Knowing Bridges Beyond
1. Vision: The Bridges Beyond Vision Statement
To transform cultures by applying God’s revealed word to every situation or relationship and through the power of the Holy Spirit, together, to effect God’s kingdom rule.
In 1994 Rwanda was considered 90% Christian. In 1994 Rwanda experienced the Genocide against the Tutsi where in 100 days, 1 million where killed; in 1994 all western nations and missionaries abandoned the nation. Christians were killing Christians. Christian missionaries and countries turned their backs on their fellow Christians. This is what can happen when we declare we are Christian, but we are not disciples of Jesus Christ!
God connected us with Rwanda, with individuals at every level within the Pentecostal Church of Rwanda (ADEPR), representing over 20% of the population and having a church in every part of the country. We have been building relationally since 2009. They receive us as spiritual parents and they trust us.
Transformation begins in the mind of each individual, with what do we think? What we think to be true goes to our heart, and this forms what we believe. Our beliefs direct our behaviour. A group of people with shared social behavior and norms, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws and customs, we have a culture. Jesus regularly challenged the accepted culture bringing it into the light of God’s word. How does one change a culture through transformation? One person at a time!
Vision/Goals/Rwanda
a) To see Christians impacted, trained and equipped to bring the body into union with Jesus Christ and to see the body united in peace. Teach football skills and strategies using a fun, encouragement based system which will contribute to the athletic development process by instilling confidence and value in the participants.
b) To identify future leaders within ADEPR (Pentecostal Church of Rwanda); discipling them into Jesus, training in Biblical character, learning to lead with humility and integrity, serving the church and community as examples of a life redeemed.
c) Instill a Biblical worldview that will last a lifetime and engender a Bible based culture.
d) Together with Ambassadors Football, to develop a training center that will facilitate the ongoing training as well as provide a means of income, making the ministry self-sustaining.
2. Mission: The Bridges Beyond Mission Statement
Through meaningful relationship, to disciple Christians into Christ, irrespective of their vocation; so the salt and light will permeate every aspect of the culture.
a) Together to discover; (1) Who are we? (2) Why are we here? (3) What are we to do?
b) To connect with others who are like minded.
c) To provide for the training of those who would seek it.
d) Together to develop business and industry that serves to further our stated vision.
e) Through each connection to communicate so as to promote the discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ. This goal is an implementation of the “Great Commission” of our Lord. (Matt. 28:18,19)
f) To produce and distribute evangelistic, religious and other literature.
g) To promote and carry on the Christian religion and Christian worship and religious education.
3. Values: The Bridges Beyond Values Statement
We value life in God; we value life in the church, which is Christ’s Bride, and we value life together with relationship being above and before ministry.
We Value Life in God:
a) Word based—the Bible is our authority for all our faith and practices. God is only authentically known in the Bible and only authentically worshipped by a life lived according to the Bible.
b) Christ-centered—Christ and His death on the cross is not just a part of our lives; it is the sun around which the solar system of Christianity revolves. The cross is the path of personal and inward devotion, as well as the power and goal of all discipleship.
c) Spirit-led—we know that only the Holy Spirit brings life and power, personally and in the local church. Apart from Him we can do nothing.
We Value Life in The Church
a) The Church as Family: The New Testament uses over 100 metaphors for the Church. By far the most common is to the church as family. This paradigm informs us about how we live as a church.
b) The Five-Fold Ministries We believe that the ministries described in Ephesians 4 (Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists) continue to be God's gift to build up the local church today. We welcome input from outside teams that value relational connectedness and the local church. We do not impose our view on others we respect the authority of local elders.
c) Global Connectedness and Ethnic Diversity: God loves the whole world; God and every people group reflects something of His beauty and character. We are richer for receiving from other cultures, and by being joined together with people from around the world. We seek to discover each cultural expression of worship.
d) Investing Generationally: The church must pass the baton to upcoming leaders and generations. We invest in people!
We Value Life Together
a) Unity: For us, unity is not optional. Unity is at the heart of Jesus' prayer for us in John 17, and where there is unity the Lord commands His blessing (Ps. 133).
b) Relationships: Relational transparency and connectedness puts who we are before what we do. Ministry longevity depends upon relational maturity.
c) Integrity: Who we are when no one is looking matters. Our hidden struggles and sins dishonour God and can grow into life-derailing issues which ruin us. Character must precede calling, and personal integrity comes before public ministry. Charisma without character leads to catastrophe.
d) Male and Female Uniqueness: We are grateful for the Bible’s teachings about men and women. They are equal but not the same. Godly male-headship never dominates or squashes, but releases, blesses and brings safety. Theologians call this a complementarian view of men and women because we complement each other without being the same.
