A glance back. A look ahead. Where The Bridge is headed in 2012…

Posted by on Jan 3, 2012 | 1 comment

A GLANCE BACK…

Bridge Family, before we talk about the future at all, we need to pause and stand in awe of the TIDAL WAVE of grace that God poured out on our church body this year.  I hope I type this with due humility and awe in God, but many (most?) churches will go their entire lives without seeing a year like we just got to experience.

In one year we…

  • Grew from about 280 to about 400 in worship gathering (WG) attendance
  • Had 580 people at our Christmas Eve Eve services to hear the gospel and worship Jesus
  • Hired our first two full-time staff members to lead and equip the body for multiplied ministry
  • Baptized almost 20 people
  • Saw our church body genuinely REVOLUTIONIZED by grace as we preached through Galatians (no series since I’ve been here has been as revolutionary and freeing for the church as that one)
  • Got clarity from God on our “Gospel > Church > Mission” vision for that will shape our future
  • Rebuilt the HG Network from the ground-up, launching 12 new HG’s this summer
  • Redesigned our foreign mission strategy toward church planting and unreached people groups, establishing future partnerships in India, Turkey, Haiti, and Wisconsin
  • Sent over 50 people out on mission to Haiti, Guatemala, Jackson, and disaster relief in Alabama
  • Raised up and equipped significant leaders in our worship team, Kids’ Ministry, Student Ministry, and Connections.
Bridge Family, I want to be very clear – in His incredible grace and despite our incredible sinfulness, God has chosen to position us to be a part of something truly unique in the kingdom here.  And this is all – ALL of it – just the beginning of what God is going to do with us. Make no mistake: we’re still just in the infancy stages of The Bridge and the best is (by far) yet to come…

“And this is all – ALL of it – just the beginning of what God is going to do with us. Make no mistake: we’re still just in the infancy stages of The Bridge and the best is (by far) yet to come…”

A LOOK AHEAD…

All that being said, as crazy as it sounds, 2012 is poised to be a more significant year for our church body than 2011 was.  To keep us clear and unified in where we’re headed as a body, I’ll be taking four days next week to write about each of the four major initiatives our elders have identified for us in 2012.  Here they are…

  1. Position ourselves to relocate to a long-term launchpad for church-planting and ministry
  2. Begin to become a training ground for world-class, gospel-centered church leaders
  3. Establish a deacon body of godly men and women for care and deed ministry
  4. Develop gender-specific ministry and training for Bridge women
I’ll take one day each week to unpack each of these initiatives on the blog here.  Please pray with me for the glory of Christ through us in Spring Hill in these things.  Most of all, stay humble with me.  Stay overwhelmed by God with me.  Come die with me in 2012.
Love you all very, very much.
Pastor Josh

“Stay humble with me. Stay overwhelmed by God with me. Come die with me in 2012.”

1 Comment

  1. Betty Karns | January 3, 2012 at 6:04 pm

    I’m as as thrilled for you folks as if it were my church.
    God is truly blessing The Bridge and He has great plans for you.
    I always enjoy being there with you, (Sue Slacks mom)