The Bridge RSM

In 2026, we want to be a church that gets more engaged with prayer. But like anything, we won't just start praying at length because we resolved to do so. We need training. And that begins with an honest assessment of what our challenges are to a prayer-filled life. Pastor Ryan begins our year in earnest with a series reflecting on What Makes Prayer So Difficult. The starting place? Apathy. It's e...

Matthew 4:1–4, Matthew 6:16–18 Whenever we talk about fasting, we usually ask the question of what we're choosing to go without. Whether it's food or something else, we fixate on the thing we are setting aside. But the whole purpose of setting one thing aside is to take another thing on. We fast from, in order to fast for something greater! Fasting is a tool for us to tend the mess in our hearts a...

2 Timothy 3:14–16 What do you live by? Everyone has something they trust in. A source of truth that guides their mental maps of the world they're navigating. For Jesus, that foundation was the Hebrew Scriptures. For His followers, the same holds true, along with writings from His followers in the immediate aftermath of His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. We learn to live a life in proxim...

Matthew 2:1–12 God does not pursue you for your treasure, He pursues you for your heart. His love draws back those who don't know Him, those who have wandered away from His love, and those who have become stagnant and complacent. As we start to conclude this Advent season, Pastor Ryan speaks to us from Matthew 2 about how God's love pursues and humbles our hearts, and how He's given us His all-suf...

Luke 2:8–14 Would you characterize yourself as joyful? What about when things go wrong? Biblical joy is enduring and goes beyond circumstances to become who we are deep down. It can overcome fear to help us think clearly in difficult situations. Biblical, divine joy comes from proximity to God in prayer and worship and it's a fruit of our being recreated into the character of Jesus, full of joy.

Isaiah 9:6–7 As we continue the Advent season this year we look to the Prince of Peace, as the One who provides for us a Peace that is both permanent and unwavering. Peace is not the absence of conflict and chaos, but is rather the presence of the fullness of God. Sometimes it's rewarding to chase after the peace that God gives; to sit back and ask ourselves "Which of these things truly gives me G...

Luke 2:22–35 As we begin the Advent season this year we look a the story of Simeon, recorded by Luke in his gospel. Simeon's is a story of Hope, at length deferred, but finally fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. Simeon heard from the Lord and had hope in Him. He had a trust in things yet unseen. What does it look like for us to step into Simeon's sandals? What can we learn when we come & see th...

Revelation 21:1-22:5 Do you have a vision of Heaven? Pastor Ryan concludes our series through the Epic Story of Scripture with just that. We look at the end of Revelation as John paints for us a picture of what eternity in the presence of God will be like! We will have God with us forever, no more pain or sorrow, and a life where all things are new... always. Hallelujah!

Revelation 20 What will it be like after Jesus comes back? Is it a time to be fearful of or a time to look forward to with hopeful anticipation? The answer to that depends on you. Do you want to be ruled by King Jesus? That is the reality and the question set before us as Pastor Ryan draws our year-long journey through the Bible near its conclusion with a look at Revelation 20 and the reign of Kin...

Isaiah 6:1-8 There is one attribute of God's that gets repeated three times when it's used. That is that God is holy, holy, holy. He is utterly other and worthy of true awe and reverence. Pastor Mike returns to set before us what it means to live in the fear of the Lord and pursue the Kingdom of Heaven first.

Revelation 19 Do you know the end of the Epic Story? It's pretty simple: Jesus wins! The power of Satan holds sway in many venues in the world, giving rise to the influence of the Biblical concept of Babylon all around us. Followers of Jesus can, however, have hope. In the end the Lamb of God, the Savior of the World, Jesus the Anointed One, The very God of Creation Incarnate will return in glorio...

Acts 10 Who is it too hard for you to share the love of Jesus with? Who do you think you can't be in fellowship with? Who can you not reach with the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven? People who speak differently? Dress differently? Vote differently? Believe differently? Does being a Christian mean to you that someone think, vote, and believe all the same things as you? Acts 10 paints a picture for...

Acts 2:42-47 What might the impact be if people knew the Church as simply "the place where God is"? What curiosity and hunger might it stir up? What might it change about what we expect to see when we gather? The manifest presence of God is available to us whenever we gather and He wants to change things in and among us! His presence brings healing, reordered priorities, and makes us an irresistib...

