2020 Is Here
It's a new year and the beginning of a new decade. As we "trust in the Lord with all of our heart..." we know that "...He will direct our paths" in this new decade. We don't know what will happen but we do know that He is worthy of our trust and dependence. It will be exciting to see what He has in store for us as individuals and as a church.
At Bridges we want to help you navigate the future and your spiritual growth with Christ. There are 4 words we want everyone to think through and be part of their spiritual life. They are...
EXPLORE - CONNECT - GROW - MULTIPLY
EXPLORE
- "Try 5" - If you are searching for a new church, one of the best things to do is try going for 5 Sundays - be in prayer and give it some time to see if it is where God wants you. It's hard to tell after just one visit, but 5 visits should be enough.
- Meet with a Spiritual Mentor. At Bridges we like to get people together to help them explore and go deeper with their questions. There are people who have walked with Jesus for a while in their lives and would be glad to meet with anyone who has questions and wants to EXPLORE answers. Contact the church at info@bridgeschurch.net to get started.
- Starting Point. It is a great place to come to find out more about the church and to get your questions answered. The next Starting Point is Sunday, January 12 right after the second service. To sign up contact the church at info@bridgeschurch.net.
CONNECT - it's a good word if you are ready to commit your life to Jesus or if you already have and want to commit to being a member of Bridges Church. Deciding to follow Jesus is the greatest thing you can do with your life. Committing to a church home is a great way to continue the journey. Here are some things to think about if you are in the CONNECT phase.
- Be baptized and tell the world about your decision to follow Jesus. We schedule baptisms whenever someone is ready to take the step of following Jesus. Just let us know and we can meet and discuss your next steps.
- Join the church and become a member. Membership is open to anyone who has committed their life to Christ, been baptized, attended Starting Point and is ready to be part of the family of Bridges Church.
GROW - it's a great word if you are ready to go deeper in your walk with Jesus. It won't happen on its own, like any relationship it will take time and some effort.
Here are some things to think about if you are in the GROW phase.
- PTWG - "Personal Time with God". Every healthy relationship involves spending quality time together. Find a quiet time of day and get off by yourself with God and pray and spend time in the Word. Some people like to journal. Some use a devotional. The important thing is to make it real and personal. Talk to God in prayer and then spend time listening through His Word.
- Join a Small Group. Spiritual growth is accelerated by being with others who are on the same journey. Small Groups are a great place to get to know other people and be encouraged in your walk with Jesus.
- Join a Ministry Team. Everyone has something to offer at Bridges and everyone is needed. There are many places to serve - pick up a Ministry Team card in the lobby and give one of the teams a try to see if it is a good fit for you.
MULTIPLY - it's a great word if you are ready to help others on their journey with Jesus. Jesus calls us to make disciples - to help others learn to follow Him as well. That is how the world will be reached. Here are some things to think about if you are in the MULTIPLY phase.
- Become a Small Group Leader. We have a very simple leadership development process at Bridges that involves getting hands on, real time training in the Small Groups. If you are in a small group and are interested in becoming a leader, talk to your current leader and start the process.
- Become a Ministry Team Leader. We use the same process for training new leaders in Ministry Teams as we do in the Small Groups. Every team needs to be training new leaders in order to meet the needs of our congregation.
- Become a Spiritual Mentor. Currently we are training new Spiritual Mentors in behind the scenes hands on, real time groups we call D/Groups - gender specific groups of 3-4 who meet regularly to go deeper in their walk with Jesus.
There are so many opportunities to really make the next decade at Bridges an exciting and healthy place to really see God at work in our lives. Take some time, evaluate where you are spiritually and then take next steps discover all that God has for you in 2020 and beyond.
God has a plan for us and I look forward to all He has in store for us in the years to come.
Happy New Year!