Our goal for 2012 is to payoff our church mortgage and become DEBT FREE! Our payoff amount is $10,100. Please note "mortgage payoff" on donations and add to offering baskets or mail to the church office.

What: Youth Mission WeekYour Participation: * Hire someone to earn money - work at your home, business or where ever you need help! * Come and eat at MoJo's in Simpsonville on April 19th. 10% of all proceeds go to our youth. BRING FRIENDS! * On May 6th we're having a hamburger cook-out. Come to worship ready for a picnic. We will eat, play and have fun while raising money!When: Monday, June 25th – Friday, June 29thWhere: The Bridge, Simpsonville and surrounding communitiesWhy: To equip our youth to embrace others and engage in the cultureHow: 1 day spent serving our church 1 day spent serving someone from our church 3 days spent serving our communityOur youth will spend the entire week away from home just as if they went away on a mission trip. We have an extensive list of ministries and agencies in the community that we can serve. We will also be doing some teaching and training on poverty and meeting the needs of those in our communities.We would love for you to share in the fun:We are looking for two homes close to the church – 1 for the boys and 1 for the girls- where the kids can sleep and shower.Do you like to cook? How about preparing meals during the week?Join us in planning games and activities for the eveningsPlan to spend a day with us (or as many as you like)Help with transportation (again 1 day or as many as you can)Participate in our fundraising eventsProvide snacks and baked goodsThe possibilities are endless……For more info contact The Bridge at thebridge@thebridgearp.org

Time and TalentsIn 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul teaches us that we are the body of Christ. In light of this remarkable truth, the band Casting Crowns raises a powerful question in their song "If We are the Body." Consider these lyrics in light of what Scripture teaches us:If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching?Why aren't His hands healing?Why aren't His words teaching?And if we are the body, why aren't His feet going?Why is His love not showing them there is a way?Jesus paid much too high a priceFor us to pick and choose who should comeFor we are the body of Christ...Here's how you can partner with us and be the hands and feet of Christ in our world. There' something for everybody and every skill set.Team up with the DeaconsA church is never first, a building, but rather a church is the people who inhabit the building. With that in mind, there is much to do in the way of physical labor for both the people (church) and the building itself that we worship in. The deacons-led ministry provides services for The Bridge families and friends, demonstrating God's love by helping and serving widows, single moms and others with tasks such as small home repairs, lawn/home maintenance, moving, painting, etc. To get involved, contact Frank Martinez.PrayerPrayer is perhaps one of the most visible ways in which we can demonstrate our submission to and utter reliance upon God. As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians, we labor and plant but ultimately it is God who gives the growth. In light of this we must bathe everything we do in fervent prayer. We pray at 10am every Sunday and on the men come together on Wednesday at 6:30am at Panera.Nursery and Children's ChurchOur growing nursery and Children's Church is always in need of more helping hands. Come and help out so others have a chance to worship.Kids ClubEvery week many kids come to our church and we reach out to them through our Kids Klub ministry. Come and teach and show Jesus to our kids and the kids of our community.MusicIf you have the talent of music - we could use you! Our praise band is commited to excellence so auditions are required. Contact Nathaniel McDowell.CommunicationsWhile a church is not a business, it does offer a "product" to the world; it's simply the greatest and only eternal product - the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many tools and many opportunities to get the message out in an effective, excellent and God-honoring way. We are always looking for skilled volunteers to help us in areas such as web management photography writing editing printingOur goal is to make as many as possible aware of what God is doing in our church, community and world.Contact: Greg Conover or Frank MartinezGreeting and welcomingYour gift of hospitality is needed at The Bridge. If you are willing to serve the church on Sundays with your smile, we'd love to have you on the Welcome Team. Areas of service include: greeting ushering welcome centerPlease help us guide those who attend our church through a Sunday morning experience with friendly ease.LandscapingPerhaps you have a green thumb and really enjoy working outside. We are praying for a leader to come forward who will be over the maintance of the church landscape. This would include planting flowers around signs and bushes as needed.

