Today BridgePointe is assembling at Bristol Town Beach to celebrate baptisms. These baptisms are an outward expression of surrender and faith in the God that’s been pursuing them and restoring them through Jesus. Here are the stories of the people choosing to be baptized today. Read them and praise God with us for His work in each life. Join us in praying that these baptisms are just the starting point for each of these people.
More photos can be found in our Summer Kickoff album on our Facebook page.

Brent A.

Before I became a believer I figured I could do everything myself through hard work and dedication and trying to be a good person. Despite that hard work and many successes I found myself still empty and searching for more. I didn’t understand who Jesus was and how much I needed Him. I committed to Him about 10 years ago and know I was saved, but still kept Him at a distance. Some recent turmoil in my life forced me to seek Him out in a much more passionate manner. I’ve begun to discover just how loving and powerful He is. My baptism today is symbolic of how He has cleansed me and represents a new beginning with Him as the center of my life. I am very excited to dedicate my life to Him, knowing Him more each day, and learning to love others as​ He loves us.

Lillie A.

My name is Lillie, and I believe in God and Jesus! 

When I was 4, my Nana and Papa gave me my first bible. Since then, I have learned a lot from it, like how God can take the bad dreams away. I even sleep with it under my pillow. When I have a test at school, or when I have a bad day, I ask God to help me. I thank Him for the good things in my life. I know Jesus is in my heart, and I want to be baptized to show how much I love God and want to live by His word.

Thank you for praying for me, I am ONE. 

Cory M.

I grew up in a Catholic household. I went to church every Sunday, was baptized as an infant, received communion, and made my confirmation. After I completed my confirmation I felt myself slowly drifting away, even though I still believed In Jesus. Eventually I started to not go to church every Sunday, then only on holidays, until I stopped going altogether. I went to college and got married and divorced at a young age. I eventually met a friend who started talking to me about Christianity. It started out as just talking and then lead to listening to Christian music and meeting with the pastor who once mentored him. I was going through tough times mentally and emotionally after my divorce. The one thing that got me through was his friendship and his highlighting the fact that through everything that was going on, I was still blessed. Though the years that followed were some of the toughest times I have ever experienced I have never felt Jesus’s presence more than I did at that point in my life. I find my thirst to know more about Jesus grows each day. I started going to another Christian church for a while. It wasn’t until I met my girlfriend that I was introduced me to BridgePointe, and I am happy to call BridgePointe my home. No matter how long or stressful each week is I look forward to taking my family to church and long for more knowledge. In hopes I can build a loving family in Jesus’s name. For a few years now I have been tossing the idea around about being baptized and It wasn’t until I came to BridgePoint that I felt at home and truly feel I am ready to finally be baptized and continue to do my best in following Jesus. Thank you for praying for me, I am One!

Jennifer B.

I grew up going to church every week from the time I was born through high school. My mom was very involved with our church and was a youth group leader so I remember spending every Wednesday night at church with her in addition to going to Sunday School and church choir. I volunteered in the nursery every week for many years and also became a Sunday School teacher as I grew older. I became confirmed when I was in junior high school and had my children baptized in my church on Long Island. I loved my church, still do, and it will forever be a part of my childhood. In all my time there, I didn’t feel engaged and the sermons were​ something I was just counting the minutes until it ended. I am happy to be a part of a church where the message speaks directly to me.

I did attend Christian high school and my relationship with Jesus grew stronger during that time. Those were really wonderful years in my life. It was in high school that I met the friend who would ultimately bring me back to church just a few short years ago.

I grew away from the church during college and the years after not incorporating it as an integral part of my life. I have always been a believer but did not have the relationship I now have with Jesus. 

