Renewed Vision 2025
Why are we pursuing a renewed vision for Westgate?
In 2021, our church made the collective decision to change our name from Wayzata Free Church to Westgate Church. The prophetic and complex story of how that name was given to our congregation is a story for another day. Still, with certainty, there was a collective understanding that the name change represented something far more important than just what showed up on our sign or website. Through God’s guidance, church leaders developed three new congregational priorities – 1) Reach the community with the gospel, 2) Embrace and empower emerging generations, and 3) Do it together. We praise God that in all three of these areas we have seen meaningful growth and impact. And yet, we know that there is more to do. We were being called into something deeper…something grander…something outside of ourselves. The mission we were being called to has always been clear– the Holy Spirit chose our church to be a “gateway in the west.”
In the years since the name was changed and those priorities were put into motion, a number of questions have remained on our minds…
What kind of “gate” are we called to open?
What exactly does “the West” mean?
What is it about us that makes us uniquely equipped for this mission?
How do we start?
Even while we have asked these questions, God has still moved in our church family! He has been shaping us into a renewed version of ourselves - with new faces, new strategies, new ministries, new leaders, and new energy. To begin comprehensively recounting the stories of life change within the church family over the last few years would be impossible. Would we start with our transformed Westgate Kids ministry? What about the depth of relationships and hospitality in our adult community groups? No, we would first need to describe the impact of the International Ministry meeting on Sunday mornings. And, of course, we must tell the tales of energy and enthusiasm in our Youth and Young Adult Ministries. But so much of that energy is centered on the transformational nature of how the Holy Spirit has worked on Sunday mornings through the power of our Worship Experiences, right?
Or one might say that the real excitement of the last few years hasn’t been driven by what has happened in our church family but through it! How could we tell the story of this church without highlighting the team of dedicated individuals who venture into North Minneapolis with love, prayer, and service to bring transformation to neighborhoods that are so often left to violence and hopelessness? Then, there are the scores of people from outside the church who address their greatest hurts and challenges in our Counseling Ministry. And no one would blame you for saying that the transformational impact on two large families who were refugees/asylum seekers through the new Housing Ministry might be the most surprising and powerful story of all…
Describing the vast works of the Holy Spirit through Westgate Church in the last four years and throughout our 74-year history is an impossible task. All we can say is that God has called us to be a church where everyone is welcome, nobody is perfect, and anything is possible, and there is plenty of evidence to show we are forming into that church more and more each day.
Now, we find ourselves at another crossroads. In late 2023, God spoke to the leadership of our church and challenged them to check in on the family, take feedback, and evaluate our path to ensure we’re moving in the right direction. Through a congregational survey and many intentional conversations, something became abundantly clear—He’s doing it! The Spirit is moving…spiritual growth is taking place…, and gates are being opened.
So what do we do next?
In evaluating the survey results, our trusted consultant, Nancy Moore, described how, due to the high levels of energy and satisfaction within the church, we have moved further and further into a state of transformation. “And when a church enters this stage,” Nancy said, “they have a choice. Do they slip into the status quo or capture the moment and renew their vision for an even more transformational future?”
From that moment until today, we have been praying…fasting…seeking…discussing…what do you have next for us, Lord?
We know we want us to aim higher…to build better…to make moves for the Kingdom of God…what do you have next for us, Lord?
We have prophetic words spoken over us that we are to “unlock” the gates of the Twin Cities….what do you have next for us, Lord?
One thing we know for sure is that the foundations of who we are as a church family are to remain as strong in this new season as they ever have. We don’t have to change the pillars of who we are to tactically adjust how we are called to loving service. We are, and forever will be, a church led by the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Spirit of God reveals Himself to people who long to listen to and obey Him (Luke 4:1; John 16:13). We are, and forever will be, a biblically grounded church. We believe the Bible grounds us in the reality of God‘s kingdom and trains us to live righteous lives (John 1:14; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 John 1:9). We are, and forever will be, a church that continuously seeks the Lord in prayer. We believe prayer is the primary mover of bringing about the kingdom of God (Luke 11:1-13; Acts 13:2).
And so, through fervent prayer and hours of dialogue, leaders and individuals throughout the church have been pursuing answers to the question, “What do you have next for us, Lord?” We deeply desire the Lord’s will to be done in our midst. We are ready to answer the call, whatever it may be, to bring light and life to the world around us through the hope of Jesus Christ.
And my oh my, this world needs the light and life of Jesus today…
This cultural moment we are living in presents an untold number of challenges for God’s church and people. His people are starving from a lack of genuine, affectionate community with one another. His people are trapped in a digital domain that is so new, ever-changing, and all-consuming that we are just beginning to understand its detriments to mental and societal health. His people are being lied to in matters of spirituality and purpose, as they’re taught to seek a throne instead of bow before one. We’re in a time that has swapped neighborliness for loneliness, community for divisiveness, and faith for a therapeutic moralism that is devoid of our one true God.
