The Courageous Leadership Award

• 2007 Award
• 2007 Award Winners
• Winners
  • Fish Hoek Baptist Church
  • Rockland Community
  • West Angeles Church of God
• Honorable Mention
  • Gateway Community
  • Wheaton Bible Church
  • Good News Community
  • Life Center
  • Crossroads Community
  • Mars Hill Bible Church
  • Calvary Chapel Sawgrass
  • Word of Grace Ministries, Inc.
  • Menlo Park Pres.
  • Heirs Covenant Church of Cincinnati
  • Swaziland Reformed
  • Makerere Community
• Next Step Resources
• Referring Agencies Links

“AIDS is not just another problem on the world’s to-do list. This crisis calls for the church of Jesus Christ to rise to the occasion. The question hangs in the air, ‘What are we going to do about it?’ This could be the Church’s finest hour. Whether it is or not is up to us.”

Richard Stearns, President of World Vision

2007 Honorable Mention

Gateway Community Church

Name and location: Gateway Community Church, Houston, Texas
Denomination: United Methodist Church
Pastor: Tim Sims
Date Founded: 1992
Total Church Membership: 2,500 - 3,000
Website: www.starfishkenya.com

Outstanding Involvement and Effectiveness in the Fight Against AIDS:

Gateway Community Church is making two significant contributions in the fight against AIDS. Church members Pam and Roy Newberry visited Kenya in 2001 and founded Starfish Kenya, which funds the House of Hope Orphanage. With Starfish Kenya's support, this once-small operation today has 79 children between the ages of 2 and 13. Starfish Kenya's second sponsorship project is St. Anna's Day Care Center for the Aged and Orphaned. The center provides education, food, medical treatment and clothing for children orphaned by AIDS. Starfish sponsorship currently supports 77 children, and recently founded its own Christian school, earning acclaim for the children's academic achievement. Starfish Kenya was incorporated into the church's ministry in 2003.

Impact on the Congregation:

Following the 2006 Willow Creek Leadership Summit, Gateway Community Church took on the challenge to take the impact of AIDS-and the impact of the Starfish Ministry-to the Houston community. Results include: production and distribution of more than 1,000 DVDs about the work of Starfish Kenya and the AIDS pandemic and a first annual "One Child at a Time" golf tournament with proceeds going to the ministry in Kenya.

Pastor's Quote: "The formation and growth of Starfish Kenya (represent) a living testament to what God can do through faithful hearts of ordinary people and a willingness to follow the Holy Spirit. What started out as a simple act of obedience has grown into a powerful ministry."

Comment from the Judges: "Gateway serves as another sterling example of what happens when people cross cultures and share one another's burdens. Starfish Kenya is a great example of faithful stewardship of resources of time, treasure and talent to meet the world's needs."