Statement to the GateCity Family
After much prayer, seeking wise counsel, and walking through a season of deep discernment, Pastor Christopher and I want to share with you that our time on staff at GateCity is coming to a close as the Lord has called us to plant a church together in an effort to expand the Kingdom of God in our city.
This is an incredibly exciting season for us! Though, if we are honest, this has not been an easy decision, nor has this process been without its struggles. Nevertheless, we believe with conviction that is what the Lord has for us in this next season.
Serving this house, this community, and this leadership team has been one of the greatest honors of our lives. We are profoundly grateful for the combined 42 years we have spent here—learning, growing, and laboring alongside so many of you in pursuit of Jesus. GateCity has been a place of deep formation for us, and the friendships and experiences here will remain invaluable in our hearts.
At the same time, as we have continued to walk out our callings, it has become clear that the Lord is leading us in a different direction. While we have loved serving at GateCity, there have been real tensions along the way—differences in expression, philosophy, and ministry approach. That is not a bad thing; it simply means we have different callings, which at times has made it difficult to walk in full alignment. Over time, we have come to see that these differences are not just obstacles to overcome but God-ordained convictions meant to lead us into what He has next.
Because of this, we have chosen to step out and plant Legacy Church—a local church that will carry many of the same Kingdom values we have upheld here at GateCity but with a different expression of those values in an effort to reach people we would not be able to reach otherwise.
We also want to acknowledge how incredibly honoring GateCity's Leadership has been in this process. This was not their idea, nor was this transition something they planned for or initiated. Yet, despite that, they have chosen to walk this out with honor, integrity, and love—because that is who they are. Billy and Dustin were under no obligation to support or bless this decision, but they have chosen to be kind, generous, and gracious in how they handle it. We deeply respect them and remain grateful for all they have poured into our lives.
Just to be clear, this transition is not sourced in a relational falling out. We are all still on team Jesus, still for one another, and still committed to our friendship. Our chief desire is to walk this out in unity, choosing to honor one another and celebrate what God is doing in both places.
With any transition like this, there is always the opportunity for the enemy to sow division, misunderstanding, or offense. But we refuse to let that happen. As a church family, we want to encourage all of us to be intentional with our words and our hearts in this season—choosing to walk in honor, humility, and grace toward one another. Let's be quick to assume the best, slow to speak in ways that could cause harm, and committed to preserving the unity that Jesus calls us to. Our hope is that we would not just navigate this transition well but that we would come out of it even stronger in love, maturity, and honor for one another.
We will still be here at GateCity until the end of May and will be in and out of our environment throughout the summer as we prepare to launch in the fall. Our heart in the coming months is to finish well, to continue pouring into this house, and to walk out this transition in a way that reflects the love and humility of Jesus.
We are expectant for what is ahead, not just for Legacy Church, but for GateCity as well. God is on the move, and we are believing for greater things in the days to come.
With gratitude and expectation,
Pastor Casey and Pastor Christopher