Acts 1:4-8, Acts 2:1-2 Have you ever felt like an ill-equipped representative of Jesus? Jesus said that we would have troubles in life, but to take heart because He had overcome the world and He would send a Helper. That Helper came in the pouring out of God's Holy Spirit, initially at the Pentecost feast in Jerusalem following Jesus death, resurrection, and ascension. That same Spirit is availabl...

Romans 6:1-14; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Colossians 3:1-17 What does the resurrection of Jesus reveal about God and what does it mean for you? The reality is that, despite the pain and heartache of the world, Jesus is already victorious over the powers of sin and darkness that seem to hold sway over the present. He has achieved victory over death, which means he has achieved victory over sin itself....

Luke 23 What kind of person would forgive while being insulted? What kind of person would forgive while being literally nailed up on a cross? What kind of person would have compassion for the very people murdering them? God would. The beauty of the cross is that God, while we were stuck in our own brokenness and sinfulness, paid the debt that had separated us from Him and drew us into Himself thro...

John 14:15-31 Do you ever feel like you need help for this life? Like you don't know the words to say or how to act when in difficult situations? Like you don't know how to comfort those who are suffering? Like you don't know how to follow Jesus in the unique circumstances of your life? There's good news! Jesus promised us The Helper; His Holy Spirit who comes alongside us and leads us into all tr...

Bilingual Baptism Service Matthew 3:13-17 Our place is in God's world is defined by two things: our relationship to Him, and our responsibility as citizens of His kingdom. In Jesus, we have been adopted as beloved children of God. It's from that place that we look to God the Father for direction and we respond in obedience; not as a means to receive love, but in response to it. Likewise, we are am...

Matthew 19:13-15 Jesus redefines our worldly norms in order to change our perspective and benefit His kingdom. Today, Matt Kladnik, our Head of School for RSM Christian, walks us through Matthew 19:13-15, when Jesus' disciples rebuked the parents of children that were looking to be with Jesus. You see, Jesus invites us to have a child-like faith. He wants to have a relationship with us because we...

Matthew 10:7-8 Are you a fan of Jesus? That's great! But Jesus didn't call us to be fans. He called us to be followers and he called us to Bring The Kingdom to the world. He called us to proclaim the Good News, demonstrate it, and freely give it away. Pastor Grace Kladnik takes us through what it means to be active participants in the work of declaring the Kingdom of God is at hand to all people,...

Matthew 4:17–22 Who are you following and where are they leading you? Do you find your life characterized by peace and joy or anxiety and anger? The Bible tells the story of the King over all of Creation. And the best part? His Kingdom is one of peaceful flourishing for humanity and He is always beckoning us to come and follow; to be Followers of the King and live as bringers of light and life, pa...

Luke 4:1–41 Three of the gospel accounts begin Jesus' ministry with a call to "repent for the Kingdom of God has arrived". Pastor Cami takes us through the dynamic fourth chapter of Luke as Jesus' ministry launches into His earthly ministry having been tested in the wilderness and then proclaiming what the Kingdom is like and demonstrating it's power. He shows a Kingdom that is compassionate and c...

Luke 3:1–20 What has the whole Epic Story of Scripture been leading us to? It starts here, with the story of John, an Israelite prophet in the wilderness preparing the people to Receive the King that the Old Testament was pointing to all along. Jesus was coming and while John was baptizing people with water in the Jordan, He would come baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire. John led us to r...

Mark 5:1–20 God's Royal Story isn't like other stories. There are no castle walls keeping out the rabble. There is only a benevolent King who goes into broken places, brings real change to hearts and circumstances, and calls us into ambassadorship right where we are. We don't have to get fixed up and knighted before we're ready to participate in God's Royal Story. We can always begin to proclaim t...

Malachi 4 There are two ways of living: living in darkness or in daytime. God promises to restore us to life in Him again, and as we wait for that time, how do we chose to use it? Do you live in the darkness of the world, with anticipation of morning coming? Or do you live in the expectation of the dawn, in constant preparation for the wonders that He has in store? What time of day are you living...