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VISION 2023: The Bridge
The Bridge is not only our vision for 2023 and beyond, but also our new way of visualizing what it means when we say we live to know Christ and make Christ known! The goal of The Bridge is to help us grow in our faith as we travel the length of The Bridge together.
The Bridge is a four-stage journey of spiritual growth that begins and ends with connecting— first as the new person connecting to St. Paul and last as a follower of Jesus released to go and make disciples:
· 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.
In the coming years, we will refocus our ministries within the context of the four stages of The Bridge. We will reimagine how each ministry can be used to support one or more of the four stages. In the same way, our Church Council will review our policy manual and align our desired outcomes within this new framework. The elders will reshape their spiritual support, and all our ministry teams will reimagine how to offer ministry experiences to move people across The Bridge.
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!