Why Give?The Bible tells us that one of the responses to God's grace is tithing. Tithing, scripture tells us that we are showing God our desire to put him first in our lives because so much of our "happiness" comes from things rather than Jesus. Our holding onto money can be a reflection of our understanding of grace. The amazing reality of unmerited grace reflects in alll of our lives, including where and how we use our money. While the Bible lays out the foundation for why the tithe is an important part of obedience, a struggling economy or other interests can tempt us with fear or greed to skip the tithe. However, we are only called to give according to what we have with the right attitude. "Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have." (2 Corinthians 8:12)"Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you." (2 Corinthians 9:6-10)When the church tithes, regardless of economic climate or uncertainty, you can be assured that God will return to you in full measure grace, favor, mercy and blessings you cannot contain. Remember what Paul said, “Right now you have plenty and can help those are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it,” (2 Corinthians 8:15).Tithing is the only area in which God directly tells us to challenge Him. "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. (Malachi 3:10-12)So invest in Christ’s church by tithing and be a cheerful giver!To Give you can send a donation to:The Bridge257 Harrison Bridge RdSimpsonville, SC 29680

30 years old and passionate about our upcoming generation and getting them to engage their relationship with God, and live out the gospel in all that they do. I am also a Seminary student at Erskine Theological Seminary and serve in the SC Army National Guard in the Chaplains Corps.Mike Todd864-992-2399mtodd@erskine.edu

The office of a deacon was presented in Scripture as one who lives their life after the example of Jesus. One way this is 'lived out' is to serve. We are priviledged to have several deacons currently serving at The Bridge. These deacons are:Frank MartinezRandall SteppJacques MurrayRuss BrahmerTodd HendleyBen O'DellCarey WhitmanKarl SigelRudy Haberman

The Church has always had ruling elders (also known as leaders). Scripture defines a ruling elder as one who has proven to: be wise, be able to use discretion, lives a Godly life, and has sound faith (I Tim 3).Greg Conover - Teaching ElderBoo Beaty - Ruling ElderPaul Westberry - Ruling ElderNathaniel McDowell - Ruling ElderFred Dotson - Ruling ElderMike German - Ruling ElderJerry Davis - Ruling Elder

OPERATION CANDY CANE"We're Doing Something Sweet" PART 1: LADIES ONLYWhen: December 8, 2011 at The Bridge - 7:00 pmWhat: Sharing baked goods, hot chocolate, and apple cider as we listen to Christmas music and assemble bags with packets of hot chocolate, candy canes, scripture, and church info to deliver to families in a lower income neighborhood in Simpsonville.Needs: Each attendee should bring one plate of baked goodies to share.PART 2: EVERYONEWhen: December 10, 2011 at 4:00 pm at PineWood Mobile HomePark on Grandview Dr. in Simpsonville. Meet at 3:00 pm at The Bridge for carpooling.What: Caroling - Spanish and American Christmas songs while delivering the goodie bags to the families in the neighborhood.Needs: Folks willing to pile other folks into their cars for a 5 minute drive. Donations of Boxes of Hot Chocolate and packages of the small individually wrapped peppermint candy canes. Someone who is willing to lead the caroling.

Hello,My name is Frank Martinez. We are from New York and have been living in South Carolina since '03. Our friend invited us to The Bridge in '08 and it is the best invite we have had. The Bridge is a very warming and accepting place to be. It has opened our eyes and heart to what we have been missing, here we preach the word of God and know that iit s the most important part of our lives.I started to help around the A\V - sound area in October '08. If anyone has interest in serving around this area we could always use help. Just e-mail me.God Bless All,Frank

Our Address:The Bridge257 Harrison Bridge RoadSimpsonville, SC 29680To contact The Bridge for needs, comments or questions please use the contact boxes on the left of this page.

Church InformationWorship starts at 10:30. More info HERESmall Groups meet throughout the week. More info HERETo call: 864.967.2986Address: 257 Harrison Bridge Rd, Simpsonville, SC 29680Directions - HERE

Map HEREThe Bridge is a Christ centered, grace saturated church. We believe we exist to glorify God and give Him praise and glory that only He deserves. We do this because of what He has done for us. He lived a life we can't live, died a death we deserve to die and rose again to give us power and purpose.The Bridge is made up of folks from all walks of life who are not "good people" because of what we do...but because of what Christ did for us. We are a church sold out on making a difference in our communities and reaching out to hurting people. We have community groups that meet throughout the week who are committed to serving one another and those not in our church.Our worship is "contemporary" in style. We are not worried about what you wear to worship so come in jeans or a suit. We worhip for about an hour and a half. During worship we have a great nursery and during the sermon we have "Children"s Church" for those kids from 4-7 years old.We start at 10:30 each Sunday...so come early and grab a cup of coffee and a pastry. Communion is celebrated every Sunday!

Youth in Action - This Summer! This summer the youth of The Bridge will be taking a mission trip to...Simpsonville! They will be serving our local community and you can help! Click HERE to see how!

Worship at The BridgeOur worship starts at 10:30am on Sundays.Our worship is passionate and powerful.Our worship is a blend of new and old music.Our worship is God-centered and authentic, and we learn from the Bible.Our worship celebrates Communion every Sunday.Our worship has folks dressed casually but our faith is serious.Our worship is made up folks of all ages, colors and nationalities.Our worship is found at 257 Harrison Bridge Rd. Map HERE

The current newsletter is in a PDF format. Click here to view the current newsletter.

