June 9, 2025
Hello, Beloved!
First, I thank God—our Father, King Jesus, and the Holy Spirit—for their unwavering love for the global Church, especially for Gateway. Darlene and I consider it a great honor to serve as the lead pastors of this beautiful fellowship. Over and over again, when I think of Gateway, I see a church family leaning forward, growing and maturing in love, and eager to see the greater things of God’s Kingdom come to fruition in our lives, families, and communities.
After our weekend with Denny Cramer, many of us received prophetic words and even more experienced a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit on Sunday morning. You might be asking, as I have many times, “Now what, God?”
I’ve found that powerful encounters with the Father are like a two-sided coin. On one side, we’re ecstatic that the God of Heaven and Earth made Himself real to us. It reminds us that as born-again followers of Jesus, we are already eternally one with Him. Still, it’s different when He moves from omnipresence and habitational presence to manifest presence. It’s weighty—and often filled with supernatural activity.
But the other side of the coin comes quickly: a sink full of dishes, laundry to do, projects to complete, jobs to show up for. How do we faithfully steward the sacred while not neglecting the everyday?
Here are four encouragements I want to offer:
Name the Moment
Writing down what happened makes it easier to integrate into your life. Share with others what God did, why it matters, and what you hope for. The more we name these moments, the more deeply we’ll be able to live from them.
Normalize the New
Encounters with God are not coping mechanisms or spiritual escapes—they are invitations to transformation. We’ve talked about this before, but let me remind you: God moves to empower you, not to entertain. Search the Scriptures that support what He showed you. Pray through the Bible and your prophetic words. Let the Word of God shape how you carry the encounter.
Build a Fireplace
Fire needs structure to keep burning. A “fireplace” is any daily rhythm—habits, conversations, practices—that helps you sustain your passion for Jesus. Get involved in a Gateway Group. Join a Bible study. Sit in silence before the Lord and learn to hear His still, small voice. Have spiritual conversations with friends or mentors. Engage in healing prayer, attend the Gateway School of Equipping—create space where your encounter can continue to burn.
Avoid the Drift
Big moments can make us think life should always be big moments. But if you look at the lives of the great saints—and maybe your own story—you’ll see that God’s work is often slow, deep, and hidden longer than we’d like.
He is the God of both the mundane and the miraculous. A red-headed preacher we all know recently said, “God will meet you in the mundane to show you the miraculous.” That’s our hope.
So let’s honor the moments when God breaks in—when He flexes His muscles and reveals His glory—but remember that we are partnering with Him for generational movement, not just a moment.
May the Lord and His peace be upon you!
GATEWAY EVENTS: Click here.
WHERE TO ENGAGE:
Gateway Groups (a community where you can experience, be family, and share the love of Jesus with others)
CHURCH FINANCIAL REPORT:
Giving Report: (*weekly income needed $22,500)
June 1: $21,628.92
June 8:$22,058.19
Greater Things YTD 2025: $36,820.09
Current Mortgage Balance: $410,156.56
To learn more about Greater Things and participate, click here.
Stay hopeful and healthy. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Transforming Lives Together,
Lance Bane
Lead Pastor
Phone: 203-934-0880
Email: office@yourgateway.com