4. Statement of Faith: What Bridges Beyond Believes
We believe in one God, the creator and sustainer of all things, who is eternal, all-knowing, all-wise and all-powerful, and who alone is worthy to receive the worship of His creatures.
a) We believe in the one true God living eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
b) We believe in the love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world.
c) We believe in the divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God - fully trustworthy for faith and conduct.
d) We believe in the dignity of all people, made male and female in God’s image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which incurs divine wrath and judgment.
e) We believe in the incarnation of God’s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ - born of the virgin Mary, truly divine and truly human, yet without sin.
f) We believe in the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.
g) We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; His ascension to the Father, and His reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.
h) We believe in the justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ.
i) We believe in the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness.
j) We believe in the Church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers - given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit’s gifts to worship God and proclaim the Gospel, promoting justice and love.
k) We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgment, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.
5. Fundamentals:
Bridges Beyond Ministry fundamentals are God’s Word, Relationship before Ministry, and Be Real.
a) God’s Word
God’s word informs our minds, fuels our belief and shapes our behaviour. We hold every relationship, every culture up to the light of God’s word to determine if it is true. Truth is a person, and He can be and wants to be known. We do not examine God’s word from culture, but rather examine culture from God’s word.
b) Relationship before Ministry
From before time, God has been the three-in-one God; the perfect relationship. Out of this He created and shaped everything. He invites us into relationship with Him and with each other. Then, out of healthy relationships comes life, ministry and hope.
c) Be Real
We teach what we know, we reproduce what we are. We speak the truth in love; we have nothing to lose, nothing to prove and nothing to hide.
6. The Ministries of Bridges Beyond
a) To train, equip, and empower the leaders to accomplish the mission.
b) To provide basic necessities of life to individuals or families in poverty.
c) To advance education by providing tuition, schooling, and job skills development training to individuals in need.
d) Providing access to necessary commercial equipment to develop self-sustainability.
e) To advance education by establishing educational facilities to provide primary education and job training skills.
f) To advance religion by preaching the teachings and the religious tenets, doctrines, and observances associated with the Christian faith.
g) Advancing religion by producing and distributing evangelistic and religious materials.
7. Uniqueness: What Distinguishes Bridges Beyond?
a) We embody the message. We teach what we know, we reproduce what we are. Jesus, speaking about the religious leaders said: “therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them” (Matt. 23:3).
b) We are who we are, no matter where we are, that is the focus!
c) We focus on relationship, not on position or title, not on ethnicity or nationality. Because in the end we will all be together. (Rev. 7:9-10). Also James 2 tells us to show partiality is wrong.
d) We embrace cultural expression. Every culture has a unique expression of worship. However we challenge the culture by examining everything by God’s word, challenging Christian leaders to Biblically defend their actions. We challenge culture from God’s word. And we invite others to examine our practices and culture.
e) (Testimony)
Rwanda’s population of 13M has an average age under 20. The church taught that all sport was sin and, especially women must always wear the dress. When they could not defend it from Scripture, they told us the missionaries had told them this is what the Bible said, and they wanted to know what we say they should do We asked them if Paul’s instruction in 1 Tim. 4:4-5 might fit? “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.” They concluded that a football was just a football, someone could use it for good or for bad.
They called a national assembly of all the top church leaders in this church. They invited us (our Ambassadors Football friends) to bring biblical teaching on the validity of using sport to reach and teach the children. They publicly repented, declaring that a football used for good made it good. And everyone should embrace this as a word from the Lord. The girls were also encouraged to play, wearing the uniform appropriate for the occasion. That is how transformation happens!!
f) Kingdom building focus, NOT empire building.
Empires are on this earth. Not-for-profit and churches may have a stated belief that we are servants of God, working to build His kingdom. But too often we may seek to use another to gain money or people, to promote our unique ministry. We see pastors and missionaries hanging on to people and money because, “they are mine, I trained them”. .this is a manifestation of empire building people.
When we are asked to help with a problem, we do not assume that we are the ones to solve the problem. Rather we ask God, “In whom have you put this solution?” and “Where is that person?” Our job is to connect with them, and together, realize the solution. When we build God’s kingdom, our focus is on building and strengthening the church. We hold tightly to what the Lord has given us, but with open hands.