I Kings!They wanted a king and yet they had one! We are no different as we seek someone other than THE King! Come and learn how and why. We will seek the Scriptures to see the real purpose of the Temple, to look at the sins of Solomon and learn why God still used him despite grave sin in his life.I Kings is more than a history book about the kings of Isael. It is a look into our Savior and how He uses sinful people, redeems sinful people and judges unrepenant people.For a brief introduction to I Kings click HERE..Click HERE to listen to this or other messages.To sign up for a podcast feed go HERE.

I have a wonderful wife and 3 kids who love Jesus. Prior to being called into full-time ministry I was an investment banker for 13 years. Then on a short-term mission trip God called us into ministry. After graduating from Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Charlotte, we moved to Mexico and served as missionaries. After returning God called us here to Simpsonville.My Blog is HERE. I am on Twitter as @gregcbridgeSome of my core beliefs: 1. Christ is the only hope for the lost, the believer and for all nations (John 3:16). As believers we rely upon Him alone for our strength, hope and sanctification (Romans 7:24-25). As one without Christ, He alone is the answer for eternal life (John 6:51). 2. Christ is the head of the church and He is using the local church to build His Kingdom. As such we must engage the culture and speak into it (John 17:15; Acts 17:16-ff and 1 Corinthians 9:19-23). 3. We are in His grace and therefore our Father is not a ‘child abuser’. As we see His wonderful grace in light of our deep and ugly sin we love Him more and more. 4. We must always “contend for the faith” (Jude 3) and always “teach what is in accord with sound doctrine” (Titus2:1) in manner that is understood by those in front of us (1 Corinthians 9: 19-23). Jesus spoke about fishing to the fishermen and seeds and harvesting to the farmers! 5. Our ministries are to focus not just on “the members” but also on those whom Christ is going to save. We are an outward focused church participating with Christ as He builds His church. We are to be “more concerned for the harvest than the barn.” (Quoting Ed Stetzer) 6. The Bible is inerrant, without error, and infallible and is the only perfect rule for faith and life (2 Tim 3:16). 7. Jesus is both God and man, eternal, was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died, was buried and rose again on the 3rd day. He will come again to gather His church, judge mankind and those without Christ are condemned to eternal punishment (hence the focus on points above) and those in Christ will be part of the “new heavens and new earth” (Revelation 21:1-4)–enjoying our Creator and Redeemer forever and ever.



Kids KlUB - Leader Allison Whitman Join us on Facebook! Search for us under Kids KlubKids Klub at The Bridge is a safe, fun, energetic way to spend time with friends and learn about the love of Christ. Our goal is to learn about God and then live out that truth. Sunday evenings from 5:30-7:00, all children ages K4 to 5th grade journey through Discpleland. Here we learn about missionaries and God's teaching as we sing, eat snacks, play and then pray together.For added fun and learning please go to www.disciplezone.com. This site provides added information on our missionaries and lessons each week. There are snacks served, please be sure to note any allergies on the information sheet kept for each child.Nursery - Leader Ashlee O'DellNurturing, Engaging, Loving, Safe - all these words come to mind when you think of the care of your precious child. At our nursery, you will find an environment with all of that, as well as a lot of fun. The infant nursery offers comfortable rocker/gliders for holding babies and feedings, cribs for napping, and a safe area for little ones to romp. The toddler nursery provides age-appropriate toys, games and books in a safe environment. Qualified and loving volunteers ensure that each child's individual needs are met, whether it's with a story, a cuddle, or a bathroom break. We have a toddler-size bathroom area for their convenience.Children's Church - Leader Allison WhitmanYoung children need a place where the truths of Scripture can be taught in a way that is easily grasped by their ever-developing minds. We offer this opportunity to children ages 3-7 during our sermon time. Committed adults prepare hands-on activities, engaging story times, songs, movement, and exciting Bible lessons to give children a foundational understanding of Scripture geared to their needs and desires.

The purpose of our Community Groups is to have fun, make new friends, reach out to the community and learn more about Jesus.We do this in our homes, church building, and businesses in the community. Our Community Groups are focused on the community around us while being in the community of others.So most evenings during the week or early in the AM, we gather together and eat, talk, learn and serve. See Acts 2:42-46 for more information!To purchase materials go to our Amazon page HERE.To find our when and where our groups meet go HERE.

