Our Story

Lifegate Community Church began meeting for worship in 2009 in the community room of Mainstreet Savings Bank in Hastings. At the inception of the church, Pastor Scott worked bi-vocationally in pastoring the church and for Consumers Energy. 

After about a year, the bank staff informed Pastor Scott that Mainstreet Savings Bank was being sold to Commercial Bank, and our church would need to find a new location. Our leadership team was told the current building would be torn down and replaced with a smaller one. This unexpected news led to us diligently praying and asking the Lord for His provision of a new place to worship, launch our church publicly in Hastings, serve in ministry, and disciple people.  

At least six months before receiving this news, our leadership team had already begun discussing the need for a larger space, as the community room’s capacity was too low for a public launch of the church.

We had previously inquired about purchasing the property where Lifegate Church now meets, but the quoted price was beyond our financial ability, and the terms were not feasible.

A few months after learning we would need to find a new location; we were surprised to hear back from the other church that owned the property where we are currently located. They informed us that another church had submitted a bid on the property, but since we were the first to inquire, they wanted to give us an opportunity to make an offer as well. They made it clear they wouldn’t disclose the other bid, because they didn’t want to create a bidding contest – they simply wanted to give us a fair chance, if we were still interested and able to proceed.

After discussing the opportunity with our lead presbyter, Pastor Scott was advised, based on the church’s limited means and preparation, to forgo submitting a bid. 

Since no other options for a new location had surfaced, this weighed on Pastor Scott, and he sought the Lord for what to do. The next morning, Pastor Scott sensed faith rising in his heart as to how it could be possible to submit a bid, and he discussed it with our executive team and again with our lead presbyter. After conversing about the possibilities, a plan was made for submitting a bid, which was eventually accepted. The Lord’s favor and blessing were with us. 

On Resurrection Sunday, April 24, 2011, Lifegate Community Church was launched publicly at our current location. Ten years later, during a campaign to renovate our sanctuary and prepare for Pastor Scott’s transition to full-time ministry, we shortened our name to Lifegate Church and updated our logo. We also clarified and restated our vision as a process people can follow to grow in Christ. Pastor Scott then began pastoring Lifegate Church full time in May of 2023.