I have had a very hard time the last few years dealing with a loved one’s addiction and the end of my marriage. Overnight I became a single mother and I was lost, scared and bewildered. I started going to church the day after my husband moved out of our home and remember going to church every week crying and barely keeping it together. This church, which was our sister church and has now closed, saved me. God saved me. I am broken. I am forgiven. I came to terms with this and have given it all to Him. Throughout the last two and a half years I have served at church, joined a community group and attend most weeks. My relationship with Jesus has grown in leaps and bounds and I now understand that my path is what God wants it to be. Putting my trust in God’s path has been challenging and hard but also understanding this brings me great peace and hope. I know I can do anything with Him in my life even in the hardest of times. I am blessed in my life even when it is hard and am ready to take this next step on my journey.

Today I am giving my life to Jesus, the word and I’m so excited to take these next steps in my faith. Thank you to my awesome community group who has become my family; people I can count on, people I laugh with and people I cry with. I ’m not sure I could have made it through these tough times without their love and support. It took me a long time to join in and I’m so glad I did. It’s really special that today I am being baptized along with two of my fellow group members and by my group leader who has become a rock in my life.

Thank you for praying for me. I am ONE.

Jim B.

Paul B.

I grew up in a nominally Catholic home, which means I typically set foot in a church twice a year, on Christmas and Easter. This exposure wasn’t enough to start my journey of faith, however; that was left in the unlikely hands of Albert Einstein and the founding fathers, particularly Jefferson. They were deists, and my thinking was if deism was good enough for these men whose accomplishments I greatly value, it was good enough for me. I believed that God existed, but that he wasn’t particularly concerned about what happened to me or the ones I loved. While I was never hostile toward organized religion, I never felt a desire to explore one either. This is the view I held for most of my life. Then I met Kristyn and, as the saying goes, everything changed.

Kristyn made it clear that her faith was a big part of her life and that if I wanted to be a part of her life, we would join a church. I may be overstating it, but I think my first exposure to scripture was at West Church in Haverhill, MA. In my very limited attendance of church growing up, I spent so much effort trying to figure out if I was supposed to be sitting, standing or kneeling at any given moment, that I don’t remember hearing a single word the priest said. Pastor Dale, on the other hand, had a way of pulling God’s love for his children out of the Bible every week, and I began to look forward to service on Sunday. When we decided to get married I was fortunate enough to have Dr. Broersma, Kristyn’s childhood pastor, patiently answer all my questions as he gave me a crash course in the Bible. My family is blessed to call BridgePointe home, and my journey continues here along with the love and support of the amazing people in my community group who are examples of God’s grace every day. While my knowledge of God’s teachings is still very much a work in progress, my belief that Jesus loves me and is my savior is complete.

In my long trip to Christ,​ I have gone from blindly and stubbornly planting my feet on the ground to shuffling, stumbling and then walking towards him. I’m ready to run.

Thank you for praying for me. I am ONE.

Ellen C.

My life was just like any other. I have loving parents, two siblings and great friends. But when I started going to BridgePointe, I met many people that are just like me that I’ve grown to love that showed me how my life could improve if I let Jesus in. I always felt I was missing something but didn’t know what it was until I let Jesus come into my life! I feel whole now and found the missing puzzle piece in my life!

I know Jesus loves me and will always be there for me. I love Jesus and always will look to him for guidance

Thank you for praying for me. I am One. 

Sarah C.

Seven years ago I found myself searching for something or someone, for a piece of myself that I needed to feel complete. At times I wondered how I had gotten through this life without someone watching over me. My husband always seemed to know that Jesus was the one who was there for me.

Recently, we decided to try to find a church that felt like home. We have found that in BridgePointe. I have found that in Jesus. My commitment to Jesus seemed to happen so fast, but it all feels completely right. I have found my missing piece. I can see that Jesus has been here all along. I just needed to open my heart to Him, so He could complete it. 

I know that I am new to the church and faith and I know I have a lot to learn, but I am truly excited for my future with Jesus in it. 

Greg C.

Corban C.

I believe in Jesus and want to follow him for my whole life. The reason I want to get baptized now is because the sooner I get baptized, the more of my life I have to follow Jesus.

Derek D.

