The Bridge Church Sermons

Here is a staggering statistic: more than half of Americans report feeling lonely. Loneliness is one of our greatest fears and hardships, but the antidote is something we’re almost equally as fearful of—vulnerability with others. There is so much good found in relationship with others, but sometimes it’s messy and hard, so we turn the other way. But from the very beginning, being alone is one of the things God deemed “not good.” It’s in our very design to be among others—designed for community by a God who embodies community. How do we fight the loneliness? How do we live in community the way God has always intended for us? Support the show

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We’re imperfect in many ways, but one things that fails us regularly is our memories. And this isn’t new to humanity in a distracted, busy age. In fact, all the way in the book of Joshua, there’s a story of the Jordan River, which God parts so the Israelites could pass, and He calls them to do something so they’ll never forget the miracle.They stack stones. It’s the first thing God has them do after making it through—worship and build a monument. And every time they see the stacked stones, they’ll remember. When their kids see the stacked stones, they’ll ask for the stories. And the story of God’s faithfulness will go on, and on, and on. For generations.The legacy of faith we’re called to leave is too vital, and God’s faithfulness is too incredible. So today, how do we stack our own stones?Support the show

Here's a sobering truth: we can't get wise all on our own. As capable and self-reliant we'd like to think we are, wisdom is simply not something we can source all by ourselves. But here's where the challenge lies: Where, then, do we source our wisdom?  Finding the source requires journeying to the center of wisdom—more specifically, biblical wisdom. And the good news is, God doesn't keep the source a secret. So let's take the journey. Listen here: Support the show

Voices compete, and we live among the noise. And it's not just others speaking over each other—our own minds can be filled with noise that make the voice of God inaudible. If we're going to live in the way of wisdom, we have to know how to hear it, how to listen to the right voices and sources, and how to quiet all the distractions vying to pull us away. How do we tune the competing voices out and tune in to the voice of God? Listen to "Heeding Wisdom's Call" here: Support the show

Strife... drama... conflict... Whatever you want to call it, it's present all around us. And whether we feel right in the middle of it or not, we're witnesses to it in our culture every single day. So, if you think this message isn't for you... think again. The reality of life is that we'll find ourselves in the middle of conflict more than we want to, and Christ-followers are called to come at conflict with one goal: to preserve unity. The way of wisdom tackles conflict with a weapon unlike any other, and it changes everything. Listen to "Preserving Unity in Conflict" here: Support the show

Scroll right past this if you're good at people criticizing you. It's not our natural response to welcome people telling us that we're not perfect—especially when the feedback isn't packaged in a pretty way. But we also have all been guilty of not packaging it pretty too. Long story short, feedback and criticism is not easy. But there is a way to walk in wisdom through it, whether we're on the giving or receiving end. How do we do it? Support the show

What wins in the face of division? What's the play we should call when it feels like it's an "us vs. them" game? In a culture that amplifies the loudest voices and the hottest takes, what if a win is gained by gentleness? A few weeks back, Pastor Ian got to sit down with Scott Sauls, an incredibly gifted pastor and author who is passionate about a concept he calls "a gentle answer." In this Crucial Conversation together, they address how Christians can faithfully engage in some of the difficult conversations that can easily feel divisive, knowing that Jesus shows us how to embrace those different from us in more ways than one. As you listen, challenge yourself to think of a way you can embrace someone that might be a "them" in your mind. The way of Jesus was gentleness, and his mightiest act was done even for those who crucified him. How can that change the way we interact and engage with our world? Support the show

There are times in your life where we would say pain is in our life. Other times, it feels like pain is more than that—that pain defines our life. Naomi was a case of the latter, to the point that she described herself as "empty". When faced with all kinds of hardship and hopelessness, in times where our lives seem empty and defined by our pain, what do we do? Where do we find strength? Purpose? Hope? The story of Naomi shows us that the call of the follower of Jesus is not to look away from hardship, but to look at it fully…and keep looking at it until, by God’s grace, the brokenness we saw at first becomes absorbed into something more complex… more counterintuitive… or even more beautiful than what we saw at first glance.Support the show

A man humbles himself to bus tables for widows and ends up changing the world. How?Stephen was a man we know very little about, except for the end of his life. Confronted with death, he spoke truth and grace. From his story we see, as the Holy Spirit moves, we are filled with courage and compassion to communicate our convictions; allowing for grace, power, wisdom, and faith to grow in our lives. To hear Stephen’s story, listen here:Support the show