VISION 2025: The Bridge

The Bridge is our vision for discipleship at St. Paul. The Bridge is a four-stage journey of spiritual growth, which is designed to help us all grow in in our relationship to Jesus and others. We are in the third year of introducing The Bridge and making it a part of our DNA. In 2023, we focused on connecting and engaging. In 2024, we encourage all to grow in the Word. And for 2025, we are on the path of becoming a faith family, that desires to go and serve.

If you want to dig deeper into The Bridge, contact us for a free devotional guide that will help you make The Bridge a part of your spiritual DNA.

·      Stage 1: CONNECT with our faith family

·      Stage 2: ENGAGE in ministry and life together

·      Stage 3: GROW in a Gospel-centered, Biblical worldview

·      Stage 4: GO into our community in a missional life

Connect

The first part of the journey is to connect, whether that is through worship, preschool, concerts, events, or any of the other touchpoints we have in the community. The goal of this stage is to reach those who are spiritually curious about Jesus, enjoying our fellowship and seeking personal benefits of a life lived in God. We want to share the Gospel and baptize so that people are welcomed and encouraged to connect with the Lord and all His blessings, including Word and Sacrament. 

Engage

We then seek to move people along The Bridge to take an active role in our faith life together. To become more engaged, we are encouraged to regularly worship, form faith-based relationships, and learn to trust Jesus for spiritual growth.

Grow

The next step on the journey across The Bridge is to grow. Spiritual growth is learning how to extend and apply our faith to all areas of our lives. We find support for this growth by being in Life Groups, studying the Bible, and giving generously of our time, talents, and treasures to others at St. Paul and in the community.  

Go

The last step is sending people forth to go and make disciples. Those who have connected, engaged, and grown in faith are now released for missional, sacrificial living, which is a blessing and leads to joy. These are the people with a heart for Christ whose greatest joy is to share the good news with everyone they meet. Those who go champion Christ within the walls of St. Paul as well as out into the world.

When we encourage people to traverse The Bridge, we provide opportunities for seekers to become missionaries. We provide a path for all those who want a deeper life with Jesus at the center—His forgiveness, His love, and His grace. The Bridge is a visualization of our mission and gives a structure for our ministries to help others move from the beginnings of faith to a fruitful life in Christ. 

And each one of us, as Jesus followers, will seek to grow in our own journey across The Bridge, forming our lives to serve the Kingdom of God. All of this is possible with the help of God. We pray that He will guide us with His wisdom, grow us with His grace, and bless us with His love. To God be the Glory and to us be the joy!