I was raised Roman Catholic and had neutral opinions towards religion. I mostly felt that it was a series of rules on how to be a good person. But I also felt a sense of guilt and boredom with it. Once I graduated high school I completely avoided religion. As a young adult, I met a friend and I was so impressed with her gentleness and kindness. We talked about religion quite a bit and she bought me a Bible. She explained to me that everyone has a God-sized hole within their heart and that nothing else could fill it. I understood what she meant, that there was an unexplainable yearning within my heart, a restlessness that nothing could fill. This was when I first began to explore the idea of​ a God who you can have a relationship with. I've come to realize that Jesus offers hope. Through Jesus, broken things and broken people and circumstances can be restored. After developing a relationship with God, the times that I try to do my own thing or stray I feel far from him and a sense of psychic misalignment. It's at those times that I make decisions I'm not proud of or that don't reflect my true character. I also know I can always return and He will welcome me. He sees every part of me from the things I am most proud of to my darkest corners. And He has provided comfort and guidance to me. I am excited about baptism because it is an overt gesture to myself and to God that says search me, refine me, heal me, make me more like you. It says I'm listening, speak to me and use me.

Amanda D.

Jesus has been by my side for as long as I can remember. I was about 8 years old when I knew I needed to start following him. I have had a few up and downs in my young life. The hardest was when my best friend passed away. I had never experienced losing someone I knew all my life. I was so angry and hurt, and in disbelief. I questioned God, “Why? Why does this have to happen to me, someone who you knew was so close to me.” I stopped following God for about a year. And let me tell you, I was so beyond lost, but one day God found me. He helped me get through a nightmare I thought I was never going to wake up from. He guided and helped me through the hardest and most emotional events that followed the next five years. He never gave up or left my side, But clearly, I​ was being too stubborn to not recognize that prior. 

Nine years later, I am grateful that God made me who I am today. I am passionate in my faith, pray for forgiveness, and obtain mercy to then find grace. I have been ready to be baptized for a while and haven’t found a church that felt like home, but now I have. I am so blessed to have a beautiful family and husband who last year has finally found God. I am beyond excited and so very blessed to soon watch my husband be baptized, and then have him baptize me. Together, we will continue to follow Jesus as a family and keep leading our children in the right direction towards Him.

Thank you for praying for me. “I am one.”

Brian D.

I was brought up Catholic and taught to follow and believe in God and his teachings, but after I was confirmed I felt I lost connection with the church and the way they practiced. That’s just how my family passed on the same traditions, it wasn’t my own wants.

Upon meeting my wife, her religion was Baptist, and she explained how it was different from the Catholic religion. As my wife and I started having kids we both believed we need a stronger connection with church and Jesus to raise our boys, so we just needed to find the right church. When our friends invited us to come to BridgePointe, I personally felt so welcomed and rejuvenated. My want to commit myself to follow Jesus became the spotlight​. I have never felt so close to Jesus as I do now. 

With being baptized I wish to show Jesus and my family the commitment to Him and continue to raise my boys with my wife in His ways. I am excited to share even more with my wife in this amazing life. Knowing I am going to baptize her, is something so special to me, especially knowing that not many husbands and wives are able to experience that because they don’t share the same religion. I am so very grateful and lucky for the life I have. 

Thank you for praying for me. I am ONE.

Charlotte D.

I have been raised in a Christian home for my entire life (all eleven years!) but have really started to become more curious about Jesus’ place in my life in the last year or so. I admired people like my parents and my Nana who had strong relationships with God and I wanted to have an experience like that too. Last fall, we started going to BridgePointe and I became very connected to BP Kids and started to listen to more Christian music. I felt drawn more closely to Jesus and I want to live my life following Him. I know that I have sin in my life, and I know that Jesus forgives that sin. Next year I will be going to middle school, and I am glad to know that no matter what happens, Jesus will be in my heart to guide me to make smart and safe decisions, and live in a way that is an example of His love.

Gabby G.

I was born and raised Catholic. My Mom always made sure we went to church and took our sacraments. After my parents got a divorce, my mom introduced us to a Christian Church. This is where I felt more of a connection with God. Without God, I would not be where I am today. He has given me strength and courage to face all life's obstacles; and to know that he forgave my sins. He brings me peace and joy and He strengthens me. Through baptism I am committing my life to Him.

