Building Visionary Leaders

At Bridge Church, we are committed to building visionary leaders who are trained to know first and foremost two things – God has a preferred future for them, and God is able to sustain them in any circumstance.

With these two things firmly established, our people become leaders who are able to see how God is leading and to serve those whom God has placed in their care.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." ~ Jeremiah 29:11 [NKJV]

Revealing God's Message

At Bridge Church, we emphasize that hearing from God is for everyone, not just pastors, and that we can speak for God only if we are taking the time to speak with God.

God speaks through three key activities – our spiritual life, worship, and the proclaiming of our personal testimony.

Our spiritual life is developed through personal, daily times of praying and reading the Bible.

Worship is expressed during our public celebration services and in private devotions as we sing praises to the Lord.

Our testimonies are the vehicle through which others hear the greatness of God and faith is strengthened to overcome all of life's challenges.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" ~ Romans 10:14-15 [NIV]

Identifying the Activity of God

The activity of God can be seen in two areas – the work God is doing in you, and the work He is doing in others.

At Bridge Church, we walk people through three stages of development:

1. being aware that God is real and that He loves you,
2. understanding the direct correlation between your behavior and God's response, and
3. clearly hearing the voice of God and basing life decisions on that truth.

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. ~ Jeremiah 29:12-13 [NIV]

Discipling People

At Bridge Church, we use a team approach to disciple people in fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19, below).

Our teams, brought together for specific purposes, function and learn together in an environment that nurtures personal spiritual growth and supports ministry effectiveness for the entire church.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. ~ Matthew 28:19 [NKJV]

Giving to Our Community

At Bridge Church, we encourage our people to:

• Be givers in our Sunday celebration services through consistent participation.
• Be givers in small group interaction.
• Be givers in one-on-one discipleship.
• Be givers in community service.
• Be givers in financial support.

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. ~ 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 [NIV]

Evaluating and Realigning

At Bridge Church, we never want to stop growing. We realize the importance of asking the right questions for achieving our goals and discerning motives, questions such as:

• Am I [are we] investing in the right activity?
• What information is needed to make a decision or manage change?
• What are the key issues preventing me [us] from the desired outcome?
• From where will the resistances to change come?

We believe that evaluating and realigning should occur in every part of life and should follow this recurring process:

• Unfreeze spiritually and mentally (analyze reality).
• Transition by discerning goals, values, and results.
• Change through implementing new plans (manage difficult decisions).
• Establish new patterns, celebrate new growth, and refreeze.

"Find out what pleases the Lord." ~ Ephesians 5:10 [NIV]