GateWay Staff
Fred Hennes, Lead Pastor
Fred Hennes was hired in August of 2001 with the task of merging two fellowships into one new church. His eight years experience on the staff of Santa Cruz Bible Church prepared him for the challenge. With God's favor and his passion to lead the church, many lives have begun to change. As a child, Fred attended church with his parents and siblings, but like so many of his generation, he rebelled and pursued contentment through every avenue but God. Having discovered a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, he now has a passion to unleash the full potential of the church.
Family:
Married to Maredith
Grown children: Valerie and son-in-law, Dan, Jeffrey, Nathan, and Dog Nikita
Background:
I was born in Melrose Minnesota, the fifth of seven children. We moved to California before I entered kindergarten and apart from living in Salem, Oregon for one year, I grew up in California. My youth was spent in the mid-Peninsula area and after college I moved to Santa Cruz County and have been here ever since. I attended parochial schools through high school. I then earned a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Cogswell Polytechnical College in San Francisco. Upon graduation, I realized I enjoyed management much more than engineering, and spent the next 17 years in the high tech industry climbing the corporate management ladder. After giving my life to Jesus in 1986, God shifted my focus to full time ministry, a second career that I have enjoyed since 1993. I received my Master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Trinity Theological Seminary in 2001, the same year I started at GateWay Bible Church as Senior Pastor.
When you’re off the GBC campus what would we find you doing?
I love being home and you might find me tinkering in the garage, or cooking a meal, or doing some project in the yard. Of course, I also like to hang out at the local gym, lifting weights and playing racquetball. I also do my best to get out on the ocean and spend a day fishing, or venture into the woods to go archery hunting.
What is your passion?
My life boils down to knowing Christ, and making Him known. I love my role here at church and am very passionate seeing God change lives.
Tell us a about a little known talent that you have:
Well, I can’t sing or dance, but I know how to fling an arrow half the distance of a football field, consistently hitting the target.