Praying for ONE

Sarah J.

Eliza L.

God truly does move in a mysterious way, especially in my life. I had originally started to go to BridgePointe because my mother kept saying how much she loved it. I would go on occasion, but really only to make her happy. Eventually, I started to notice a change taking place within me. I wanted to go for myself. It seemed as though every week the message spoke to me on such a personal level, it was hard to ignore. However, there was one moment I will never forget that changed everything. I was going through a very hard time in my life, and I couldn’t see a way out. I was alone, crying, scared, hopeless until the most beautiful thing happened. I had an overwhelming feeling of emotion take over me. I wept harder, had goosebumps everywhere, but I also felt a sense of warmth cover me like a blanket. With this blanket, I felt calm, hopeful, and like I was no longer alone. It was in that moment I knew it was the Holy Spirit telling me, ‘Everything is going to be okay.’ It was at​ that moment I made the decision to hand my life over to God. It may have taken me twenty-eight years, but it was all in God’s plan. Thank you for praying for me. I am ONE.

Lydia L.-H.

I became a Christian because I realized that with God, I am whole. When I am weak, He gives me strength through His son, Jesus. I need His leadership, infinite love, mercy and grace to guide me in my faith. I know my sins are forgiven because Jesus died on the cross for me, and for that, I am forever grateful. God has used my family and close friends, my wonderful small group, and of course my BP Kids to help me know and love Jesus. I love Jesus because He comforts me and will always love me for who I am no matter what. 

I once was someone who did not care if I knew God, and I thought I could do many things without Him. He continues to surprise me and change my life in amazing ways and each day my relationship with Him grows stronger. I know I am a child of God and I pray every day that He uses me to do good in the world and show others just how truly perfect His love is. I am so thankful that God has made BridgePointe my home.

Thank you for praying for me, I am One.

Jessica M.

My choice to be baptized comes as a reflection of my belief that coming to know Jesus has changed my life so significantly that I want to outwardly express that and also my decision to stop living my life according to my will but to His. 

I don’t remember the exact time or moment I came to know Jesus. Over the past six years or so my belief has become stronger and stronger every day. I struggle every day knowing the limitations and sin I carry, and wonder have I not fully accepted Jesus into my heart?, or I wouldn't feel this way. Despite this, I know baptism is the correct choice for me, since I know this is what He wants for all of us, and living for Him is the only way to be set free from the past sin I have lived in. Before coming to know Jesus I felt extremely lost, unsure of the ground beneath me, and constantly trying to find life in unsustainable sources. I have seen first hand from my own life and others around me the destruction that comes from living away from God. Living obediently to His word and for Him is what brings true joy, freedom, and purpose in our life. I don't think I will ever feel fully deserving of the grace given to us by Jesus dying on the cross for us, or that it really is possible that all my brokenness is made clean again through Him, but I know that is the beauty of the Gospel. That despite how I feel, God’s word overrides that and I can know that I am saved and forgiven by Him. 

Prior to getting married and having my first child seven years ago, I did not have a relationship with Jesus. I was sustained by friends, boyfriends, alcohol, work, and looking back on it a whole lot of sin. Living in sin seemed easy..I did not feel the conviction at that time of any of my behavior. After the birth of my first child, the reality of the impermanence of all my previous joys and the responsibility of motherhood hit me like a brick. I battled with postpartum depression and anxiety and found it very difficult to take on this new role. During this time the word of God came so strongly into my heart that I know without a doubt that God gave me the gift of motherhood to humble me and bring me closer to him. I now know my desperate need for His grace every day and because of this have pursued a relationship with Jesus. As a mother of three,​ it is very important to me that my children see me live out this relationship so they can learn their need for Him as well. 

