About

Rev. Justin L. Gates is a priest, theologian, education and seasoned funeral director with a heart for the marginalized and the grieving. His ministry brings pastoral compassion and theological depth to audiences in churches, schools, conferences, hospice care settings, emergency service members and correctional facilities.

If you are looking for something specific, Fr. Justin is happy to craft talks tailored to your community’s needs. Whether you’re planning a retreat, training, or special liturgical event, additional topics can be developed upon request. Let’s build something meaningful together!

Truth Spoken boldly, grace proclaimed faithfully

Public Speaking

Speaking Honorarium

Fr. Justin offers his time and experience as part of his ministry and vocation. A standard honorarium helps support his work and preparation.

Travel expenses (mileage or lodging) may apply for events outside of the local area. Custom talks, retreats and workshops can be arranged.

If budget is a concern, please don’t hesitate to reach out — he is committed to serving all communities, regardless of size or resources.

Signature Talks

  • Theme: Mortality, grief and resurrection hope.

    Summary: A bold and honest conversation about the spiritual weight of death, how the Church has neglected it, and what Christ-centered ministry to the dying and grieving looks like.

    Perfect for: Churches, grief groups, funeral homes and hospice ministries.

  • Theme: God’s radical love for the outcast and forgotten.

    Summary: A defiant gospel message that challenges the Church to see Christ in the prisoner, the addict, the poor, and the rejected. A call to move from comfort to compassion.

    Perfect for: Chaplains, jail ministries, justice-focused churches, youth groups.

  • Theme: Courage and conviction in a compromised culture.

    Summary: Drawing on the Book of Daniel, this high-energy talk inspires believers to live boldly and faithfully, no matter the cost.

    Perfect for: Men’s groups, youth events, revival services, leadership retreats.

  • Theme: Holiness in ordinary work.

    Summary: A pastoral vision of how daily labor—teaching, farming, caregiving, and more—is sacred when done unto the Lord.

    Perfect for: Vocational Sundays, lay leader events, working-class churches, men’s breakfasts.

Featured Talks

  • Theme: Honoring life and death

    Summary: A theological and pastoral reflection on dying with dignity—not just in how we die, but in how we care for those facing the end. Rooted in the Christian understanding of the body, suffering, and eternal hope.

    Perfect for: Hospice ministries, palliative care conferences, Christian ethics gatherings.

  • Theme: Courageous Christianity in a compromised culture.

    Summary: This fiery, prophetic talk equips believers to stand firm in truth, love, and justice when the world demands silence or compromise. A rallying call to holy resistance.

    Perfect for: Youth groups, justice events, revival services, faith-and-culture conferences.

  • Theme: Spiritual care at the bedside.

    Summary: A pastoral training talk that teaches clergy and caregivers how to offer comfort, presence, and hope to both the dying and their loved ones. Practical and prayerful.

    Perfect for: Chaplains, pastors, lay ministers, hospice volunteers.

  • Theme: Honest faith through sorrow.

    Summary: For those angry at God, distant in grief, or struggling with unanswered prayers. This talk is a gentle, truthful invitation to come back to God after heartbreak.

    Perfect for: Grief groups, church recovery ministries, community healing services.

  • Theme: Sorrow that sings of resurrection.

    Summary: A richly theological message on how grief doesn’t end our faith—it deepens it. Rooted in Scripture and real-life experience, this talk helps listeners hold both tears and hope.

    Perfect for: Funerals, memorials, grief retreats, pastoral care trainings.

Additional Talks

  • Theme: God’s mercy in the margins.

    Summary: Reflections from behind bars—this talk shares real stories and deep theology about incarceration, mercy, and gospel justice.

    Perfect for: Prison ministries, reentry programs, church outreach teams.

  • Theme: Bedside ministry as sacred ground.

    Summary: Training for clergy and caregivers on offering spiritual presence, comfort, and sacramental care at the edge of eternity.

    Perfect for: Clergy groups, hospice chaplains, CPE programs, pastoral care teams.

  • Theme: Facing the end with faith and hope.

    Summary: A theologically grounded talk on preparing well for death, grieving faithfully, and finding gospel hope that outlasts mourning.

    Perfect for: Bereavement ministries, hospice staff, congregational education.

  • Theme: Ministry beyond the church walls.

    Summary: A call to carry the presence of Christ into everyday places—jails, gas stations, classrooms, and beyond.

    Perfect for: Outreach leaders, lay ministry trainings, ministry conferences.

  • Theme: Spirit-filled proclamation for weary hearts.

    Summary: A rallying cry for preachers and ministers to recover boldness, urgency, and Spirit-led clarity in their call to preach.

    Perfect for: Clergy retreats, preaching workshops, seminary groups.