New To Bridgeway?
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The best way I ever thought to describe how a new person views engaging with Bridgeway for the first time, was to recount a scene from Pixar’s animated movie about a lost little clownfish, Nemo. Nemo’s dad, Marlin, is looking for his child. In the process he has to travel to Sydney, Australia. The fastest way there is the “East Australian Current". Well, from a fish’s perspective the East Australian Current looks like a crazy swirling vortex of water flying by. Fish and turtles are flying by as he sits outside and watches. Scared to jump in he has to be coaxed. But once he leaps into the current, he realizes that it’s very peaceful as everyone is hurtling at the same speed. Inside he is free to relax and engage in conversation. Yeah, Bridgeway’s a lot like that. You see, Bridgeway sits in the center of three rapidly growing cities, Rocklin, Roseville and Lincoln. It’s full of new families and new opportunities. Just down the road at Twelve Bridges is a very active retirement community. So, no matter where you go, people are on the go. No matter who you meet, everyone seems to be in a hurry and building their lives. Add to that, the fact that this is a rapidly growing church. In the last 4 years we’ve grown numerically from about 450 people on a given weekend, to about 1600 (with lots of hitting the ‘ceiling’ and coming back down in that time). So, most of the people you will meet feel like they are brand new too. So, is it any wonder that it feels like you’re brand new and looking from the outside in? It’s likely that the people on your right and left feel the same way. So, let me give you a couple hints on the best way (at least in my opinion) to make the transition into making this church your home, and settling down with some roots.
Secondly, you have to look into joining a small group. There is no way that you are going to meet people by just the ‘meet and greet’ time at church. Sure, the pleasantries tell you that the place is friendly and you may see a lot of faces that seem like they would be great to meet, but honestly, are there any real, deep connections made at that time? Very few. So, what we have to realize is that people need time together in smaller environments to connect. There has to be a structure that forces us to give and take over a small period of time without interruption. In a small group, not only do we have a chance to be challenged in our growth with the Lord, but we see the same faces with access to talk to them about more than just the weather. Third, consider joining a ministry. We have so many ministries going on around here that I have a hard time keeping track of them. So, I’m sure there is a place for you to join in. It could be the hospitality ministry, it could be the children’s ministry, it could be the Greeting ministry. It doesn’t really matter initially where you serve if one of the key points is fellowship and connection. When you engage in a ministry with others you have a joint feeling of purpose. It allows you to ‘feel’ like you’ve earned your right to make the building your home (even though, you already have the right the moment you walk in). It allows you to talk with others while doing something, instead of just sitting at a table awkwardly. A ministry is a place where you can serve with what God’s given you and connect with other people who share a similar passion, or just love the Lord like you do. In my life, I was always the one that started the ministry and asked people to join me, so that option is open to you as well (except you need to realize that some ministries require you to be here a while before you start them) if none of the current ministries have openings (which I can’t imagine).
I could go on and on, but I think this can get you started. Sure, there’s going to be few that are hardcore enough to share their testimony on the big screen before they know a whole lot of people and suddenly everyone seems to know them, but those are few and far between. We just need to realize that most friendships and connections happen accidentally and we need to place ourselves strategically in life to ‘accidentally’ bump into more people in meaningful ways, if we want to connect. We’d love it to be more planned out and controlled than that, but usually those environments feel stuffy.
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Newcomers Dinner's are held several times a year at Bridgeway. If you have filled out a Welcome Card, you will receieve an invitation to the Newcomers Dinner- or you can call the church office to get put on the list. At the Newcomers Dinner, you will have a chance to interact with Ministry Leaders from Bridgeway, as well as the staff and elders. The pastor's will fill you in on the churches history, and answer questions, and you'll get to interact with other families at Bridgeway. Not to mention enjoy a great dinner!
This is the BEST way to find out what's going on here at Bridgeway. The connections class is held several times a year and is several weeks long. During the class, you will be introduced to leaders from every ministry at Bridgeway, and they will tell you about their ministry and how you can get involved. You will also meet the church elders, and pastors. It's a great opportunity to ask questions, gather information, and learn about what ministry is a great fit for you and your family!
Held the last week of the Connections Class, the Membership Class is led by Pastor Russ Graeff. Pastor Russ will explain our church's core beliefs, short and long term vision, and membership requirements. At the end of the class, you are given a membership covenant to take home and consider.
Bridgeway Christian Church is known for powerful, life-changing preaching and transformational worship. But we realize that there is more to spiritual growth than just attending a great worship service. God wants to transform our lives as we grow in our knowledge and experience of Him in the context of significant relationships. Small groups provide that context. We currently have groups for men, women, singles, couples, as well as mixed groups open to all. Contact Mark Henkel for more information or call the church office.
Baptism is very important at Bridgeway because it’s a special time to not only tell the whole world what’s occurred in your heart (outward act to demonstrate an inward change), but it’s also a time to connect visibly as wanting to be a part of the greater body of Christ. Usually we all gather once a year to do a massive baptism of many folks at one time in a public location (usually lake or river), yet we have also done personal baptisms with small gatherings as well, as we have opportunity or need. We believe in the full immersion (go under water) of individuals who profess a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
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Pastor Lance's Advice on Plugging In
First of all, you showing up consistently, helps. I have a number of folks that come to me after a year saying that they never made any friends or never connected with anyone, except the pastoral staff. Well, I know for a fact that as I look out each and every weekend those folks weren’t around half the time. In fact, you never knew when they would show. They would come one week, take off two and then show up again, then take off three. When it came to Summertime, forget about it. We need to realize when we do that, it doesn’t allow familiarity, it just continues the feeling that you are out of your element and the place doesn’t ‘feel like home.’ We are creatures of habit and the more we attend, the more our mind locks into our surroundings (so much so that our next move to a new building has proved to be a challenge for some long-timers). Oh, and by the way, arriving late and leaving early or immediately, doesn’t increase your chances of meeting people either.
Fourth, attend the Events. Just last Easter a young lady fell and hurt her ankle. When I went in to check on her there were two paramedics that were off work and at the Easter egg hunt with their kids. I briefly spoke to both of them and after praying with the young lady, I headed out to do my jobs. A week later I was at the gym and ran into one of the paramedic guys. He was extremely friendly and we struck up a conversation. You see, that kind of stuff happens at events. You don’t have to know anyone, to show up, because when you leave there are a bunch more familiar faces. Then when you see them at church, or at the store, you have an automatic tie-in to start a conversation. Events just provide the excuse to be together and meet new people. Sure the function may be fun, but it may be truly set up to provide a platform for connection. Consider all the friends that you’ve had through the years. Aren’t most of them accidental? You worked together, or you played soccer together, or a mutual friend introduced you. The same thing applies today and in church. Think about it.
I know it seems a bit overwhelming at first, but trust me, once you jump in with both feet and meet a few of the wonderful people we have around here, you will be more peaceful. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. So, pray about it, gather your courage and get out there and get involved. We need you out there just as much as you need us. I tend to know a majority of the congregation and I’m telling you, I’ve never met more incredible people. Not everyone has time to be best friends, but some are looking for just that. Sometimes, it’s just nice to know those that worship around you, so you can feel like you’re at home.