I am committing to Jesus through baptism today for two specific reasons. There are people in my life, and I am sure people yet to be in my life that I know have closed hearts to Jesus. I am hoping that this outward display of my belief will help to possibly open their eyes to the gift that is available to them also. I am more specifically doing it as a reflection of my belief in Jesus and a commitment to myself to turn away from who I used to be (living in sin) and give my life over to God and live for him instead. 

I am excited to take this next step in my faith and continue to learn, grow, and push myself to try harder every day to be obedient to the word of God that I know is true and life-giving. BridgePointe has been such a blessing to me and has helped me so much to feel confident in the life I am trying to lead now. I hope that taking this next step will give me the courage to spread the good news and be a witness so that others can experience the same thing I have. Thank you for praying for me. I am one.

Donna M.

I was baptized as an infant according to the tradition of the Catholic Church. Today I am making the conscious​ decision to be baptized as an adult.

I have felt the presence of God throughout my life. There are three times in particular that I was able to face with the help of my God; the first being the death of my brother Alan at the age of 16. This was the first and biggest tragedy of my life. I have been fortunate to help a couple of people deal with their grief after hearing my story, and how important it is to turn your grief over to God. He has been there with me through every difficult time before and since, especially family issues.

My love of God has always been there, as I have said, but joining BridgePointe Christian Church has helped me have a better understanding of God’s plan for me. I had never thought of my life as a journey until now. I don’t even need a passport for this journey; all I have to do is follow Jesus.

So today is another part of that journey to understand, with the help of God, my place in this life, and to know that following Him, in faith is the ultimate journey.
Thank you for praying for me. I am ONE.

Krista M.

My life before Jesus was just confusing. I was always confused about what to do in certain situations until I met Him. Jesus changed my life by clarifying things when I called to Him and even when I didn't call for Him. I love Jesus because even when I feel at my lowest point he is always there. I was called to do this by the Holy Spirit and I am thankful for my Heavenly Father.

Angel O.

I became a Christian because I started to see a difference in my life since God has been part of it. I feel God guided me to BridgePointe where my beliefs for Jesus have gotten stronger. I love Jesus because He loves me unconditionally and has forgiven me all my life. I am so thankful and grateful for His love. I once was in a place where I did not have a relationship with God. Now God has made a huge difference in my life by surrounding me with positive energy. I want my relationship with God to grow stronger and want Him to continue guiding me. Thank you for praying for me, I am One. 

Alberto P.

I came to know Jesus when I was about 24 years young. My life was that of a typical post-college kid – still partying, working full-time, going to clubs, etc. I wasn't brought up in the Church. I was baptized as a baby, but my family was the 1-2 times a year family. I was always a "good" kid, respectful, great in school, honest, hardworking, etc. However, at the end of High School/College that changed as my grades dipped and I started drinking and partying like most college kids. Thankfully I was introduced to Jesus through a business conference/seminar. I was away for a business conference and there was a Sunday service for the people who were away from their home churches. I had to go to the service as I didn't have my own car and there was an altar call that Sunday. I felt that tug asking me to come up but then the other tug of going up in front of these strangers. Thankfully I went up and gave myself to Jesus that morning. I had been curious for a while about Jesus before that moment, so that was perfect timing. At that stage of my life, there were some people successful in business who referenced their relationship with Jesus a lot and so I was curious and wanted to know more. God used business/finances to "reel me in" and draw me closer to Him. To me, it appeared as though Jesus/God was needed for a man to have true balance in his life and that is why I started to pursue Jesus. 

I'm deciding to commit myself through baptism because the Word says we need to declare that and experience the Holy Spirit to truly follow and represent Him. I've been following Jesus for years and haven't publicly declared that through baptism yet. Also, all is on God's timing. I have been wanting to do this for years and for whatever reason there was always a reason not to. God says the time is now!! I've never been closer to God than I am now. I've always envisioned myself being baptized in the water like Jesus and he lined everything up for me to do that now. I'm not playing basketball on Sunday's as​ I have been for years, we've been reading about the Holy Spirit in church and this opportunity to be baptized in the ocean through BridgePointe presented itself – I'm amped!!! I'm most excited about continuing my walk with Jesus. The Holy Spirit has been guiding me very much this year. I have been directed toward some different things that I feel are the Holy Spirit guiding me and my wife – fostering, my diet/health changes, finances, etc. and I feel that is going to be amplified after I publicly declare myself to Jesus through baptism. We have been working hard to be obedient and feel that we are about to be directed even more. I'm so excited man and can't wait!!

