May 1997
The Seed of a Vision
In 1997, God spoke to John and Kathy Burke with unmistakable clarity: "It's time to step out in faith." This divine nudge led John and his family to Austin with a bold mission-create a church for people who don't go to church. As John reflects, "Faith always involves risk. Risk is not always comfortable, but it's always good."
Feb. 1998
Against All Odds
With just 10 people, Gateway began in an apartment in 1998. Those early years tested their resolve as they moved between six different locations-cleaning theater butter spills, covering movie posters, and sometimes changing venues weekly. "We kept reaching people who were far from God and then we'd lose them," John remembers. When doubt crept in, God reminded him: "Maybe I have a plan." The faithful few who managed to find Gateway week after week embodied a powerful truth: "The church isn't just a building. It's the people."
1999-2000
Hide-N-Go Seeker Church
Gateway met in 6 facilities during its first two years. Cleaning up butter spills. Covering up Exorcist movie posters. Spending all day setting up and breaking down…those were the days! At one point we were forced to change locations or times every week for six weeks! Our motto in those days: "If you can find us, you can come."
2000-2005
Bull Creek Years
God's faithfulness revealed itself in 2000 when a chance encounter at a neighborhood brush fire led to Gateway finding stability at the Bull Creek Synagogue. Over five transformative years, the congregation grew from 200 to over 2,000 people-more than half discovering faith for the first time.
2006
Gateway Finds its Permanent Home
In 2006, Gateway opened its own campus on McNeil Road. With an open-air layout, large auditorium, great outdoor spaces, and a design that left lots of room for future technology and AV upgrades, our campus was used for many different things.
2008
Gateway South Austin
Gateway South Austin is launched.
Our McNeil location becomes "Gateway North Austin"
2010
Gateway Online Campus
Broadcasting from Gateway North Austin, our online presence has grown over the years to a vibrant community with viewers and volunteers around the globe.
2020
Gateway Buda
In January of 2020, Gateway Buda officially launched.
2021
Gateway Pflugerville
Originally planned to launch Easter of 2020, Covid pushed back our plans a bit. A year later, Gateway Pflugerville launched.
2023
A New Chapter
On May 7, 2023, Gateway celebrated its first leadership transition as Carlos Ortiz succeeded John Burke as Senior Pastor. Having served as Executive Pastor since 2020, Carlos embraced the mantle of leadership, becoming one of central Texas's few ethnically diverse megachurch senior pastors. Meanwhile, John transitioned to the role of Founding Pastor to focus on writing.
This succession represented not just a change in leadership, but the continuation of Gateway's countercultural approach with its anchoring values of "Come As You Are" and "Love Everyone: Life by Life."
2024
Union Church
Gateway Pflugerville launches independentally and becomes Union Church.
Our Unfolding Story
What began with a handful of dreamers has grown into a mosaic of lives transformed-many who came wounded, found healing, and now help others on similar journeys. Gateway continues to be a church unified in faith yet dispersed in influence, with small communities across Austin committed to helping people become all God intended them to be.
Our vision remains unchanged: When people of Austin think of Gateway, we want them to say, "If this is what God is like, I want to know him."
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind... Love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:37-39
May 1997
The Seed of a Vision
In 1997, God spoke to John and Kathy Burke with unmistakable clarity: "It's time to step out in faith." This divine nudge led John and his family to Austin with a bold mission-create a church for people who don't go to church. As John reflects, "Faith always involves risk. Risk is not always comfortable, but it's always good."
Feb. 1998
Against All Odds
With just 10 people, Gateway began in an apartment in 1998. Those early years tested their resolve as they moved between six different locations-cleaning theater butter spills, covering movie posters, and sometimes changing venues weekly. "We kept reaching people who were far from God and then we'd lose them," John remembers. When doubt crept in, God reminded him: "Maybe I have a plan." The faithful few who managed to find Gateway week after week embodied a powerful truth: "The church isn't just a building. It's the people."
1999-2000
Hide-N-Go Seeker Church
Gateway met in 6 facilities during its first two years. Cleaning up butter spills. Covering up Exorcist movie posters. Spending all day setting up and breaking down…those were the days! At one point we were forced to change locations or times every week for six weeks! Our motto in those days: "If you can find us, you can come."
2000-2005
Bull Creek Years
God's faithfulness revealed itself in 2000 when a chance encounter at a neighborhood brush fire led to Gateway finding stability at the Bull Creek Synagogue. Over five transformative years, the congregation grew from 200 to over 2,000 people-more than half discovering faith for the first time.
2006
Gateway Finds its Permanent Home
In 2006, Gateway opened its own campus on McNeil Road. With an open-air layout, large auditorium, great outdoor spaces, and a design that left lots of room for future technology and AV upgrades, our campus was used for many different things.
2008
Gateway South Austin
Gateway South Austin is launched.
Our McNeil location becomes "Gateway North Austin"
2010
Gateway Online Campus
Broadcasting from Gateway North Austin, our online presence has grown over the years to a vibrant community with viewers and volunteers around the globe.
2020
Gateway Buda
In January of 2020, Gateway Buda officially launched.
2021
Gateway Pflugerville
Originally planned to launch Easter of 2020, Covid pushed back our plans a bit. A year later, Gateway Pflugerville launched.
2023
A New Chapter
On May 7, 2023, Gateway celebrated its first leadership transition as Carlos Ortiz succeeded John Burke as Senior Pastor. Having served as Executive Pastor since 2020, Carlos embraced the mantle of leadership, becoming one of central Texas's few ethnically diverse megachurch senior pastors. Meanwhile, John transitioned to the role of Founding Pastor to focus on writing.
This succession represented not just a change in leadership, but the continuation of Gateway's countercultural approach with its anchoring values of "Come As You Are" and "Love Everyone: Life by Life."
2024
Union Church
Gateway Pflugerville launches independentally and becomes Union Church.
Our Unfolding Story
What began with a handful of dreamers has grown into a mosaic of lives transformed-many who came wounded, found healing, and now help others on similar journeys. Gateway continues to be a church unified in faith yet dispersed in influence, with small communities across Austin committed to helping people become all God intended them to be.
Our vision remains unchanged: When people of Austin think of Gateway, we want them to say, "If this is what God is like, I want to know him."
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind... Love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:37-39