Bridgeway Church

Not just in this year, but every year, we should be dedicated to loving and standing up for everyone – not just people that look the way we do. We should step into this year ready to be justice oriented, committed to mercy for all, and to be a humble presence.

It's so easy to get caught up in politics and declaring that you're for this side or that side. It gets to the point sometimes where winning for "our side" because more important than reflecting the power of God's love. It's time we stick up for God's side and not a political side.

We've stepped foot into another election year. I'm sure many of us are mentally preparing for the mud slinging and arguments that will come from "the other side" as the year progresses. As we navigate this year, we need to make it a point to show love and grace to those who we don't agree with and find common ground in this stressful time.

Our Christmas message at Bridgeway for 2023

Repentance is so much more than just feeling sorry for your actions, but repentance means to change your mind. Repentance is not popular. To truly repent, we need to look closely and honestly at our lives and see where we need to change.

There's something amazing that happens when we realize how we can be used by God and where we fit in. And something just as amazing happens when we can point out someone else's calling and support others living out their calling. God is using us in awesome ways!

The majority of us have struggled at times in our lives with feelings of inadequacy. Even Mary felt that way when she was told she would be the mother of Jesus. God doesn't care about your abilities and what you feel like you can and can't do. He needs your availability.

No one likes to wait. Sometimes it's something small like waiting for our order at a restaurant, but other times it's waiting months or years for God to answer our prayers. Joel talks in today's message about how God works through us in our time of waiting.

Something traumatic happening to you is not the end. It may seem like it at the time, but God uses broken people for beautiful things. Finding your community and people you can be real with can help you grow from your trauma. |

There are so many people in the Bible who write about being depressed. We can all experience depression at times in our lives — whether it’s for a week or for years. It’s important to have conversations about depression to destigmatize it and learn how we can help ourselves and others.

The number of people struggling with mental health continues to grow. It's important for us to have conversations about mental health and recognize that our mental health matters to God. This week of Mental Matters, we talk with therapist Kate Holcomb about managing anxiety. https://www.bridgewaykokomo.com/mentalmatters

We often let what others think of us dictate what we think of ourselves. If we keep conforming to these lies, we eventually won't know who we are anymore. We need to remember that our identity is in God and not in others.

We tell ourselves that we are what we own. Some of us want people to see us by our clothes, or our house, or by the items we own, but God reminds us that we are his beloved children. By remembering that, we can combat the possession lie.

One of the big lies we tell ourselves is, “I am what I do.” When we find identity in what we do, we set ourselves up to feel like we’ve failed when we aren’t the best at our job or our hobbies. Our identity is not something we have to achieve. It’s a gift that we’ve received from God. 

We’re called to be weird. To have hope in a world that seems hopeless. To serve others no matter if we see eye to eye or not. To not be afraid. We’re called to stand out.

Sometimes it's difficult to see who's in control. We may look around and think that the world is falling apart or that satan has taken control. But Revelation assures us that God is in control and He is the one on the throne.

Babylon was a city filled with sin, but John writes to the churches in Babylon urging them to be counter cultural and to not look like the city where they live, but to look like Jesus and love like Jesus. What would it look like if we received a letter like this today?

The book of Revelation speaks of a Dragon and a Beast. On the surface, it seems like a terrifying telling of what dangers will come at the end of the world. There’s no need to live in fear of these things. This week in Apocalypse for Normal People, Joel dissects these and unveils the true meaning behind these figures talked about in Revelations.

If you've grown up in the church, it's hard to think of Revelation as a book of hope. It's often viewed as a terrifying telling of the end of the world. It's actually a letter designed to give hope to churches that were being persecuted. It doesn't reveal a script for the end of the world, but it does reveal Jesus who will ultimately restore everything to good.

Comparison is something that is ingrained in all of us. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others. We are God's masterpiece – we should find ways to celebrate instead of comparing. Doing this can bring you more joy and can strengthen your relationships with others.

Are you living a life that leads to "why"? A life that makes people question your selflessness, your love and your joy. Living a life that makes people stop and ask why and being focused on earthly good is what true witnessing is all about.

As Christians, we're called to practice hospitality. We're called to be welcoming and find ways to bless those that we don't agree with and don't see eye to eye with. We're not here to convert non-Christians. We're here to love them.

Jesus calls us to go and make disciples. It’s a daunting command. But when he tells us to make disciples, he’s talking about loving those closest to us. Getting to know those people and caring for them — our friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, our Oikos.

Christians have so many ideas of what evangelism is or how to properly evangelize to others. In this series, we're reframing evangelism and looking at it in a new way. A way that is honoring to God and loving towards those we interact with.

What if we went out of our way to talk to those that are different than us? What if we took time to learn their stories and their struggles? As an apprentice to Jesus, we should seek to understand others. Compassion comes about when we are curious.