Liz P.

For as long as I can remember I have always longed to be part of something that would change the lives of others and the world around me. As a young girl though I was brought up in a strict church that gave way to a feeling of being stifled and small. When I got older I pushed as far away from Jesus as I could as a way of distancing myself from this pressure that I felt to be perfect in His eyes. I sought Him only in times of need and rarely gave Him the thanks for all the good. I've made a living helping people, sacrificing money for non-profits but never thought that it was Him in me pushing me towards my dreams and goals. I was blindly living a good life when I could have had Jesus to make it great. I made a few HUGE mistakes and A LOT of really small ones. Sins that only He can forgive. But every offense, flaw, and mistake will be wiped clean with baptism. A re-dedication of my life to Him. A re-branding of my family with the Holy Spirit front and center. I want people to know me, see me, see that Jesus in me is the reason for all the good I've done and continue to do. I will pursue him, and continue to look for dark places in this world to shine the light of Jesus on. 

Thank you for praying for me. I AM ONE.

Taylor P.

Danielle R.

I was baptized as an infant and spent most of my childhood learning about the Catholic faith. Throughout these years I always felt as if I was just going through the motions and honoring traditions without fully connecting with God or developing a relationship with Him. Before joining BridgePointe and committing to Jesus, faith had completely fizzled out of my life. One day my friend Katie invited me to a service at BridgePointe and I became curious about Jesus and Christianity. I was instantly impressed by the community at BridgePointe and felt welcomed from the start. I committed to attending service when I could and started investing time in​ prayer. It wasn’t long before I began to see the work Jesus was doing on my heart. Over the past couple of years, there have been times when I started to veer away from Him. Each time this happened, there was always someone praying for me and something within me that drove me back to Him. I am committing to baptism today because I want to express my love for Jesus and my commitment to following His word. I am so thankful that I was somebody’s One and I am excited to begin this new chapter in my faith. 

Jorge R.

Before following Jesus, I felt lost. Straying away from the Church for several years, I tried to follow Jesus on my own but felt like I kept getting stuck. As life became busier, Jesus became less of a priority. 

Once I realized that my priorities did not align with where I wanted to be in my faith, my wife and I decided to join BridgePointe. Attending church regularly and following the weekly messages on my own has helped me become closer to where I want to be. I am choosing to be baptized as another step towards getting closer to Jesus and growing in my faith. 

As I enter this new life with Jesus and His Church, I am most excited to proclaim my faith in Jesus with others. As I was once one who was prayed for, I hope that Jesus helps me find one individual that I can help follow Jesus. 

Arwen R.

I grew up in a Roman Catholic home and was an altar girl all through middle school and high school. I always knew about God and Jesus and the Bible and would listen to the priests' sermon every week. I can honestly say, I NEVER fully connected or even understood what that meant. I was abused while growing up and I would cry out to God and I would dream of heaven but still I never fully connected, even in those painful moments. I started to lose interest in the church as soon as I was old enough to make my own decisions.

At 18 years old, I started dating my husband, Tim. We had known each other since we were fourteen years old and he grew up with no religion at all in his home. We had our son, Tim Jr. and when he turned about six years old, I was pregnant with our daughter Eloise and at the same time had just had my stepdaughter Leda, come and live with us full time and forever. At this time, I started to seek more and walked into a church in Plymouth where we lived before moving to Rhode Island called New Hope. The pastor made me feel at ease and he was great to listen to and the worship was great too! I started to pray more and make sure that we always went to church but it was still more of an obligatory feeling than a connection.

