Leading people into a growing
relationship with Jesus.
A multi-generational community tucked in the redwoods of Scotts Valley — rooted in the Bible, shaped by relationships, and always saving you a seat.
Why we exist.
To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus.
Matthew 28:19–20 · John 21:15–17To be known as a people who passionately love God and authentically love others.
Matthew 22:37–40We believe people grow best when they worship regularly, invest in relationships, and serve with purpose.
Three rhythms that shape our communityWeekend Worship
Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM. Music, teaching from the Bible, and a community that's genuinely glad you showed up.
Life Groups
Sermon-based small groups that meet throughout the week. Real conversations. Real people. The kind of friendships that go deeper than Sunday morning.
Personal Ministry
Everyone has something to offer. Whether it's serving coffee in the courtyard, leading worship, or mentoring the next generation — there's a place for you here.
Tucked in the redwoods. Rooted in what matters.
We're a community of people across every generation who believe the Bible has something real to say to real life — and who think the best way to figure that out is together.
We've been here since 1954, tucked into the redwoods on Granite Creek Road. We founded Baymonte Christian School. We send 28% of our annual giving to global impact partners around the world. And every Sunday, we gather to worship, learn, and remind each other that none of us have it all figured out.
If you're looking for a church that feels like home — where the pastor knows your name and the coffee is always on — you might be in the right place.
Over seventy years
in the redwoods.
We didn't get here overnight. What's now GateWay Bible Church started with eight kids and a pastor who commuted from Berkeley — and has been rooted in Scotts Valley since 1954.
Eight kids and a commuting pastor
Emmanuel Church in Santa Cruz sponsored a missionary outreach to Scotts Valley, and The Valley Church was born — eight kids, a pastor named Hayden McClung who commuted from Berkeley, his wife, Myrtle Cox, and Grandma Roberson. They rented a duplex in the Manana Development. No building, no budget, no plan. Just a conviction.
A building goes up on borrowed faith
Pastor Johnny McBroom and three widows voted to borrow $10,000 to build a church. A local real estate agent convinced the landowner to sell property for $400. That basic redwood building became the chapel — and the church was dedicated in October 1956 as Valley Baptist Church with 28 members: 14 adults and 14 kids.
A pastor called on a promise
Thirteen people voted to call Glennon Culwell as pastor. His compensation: a roof over his head and a promise he wouldn't starve. He paid off the $10,000 debt, and the church began to grow. A fellowship hall was added in 1960, a chapel in 1962. The campus took shape among the redwoods on Granite Creek Road — arguably the most visible church location in Santa Cruz County.
Baymonte Christian School opens
Pastor Culwell preached a sermon over the radio about the educational system, and three Christian families responded. That September, Baymonte Christian School opened on campus. "Convictions can never be sacrificed because of the cost." It went on to earn accreditation from WASC and ACSI, and was eventually awarded a National Blue Ribbon School from the U.S. Department of Education. Today it operates as its own 501(c)(3).
A global heartbeat emerges
The church made a commitment that still defines who we are: a significant portion of every dollar given would go to global impact. Today that number sits at 28% — through an annual faith promise that supports partners across the Horn of Africa, Southeast Asia, The Gambia, India, Chile, and right here in Santa Cruz County. It's not a budget line. It's a conviction.
Caring for the whole person
Branches Counseling grew into a full professional practice with licensed counselors on campus. Recovery ministries — Beloved Restoration for women, Warriors Journey for men — offered a safe place for the hardest conversations. The church became known not just for Sunday mornings, but for the quiet, unglamorous work of walking alongside people in their pain.
Still here. Still growing.
Five pastors, six elders, a counseling center, a school, a Friday food ministry, global partners on four continents, and a congregation that spans toddlers to great-grandparents. God keeps drawing people here — teenagers who actually want to be here, young families putting down roots, and longtime members who've been in the same seats for decades. We're just trying to be faithful to the thing we've been doing since 1954: leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus.
“We've been around since 1954. The longevity of this church is unique in that it's been consistently focused on the things we're now still focused on — the gospel, the Bible, sharing our faith, taking care of wounded people.”
Ron, Lead Pastor
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19–20 NIVRooted in Scripture.
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ — purchased on the cross, secured by the Holy Spirit, and received by faith apart from any human merit.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God's eternal Son. God the Son has precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only true God, but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible return from heaven.
We believe the sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testaments are the divinely inspired, infallible Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts, and God's complete, written revelation to humankind. The Bible is sufficient and trustworthy for life, faith, conduct, and practice, and is the supreme and final authority in all matters to which it speaks. We further believe there is but one true interpretation of Scripture, although there may be several applications.
We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that these are equal in every distinct perfection and they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.
We believe in God the Father: an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of humanity, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. We believe God's knowledge is exhaustive; that He fully knows the past, present, and future independent of human decisions and actions. The Father does everything in accordance with His perfect will, though He is in no way responsible for evil.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to implement Christ's work of redeeming the lost, and to empower the believer for godly living and service. We believe the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to believers as He wills for the common good. No gift signifies His baptism or filling, nor does any gift provide authoritative revelation beyond what has already been revealed in Scripture.
We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service. We believe the ordinances of the local church are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper.
We believe God originally created persons, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. We believe all people are sinners by nature and choice and are spiritually dead. We also believe that those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe God established marriage to be a lifelong covenant relationship between one man and one woman. Marriage so defined is the only permissible context for intimate sexual expression and is the foundation of the family, which is a sacred institution that functions as a vital building block of human civilization.
We believe that the supreme task of believers is to glorify God in their lives, and that — sustained by His grace — their conduct should be continually shaped toward Christlikeness before the world. We further believe that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions and that they should seek to realize for themselves the full stature of maturity in Christ.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost, the eternal existence of all people either in heaven or hell, in divine judgment, rewards, and punishments.
Come see for yourself.
The best way to know who we are is to spend a Sunday with us. Good people, good coffee, and something worth hearing. That's a Sunday morning at GateWay.