You might even look at the rapidly changing world we’re living in and figure that the challenges facing the church today are unlike any we’ve seen in modern history. Just as Lewis and Clark had to change everything they knew to lead the Corps of Discovery over the Rocky Mountains, we too must come to terms with the reality that the journey ahead of us will not look like the one behind. The people of Westgate Church are being called into an adventure that will redefine how each of us lives out the faith we hold dearly. We may never fully understand why He chose us for this challenge, but we will step into it. Gates are standing between Jesus and the people He loves so dearly, and in this time and place, Westgate is being called to unlock those gates.
What is the key to unlocking the gates?
This question is the most important of all the questions worth asking in this time of renewing our vision. If we’re being called to unlock gates, we need to know what tools we have. We need to discover what attributes about our Body equip us for the work. We need to evaluate the link between the needs of people across the Twin Cities and the resources we have within our church family. God is most capable of shaping the world through His people when His people understand who He has shaped them to be. We must understand our identity.
And so, in taking a deep dive into who God has made Westgate to be, our church's Leadership Board and staff have identified a unique reality about our congregation that sets us apart. Many people have found an authentic community of faith here.
That term community, meaning “a group of people sharing a common life,” is at the epicenter of what makes Westgate the church family it is today. We are a group of people who, albeit imperfectly, genuinely enjoy one another’s company, see and meet each other’s needs, and feel unified in our shared purpose of building and sharing our faith. If there is one link that binds this congregation of varying theological perspectives, religious backgrounds, and life stages together, it is the shared desire to find and contribute to the community.
This identity matters to us…there is simply no pithy, concise way to describe the experience of finding genuine, loving community among the group of believers that have found a church home at Westgate. Young families find themselves lifted and strengthened by the older individuals who encourage and pray for them. Text messages, emails, and phone calls reverberate throughout the week, turning “church friends” into “real friends.” Conversations spark on Sundays, Wednesdays, and throughout the week, where once strangers become teammates and prayer partners. Obligatory “good mornings” and handshakes are replaced with warm smiles and intentional conversations that make us feel truly seen by one another.
There are stories across this congregation of introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts finding real connection. There are stories of kids, teenagers, young adults, young parents, middle-aged adults, and empty-nesters building relationships that matter. There are stories of strangers becoming married couples because they met in this community…stories of people hurt by past church experiences finding hope and healing in this community…stories of people with different ethnic backgrounds holding hands in prayer because of this community…stories of people who are lost in loneliness being found in friendship thanks to this community…
And there is so much more still to be done…
Westgate’s Renewed Vision 2025
We are convinced that the community so many of us have found at Westgate is the key to unlocking the Twin Cities. It is time that we take what has meant so much to those of us within this church family and share it with the world around us.
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Matthew 5:14-16
We are renewing our vision to blaze a trail into the uncharted territory of shining the light of Jesus in every area that He has called us to love and serve. Here is the vision statement that will lead us forward:
Empowered by the Spirit, Westgate is called to be a gateway of hope, building authentic community in the church and sharing that community throughout the Twin Cities.
To see this vision become a reality, there are two urgent tasks before us:
1. We must know who we are in Christ.
While community may mean “common life,” it certainly does not connotate sameness. As creator of the universe, God has crafted each one of us to bring unique characteristics, giftings, and experiences to the community we are building and bringing. The extent to which we are able to bring unique value to the church family is entirely dependent on our ability to grow in our understanding of who God has called us to be. We call this work identity formation. It is not formation in the sense that we must become something new, as much as it is about being able to clearly understand and articulate who we are in Christ.
To fulfill the vision God has for us, every individual, family, group, and ministry within the church will be challenged to discern our unique identity. Church leadership will provide regular resources and opportunities for this work to be accomplished, and individuals, families, groups, and ministries will regularly be given opportunities to share the ways that God is speaking to them.
2. We must go where we’re called by the Spirit.
The time for standing back to stare at the “mountains” ahead of us has passed, and the time for taking active steps into God's challenge is now. As we continue the process of identity formation, we hope and expect that God will illuminate unique and specific opportunities for us to share community across the Twin Cities. Remember, community is the key to seeing the good news of Jesus Christ entering into the lives of those we live and work around. A key is only useful to the extent that it is actively used to unlock the gates in front of us.
Staff and volunteer leaders across the church will be called up to establish ministries and strategies that we as a church can collectively invest in to combat the epidemic of loneliness in our culture, transform neighborhoods across the Twin Cities, and unite divided groups through healing and reconciliation.
Individuals, families, and groups will be challenged to discover their unique ways of taking action and bringing community to the lost, lonely, and broken-hearted. For some, this means extending hospitality to their neighbors. For others, it means courageously creating opportunities for connection in their school or workplace. For those who are determined to follow God’s guidance, unlimited possibilities await.
In the coming months, staff and lay leaders from the church will continue to discern and develop specific next steps that God is calling us to take. We will regularly update the church family as we go on this adventure together.
Until then, we encourage you to take the following action steps:
1. Visit westgatemn.church/identity-formation to begin (or continue) your own journey of discovering the characteristics, giftings, and experiences that make up your unique identity.
2. Email community@westgatemn.church if you would like to be added to the email newsletter and upcoming prayer opportunities for collectively discerning the work we’re being called to.
We are at the doorstep of our destiny as a church. Only God knows what world-changing, life-transforming, gate-opening impact we will have when we step through it.