Fast forward to two and a half years ago: I had always had this weird pull and weird home feeling when we would come into Rhode Island for activities with the kids or even just a drive-through. Every single time, I would tell Tim that I wanted to stay and not leave Rhode Island. I never understood why I felt so strongly. Two and a half years ago we finally moved to where I was feeling pulled, and here we are. I found a church that seemed to match closely with New Hope Chapel and this is where my journey and connection to God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit began. I was working with a Christian woman who is still one of my best friends, she is extremely important in my story as well. We had been working together for about six months before we moved to Rhode Island. She would share Bible verses with me and we would go back and forth all day on what the verses meant and share what meaning they each had to us. We would research when we had questions, etc.. whenever I was upset or having a bad day, she would have a Bible verse to help me through it. Slowly, I started to remember these verses whenever I would start to have a bad “moment”. I started to use my three hours of driving to and from work every day as my worship time and my prayer time. This time was EVERYTHING! I would start my morning with prayer and then I would turn the worship music on and listen to what He had to say… and oh my gosh, did He speak to me! Some days I would just sit in my car and either laugh or cry. Every response He had for me was always so relevant! He was drawing me in and slowly I started to realize it. As Juanita says… I started to feel like his “Favorite” (by the way... I am totally his favorite Juanita).

My connection just grew deeper and deeper and the miracles in my life became every week and every day occurrences. I can’t even explain in words what that connection feels like. To fully trust Him and start asking Him questions already trusting in the answer before you even receive it. There is literally no other feeling like it in the entire world! I used to fear when the end is coming and now I have so much hope and excitement for it!

Fast forward to October 2018, when my kids and I realized that the church we were attending was no longer working out for us. We found BridgePointe and from the moment we walked in, we belonged. It was an amazing feeling, to walk into a church and feel important and feel like you matter! As I write these words, I am sitting in my office crying. After dropping Eloise, Tim and Leda in their respective classes, I walked into the auditorium on my own. I was nervous, and then I heard that song and I heard the voices singing it: “Here's my heart Lord.” At that moment I felt it appropriate to belt this song out, because “oh my gosh! I know this song!!” Then came pastor Jared & he did his thing, as he always does, and I couldn’t believe it, I understood everything. The words in the Bible became so much clearer and my connection grew even deeper.

At BridgePointe, I have found something I had never found before. My church family and I are happy to say that after fourteen years of trying, my husband now comes to church as well. Listening to Jared speak about our journey as Christians and about Jesus’ words and God’s expectations of us​ has deeply connected with Him as well. There is so much more to say but I know time is limited, I have so many stories to share about the miracles He has presented in my life and about how much He has changed my life and about how listening is probably the most important part in the process of trusting in God. I was baptized in the Catholic church as a child but as I have come to learn, this is a decision that needs to be made when you are old enough to understand, that this is the starting point of your journey to Jesus.

Tim R. Sr.

Before I had committed to Jesus, I grew up in a family with no real religious direction. I questioned for years where to place my beliefs, whether in religion, spirituality, becoming agnostic, or simply removing all thoughts from my mind and just existing, without understanding. My most common daily thought process within religion was tainted with heavily implied confusion, thus the choice to remove all thoughts and live a basic life. 

I began my pursuit with Jesus in my late 20s. I desperately wanted a relationship with God and Jesus, although I was too insecure and uncomfortable with discussions about religion in its entirety. I had accompanied my wife to church a few times. I listened to the pastors, and tried to connect with them and hear them. At the end of the day, I found the fight for this interest always failed due to my comfort being mitigated by youth, and the lack of a religion up bringing. My wife joined BridgePointe eventually, and as usual, a couple times a year I would join my family in a Sunday service. I honestly believed I would show my respect, not take too much in and go home and live like normal. Jared started speaking on stage. Music had been playing beforehand, calm blue lights behind the stage with shaped cubes as a backdrop, a worship singer sang the words of Jesus Christ dying all alone on the cross. She cried while singing. Praise followed her singing and she continued on. Jared started to speak, instant eye contact with accepting ears followed. He spoke softly and with passion about love, courage, and about what Jesus had done. I listened through the whole service and left wanting, yearning for more, and I haven't stopped going back.

