In the fall of 1993, Pastor Ron Leversee and his family left a good position at Waterloo Baptist Temple in Iowa to follow God’s leading in their life to start an independent, fundamental Baptist church in the Valley of the Sun. With no promise of church or financial security, the Leversee family headed west.

Upon arriving, preparations were made to begin Desert Gateway Baptist Church. Invitations were handed out and thousands of doors were knocked. Then, on the first Sunday of 1994, Desert Gateway Baptist Church opened its doors to the community. The Gospel was preached to eleven people as they gathered in a living room in Tempe. Ever since then, Desert Gateway Baptist Church has“ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”

After a few months, the church located to a preschool facility in Ahwatukee. Despite the challenges of meeting in a preschool building, the church continued to grow. The preaching remained scripturally steadfast!

In 1997, the Lord provided an opportunity to purchase a three-and-a-half acre horse property in Gilbert. The details of this opportunity were nothing short of a miracle, as the church moved on to the property in May of the same year. A ranch house on the property was used as the primary meeting place for all services, classes, and nurseries. Since then, three additional buildings have been constructed on the property, including a 350 seat auditorium.

As the church continued to grow, so did the burden of Pastor Ron Leversee for the east valley of Phoenix. The burden to train up young people for the Lord was met by the establishing of the two major teaching arms of Desert Gateway Baptist Church- Gateway Baptist Academy and Desert Baptist Bible College. These two institutions opened their doors in 1999, and today students are trained to have the “mind of Christ” daily.

Again, God blessed with the purchase of a four-and-a-half acre lot right on Gilbert Road. The plans for this land include a larger auditorium and much needed nurseries and classroom spaces. The current property will then become the educational campus of Gateway Baptist Academy and Desert Baptist Bible College.

Since 1994, Pastor Leversee and Desert Gateway Baptist Church have focused on nothing but pointing souls to Christ! Through Biblical preaching and teaching, hundreds- if not thousands of lives have been impacted by the hand of God through the ministries of this church. As Desert Gateway Baptist Church “occupies” until Jesus comes- the teaching, the preaching, the purpose, the focus will remain the same- Christ will be lifted up, people will be pointed to Him, and God will be glorified for all the things He has done!