Three Types of Bridge Leaders

There are three Phases of the Bridge Leaders journey, and three types of Bridge Leaders that correspond to those three phases:

The three types of Bridge Leaders are:

1. Discerning Bridge Leader
2. Practicing Bridge Leader
3. Community Bridge Leader

Phase 1:  A Discerning Bridge Leader says, “I am discerning to whom God is calling me to love and serve.  I am just starting. Later I may learn how to join another group, befriend and disciple” 

Phase 2: A Participating Bridge Leader says:  “I know whom God has called me to love and serve.  I am ready to start learning the 12 step Bridging path and the 101 plus skills.  I am learning how to join another culture, learn, befriend, and disciple.  I am learning how to participate.”

Phase 3:  An Influencing Bridge Leader says:  “I know whom God has called me to love and serve, I have joined a group of people outside the church culture, and I have made friends and disciples.  Now I am seeing God use me to influence a group of people into following Jesus as a group.”  See Phase 1 through 3 Bridging Services listed below.

Bridging Activities

All three types of Bridge Leaders engage in the following types of activities or services:

1. Discerning to whom you are called to serve
2. Experimenting with engaging different groups of people
3. Participating with supportive services from Bridges to help you begin learning the needed skills to discern and experiment.
4. Building relationships with people who are from outside of existing churches, joining their community and group.

When a Bridge Leader begins Phase 2, he or she begins the following types of activities or services.  These services continue throughout Phase 3 as well. 

• Helping them to identify God in their midst and to use their own language to express the good news
• Adding value to the community in empowering and holistic ways.
• Discipling people to connect with God through talking, listening, scripture, and community.

Only Bridge Leaders who have entered into Phase 3 of Bridging ministry begin to engage in the following types of activities or services:

• Gathering disciples into support groups
• Moving toward the 12 characteristics of a Christ-following community,
• Selecting and overseeing volunteers, and
• Providing leadership to the team
• Selecting and training more Bridge Leaders as part of the normal process of discipling