-hearted as God intended?

Have you ever been a part of a group or had a friend that made you feel truly accepted? God calls us to be precisely this to everyone we encounter. But since we live in a broken world, and we ourselves are so broken, how can we hope to be fully accepted for who we are, let alone be able to easily accept those around us? What if we could view people through the same lens God views us? Are you willing to leave judgments and fear of being judged behind to see and be seen by people through the same lens God sees us?