I am excited about the new directions God has been moving us in with the music ministry here at The Bridge. The praise team has been growing steadily in number and strength. With each new voice and idea flowing in, worship feels more powerful than ever before. Our corporate worship is so encouraging. There's always more to learn and experience. We sing new songs and old songs new ways! We sing from the heart to stimulate our minds as we worship in spirit and truth. Anyone desiring to join the praise team please email me ... We are always looking for more additions!I have a wonderful wife, Adrienne, and a baby son named Carter.Nathaniel

Being Missional

Embrace - Equip - EngageWe are a church passionate about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Come and join us as we worship our Creator and Redeemer celebrating His grace in our lives! We’re a “contemporary” church but we don’t forget or ignore the wisdom from the past. We love old songs done in new ways and new songs that lift up our Lord and Savior.Everyone is invited to prayer at 10am as we lift up our church, community and leaders, and to worship at 10:30.Our GoalsTo Embrace whoever is near usTo Equip the bodyTo Engage in embracing a hurting worldWe believe that all of life is worship, not just what we “do” on Sunday morning. As we worship Him in our daily lives we also serve one another, living by His grace and His grace alone. We believe that you don’t have to get “cleaned up” to come to church or to God. All the ministries at The Bridge will be either an Embracing, Equipping or Engaging ministry.We are a ‘missional’ church, meaning that we see all of life as an opportunity to seek the lost and engage the culture for Christ’s sake within these ministries:Worship - All of life is worship but once a week we gather together as a community of believers to be embraced by Christ, to be equipped by His Word and to engage those who walk in our doors.Community Groups - Sunday isn’t the only time we should get together and Biblically we see in Acts 2:42-46, the church gathered in the homes of church to “do life” and learn about Jesus. At The Bridge we are becoming a church of “community groups” where we can grow together, invite lost friends who see that Christ is real and really cares for all aspects of our lives. Community groups include: youth, Kids Klub, women’s Bible studies, men’s ministry and all intimate groups meeting throughout the week.Acts of Compassion - The Bible tells us to embrace the hurting and to feed to poor. We are committed to this and more. Within Acts of Compassion are conferences to reach and teach our neighbors about marriage, finances and the Gospel. Ultimately the greatest act of compassion we can show is the love of Christ.Church Planting - A living organism by definition is one that grows and reproduces. A church, as a body, should do the same. But for what purpose? For The Bridge it’s to reproduce and plant new, healthy, reproductive churches. One of the hardest things to do is to start a new church and we want to lessen the burden for the church planter. How? By supplies, money, resources and people. Our goal is to lose our best folks to a new church in an area where a grace driven church is needed.Missions - Matthew 28 is clear that we are to go! In the Greek, the verb actually says “while going…” It was implied the church would go! In Acts, we see that we are to be “missional” locally and around the world. So we will go (to Spain?), send and become “like a Greek to reach the Greeks.”Facility Upgrades - As God opens the doors for our ministries, we will need to improve our facilities so we can embrace new people. We want to embrace people who have special needs, who need a place to play (soccer fields and baseball fields) kids who want to play on great equipment. This list is long as are the needs of our community.Being MissionalBeing a missionary is what ALL Christians are called to be. Many believe it is only for those in foreign countries or for a committee at a church. Not at The Bridge - it"s how we"re called to live. It"s how we see the world...not as our enemy but lost and in need of a radical love.What is Missional?We see that God is a missional God. He came into a world to seek and save, to redeem and restore, to make whole what was broken and to love the unlovable. He did not make people come to Him, He went to them, starting by leaving eternity to come to earth - to be on a mission!He came and did not make us adapt to Him and His way but He adapted to us. He ate our food and spoke to us so we could understand the Gospel. He spoke truth and did not shy from telling it. He was hated by the religious folks and loved by the "sinners".It’s wanting more for others than they want for themselves – like Jesus did for Jerusalem as He wept for her. It’s giving up comforts and wants so that others can have – like Jesus did for us. It’s restoring broken marriages and families - bringing real peace to real people who have real problems. Imagine a community sold out for Christ and a place that cares more for the lost than themselves. Imagine a church that is known more for their compassion than its own building. More for the hurting and for humanity than for their “reputation”.At The Bridge being Missional means "being all things to all people" and at the same time teaching "sound doctrine" and not compromising on the work of Jesus on the cross.

Reading ListFor 2012 it is our desire that you grow in Christ and your understanding of who He is and what He did for you and me. This means learning, reading and doing! Go HERE for a list.

WELCOME 1 Kings!They wanted a king, and yet they had one! We are no different, as we seek someone other than THE King! Come and learn how and why. LISTEN

Bridge & Amazon.com Join us for worship every Sunday at 10:30am. More info HERENursery and Children's Church (ages 3-7) provided. More info HEREKids Klub (ages K4-5th grade) meets Sunday nights. More info HERE