What Jared did behind the scenes in my mind was explain the intrinsic values of Jesus as He really was. A loving, truthful, caring, healing God among us. He explained my questions and doubts with realism, with things I could easily understand. What’s more, there was something about the magic of Jared's words, his voice and his demeanor to which I instantly connected with. He whole heartily believed this. He felt it. He shared it. This BridgePointe family shared this. This wasn't about money, or about anything that would end up being detrimental mentally. This was strictly about one thing and one thing only – Jesus. It was about how He loved us and how we should Love Him. Nothing more, nothing less. I found what I believe I was missing. 

Diane S.

Growing up God was never spoken of and the church was a thing for only good people not for someone like me. My family was very dysfunctional and as a teenager, I got involved with drugs and alcohol and my first boyfriend was very abusive mentally and physically. I ended up pregnant early and God was an enemy to me. Why would He let my life be so bad? It seemed almost everyone I got involved with was abusive. I didn't know what a normal and stabilized life was.​ I got married, I had 5 daughters and I ended up divorced. I lost a daughter, my mom, dad, and two brothers. I was lost in life and didn't know where I belonged. Life was just so cruel. I never found Jesus because I wasn't looking for Him. I gave Him plenty of reasons not to love me but He never gave up on me. Jesus knew where I was even when I didn't.

Today I come to the water to be redeemed from all my sins. I have learned you're never too far to lay down your burdens and shame. Today I close the door to my past, open the door to my future, take a deep breath and step through to a new life. Lord, guide my footsteps, give me hope and a vision to the future.

Let me end by quoting a passage from Jesus Calling by Sarah Y....
" As you gaze anxiously into the distance, you don't even feel the strong grip of My hand holding yours. How foolish you are, My child!"

My voice matters as I begin a new chapter. Please pray for me as I am one!

Mario S.

Michael S.

Joshua S.

I always believed in Jesus, I just never had a personal relationship with Him. Last year I almost lost everything and that’s when I found the Lord. I deal with an addiction and I realized when I keep up with my fellowship I’m stronger because of Jesus. That’s why I want to give my life to Him because​ I know walking with the Lord anything is possible. I don’t want to go through what I did last year and lose sight of what the Lord’s blessed me with.

Isabelle T.

First, I would like to take this opportunity to thank God for directing me to BridgePointe Christian Church “my home”. I was raised Catholic and took all the sacraments and followed the church faithfully. After getting a divorce and left alone with two small children, I continued attending church with my children but I was told that I could no longer take communion. Deep in my heart I felt worthless, I felt horrible and thought to myself what do I do now? What do I explain to my children? I am a horrible person.

One day something came over me (I say that was God speaking to me) and I was like, “Wait!! I love my children. I would never turn my back on them, so if God is my father He would not turn His back on me!”

That same day I took my Bible and spoke with God. We had a deep conversation. I asked him for forgiveness and to guide me. That is when I and my children started attending Christian church on and off. My relationship with God grew closer and closer, but I did not find a church I could call “my church.”

In searching for a church BridgePointe would always come up. I started following them online listening to the messages and said, “Isabelle it’s time to go.” The moment I stepped foot in BridgePointe, I knew it, this was my church. They welcomed me with open arms, I felt God’s presence I felt peace and love.
Deep in my heart,​ I said it’s time to get baptized. Jesus is my Lord and Savior, my sins are forgiven. I am so excited my big day finally arrived. With God all things are possible! Jesus+ nothing=everything!

Mitchell V.

Hi, my name is Mitchell V.P. and I am 10 years old. I became a Christian​ because my mom and dad taught me about Jesus from the beginning. Like Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you created my inmost being: you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” I just know He has been there the whole time. My Kiel Alliance Church family and my BridgePointe Christian Church family have shown me the love of Jesus and make me want to keep learning about Him. I love serving the Lord and I pray for one so everyone can get to live for Jesus just like me! I AM ONE!