John Spurling currently serves as an Associate Senior Pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas. His responsibilities include providing leadership and oversight for a variety of ministries and he also serves on the senior leadership team at Gateway. John has over 28 years of ministry experience as a senior pastor, staff pastor, seminary professor, conference speaker and church consultant.

He has authored and co-authored numerous equipping and leadership resources that are now being used in several thousand churches worldwide. He has earned four academic degrees including a Doctor of Ministry degree in Leadership and Church Development from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California. He is a passionate communicator and writer who loves challenging people to live God-honoring lives.

Learn More About John

Joined Gateway Staff: January 2005

Family: wife Penny, married for 20 years; daughter Megan, 19; son Jake, 16; dog Dallas (age unknown).

When Were You Saved? It happened on December 14, 1980 at First Assembly of God in Ft. Dodge, Iowa. I was a freshman in college and had never attended church other than going to (Catholic) mass.
I attended a Pentecostal church across the street from my college dorm and was saved on the
first Sunday I visited the church.

Education: Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California; Masters of
Divinity from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri; BA in Biblical Studies
from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri

Previous Line of Work: Worked as a Beef Cooler Clerk in a slaughterhouse in the summers during college and graduate school.

Greatest Thing Someone Has Ever Said to You: "Dad, you’re the best dad in the whole world".

FAVORITE
Book: This is an impossible question to answer. Can I give my top 50? Well, after the Bible, I would list John Ortberg's The Life You’ve Always Wanted and Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy as two favorites among many, many others.
Food: Chinese
Snack Food: Mixed Peanuts and M&M's
Movie: It’s A Wonderful Life
Band: Casting Crowns
Actor: Bill Murray
Season: Fall
Place in the World: Chicago
Recreational Activities/Hobbies: Golf, Reading
Scriptures: Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:10
Sports Team: All Chicago Sports teams
Sport: Football

Greatest Compliment: “What you taught me from God's Word has changed my life!”
Life Motto: “Live life with great passion for God and inspire other to do the same.”
One of My Greatest Experiences with God: Serving the people here at Gateway Church
Most People Don’t Know This About Me: Attended college on football scholarship & lettered 4 yrs.