Our Mission, History and More.
Mission
As a fully accredited private school, we are dedicated to ensuring that all our students receive advanced study diplomas, preparing them for success in their future endeavors. It is the mission of Gateway Christian Academy to train students spiritually, academically, socially, and physically to be a positive impact in the world for Christ.
History
Gateway Christian Academy (GCA) began in 1966 as American Christian School under the leadership of Pastor Dale Burden. At the time, the founding church was Fairmount Park Free Will Baptist Church. In the late 1970s, both the church and school relocated to Virginia Beach, and the ministry adopted the name “Gateway.”
The 1960s were a time of political and spiritual unrest in America. In Virginia, public schools even closed temporarily due to racial struggles following the newly adopted civil rights laws. Many private schools emerged during this time for the wrong reasons—primarily to avoid forced racial integration. However, this was not the case with Gateway. From the beginning, it was established to represent the kingdom of God. Pastor Burden’s vision was simple: he wanted a place where his children—and many others—could continue learning God’s Word and praying freely. He desired a school where Jesus remained the focus of Christmas and Easter programs and where students were taught to boldly proclaim Him as the Son of God.
Today, Gateway Christian Academy continues to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thousands of students have walked these halls and have gone on to make a positive impact for Christ in nearly every walk of life. Some have pursued full-time ministry, while others have become leaders in education, healthcare, business, technology, public service, and countless other fields. No matter their path, they continue to faithfully serve and shine the light of Christ in their workplaces, communities, and beyond.
Statement of Faith
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Scriptures are verbally inspired by God and serve as our only infallible rule of faith and practice. We affirm the complete and verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, ensuring their accuracy and recognizing them as the sole authoritative source and guide for our lives and faith. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and sacrificially died, shedding His blood for our sins. He was raised bodily from the dead for our justification and will return visibly and in glory for His Bride, the Church.
We believe in the necessity of the new birth for all mankind, a work of grace accomplished by the Holy Spirit and conditioned upon personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. All who are born into God’s family through faith in Christ receive eternal life, while those who do not place their faith in Christ remain in spiritual death and face eternal separation from God. The Holy Spirit resides in every believer, filling us with divine power and enabling us to walk in holiness and obedience to God’s will as revealed in the Gospel. Through His presence, we are transformed, empowered to live vibrant lives that reflect Christ’s love and grace in all we do.
We teach from a biblical worldview, emphasizing the redemptive work of Christ and applying God’s truth to every aspect of life. We believe in the local church, a community of born-again believers who come together to preach the Gospel, administer the ordinances, and hold one another accountable in their walk with Christ. We also affirm the universal church, made up of all born-again believers from all ages and areas. All believers are united in the body of Christ, called to live a life of faith and obedience to God’s Word.
Foundations
In addition to a quality education, it is our goal for each student to adapt these 5 Foundations:
INTEGRITY: Do what is right simply because it is right
Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil (Proverbs 4:26-27). We should each strive to live an honest life of the highest character regardless of consequences. We should take special care to ensure that we are doing what is right in all circumstances no matter how important or trivial they may seem.
RESPECT: Genuinely value others and their property
Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them (Matthew 7:12). We can live out the golden rule by building others up, giving them the benefit of the doubt, and seeking to resolve conflict privately and efficiently.
SAFETY: Look out for the well-being of yourself and those around you
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4). One of the primary purposes of the body of Christ is to meet the physical needs of others. Our own comfort or convenience should never be more important to us that the well-being of others. Everyone has a responsibility to promote a safe environment while actively avoiding actions that could cause harm.
RESPONSIBILITY: Be accountable to yourself and others for what you can control
But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load (Galatians 6:4-5). Maturity is marked by the ability to make wise decisions regarding use of time and resources to accomplish specific goals. Only through self-sufficiency and hard work can one take pride in individual effort and the results of labor.
HUMILITY: Follow Christ’s example of self-denial by being a servant to others
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7). Jesus valued the salvation of man more than His own identity as God, His position in heaven, and His own physical life. Gratitude for His sacrifice should drive every Christian to think of others before self and live out this attitude through service of God and man.