Bridgewater Church

Even if we were successful in keeping our resolution for the year, and we were successful in changing behaviors, the heart often remains the same. But what if I were to tell you that God not only has the desire for us to change, but gives us the power to change?

As you consider last year, are there things you would have wanted to be different? Are there things that were great that you want to keep doing? Are there things that maybe aren't so great that you want to stop doing? The New Year provides a great opportunity to hit the reset button and make some changes—to take one step closer to the life we want. Are you ready? We are going to be looking at 4 key factors in change. Pastor Matt from our Hallstead Campus will be sharing that we get the power to change, what change should we be aiming towards, what is the pathway to that change, and finally, how do we keep the change we worked so hard to get.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

There are fears all around us in our society today. Political, economic, relational and family fears surround us. What do we do? When Jesus arrived on the scene 2000 years ago, the world was likely even worse than it is today, and yet a small group of people started to have hope. Why?

When Jesus showed up on the scene it was without human fanfare. In fact, one could argue that His birth was never truly meant to be celebrated. Yet 2,000 years later we celebrate it globally. Why? Could it be that His birth was the beginning of something bigger than Christmas? Could it be that through His birth God was addressing our greatest hopes and fears? The genealogy of Jesus is filled with some troublesome characters—many of whom we wouldn't expect to be a part of the family tree of the Son Of God. Even more surprising than that is the fact that women are mentioned in the genealogy as well—simply because that wasn't done in ancient times. Why are they there? Could it be that God wanted us to know that regardless of our past there is hope now that Jesus is on the scene?

The road to Hell is subtle and paved with good intentions. Discover from the life of Absalom three counter-cultural choices you can make that will help you avoid becoming the monster you hate.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by everything going on to the point that you felt incapable of moving forward? Maybe you needed to deal with a difficult situation but felt unqualified to handle it because of your own choices. King David goes from the pinnacle of greatness down a steep slope because he was unwilling to deal with what was necessary for him to deal with. Join us as we discover some essential things to keep us from going down that same road.

David had two virtues that changed everything. What were they and how can we grow them in our own lives to change our world today?

The more jealous King Saul became, the more he lost. How can we avoid the same loss and failure? How can we cultivate an anti-jealous heart?

What keeps you from the greatness God has called you to be? Join us as we look at the lives of three kings whose lives and choices provide a map to great success or devastating failure. The difference between success and failure begins in the smallest of choices. How did Saul become a failure? Physically he had “it.” Spiritually he had “it” – he was literally chosen by God. But in the end he killed hundreds of innocents and took his own life.

Sometimes less is more... but sometimes more is more! What do we need to do more of with our money to unlock more significance and joy that God wants for us?

What is the connection between money and happiness? Discover the paradox of when and how money and happiness collide. Money can increase your joy, but too much of a “good thing” will make you tired and miserable. Embrace the counter-cultural happiness of the less God wants to give you.

Have you ever been watching a show or movie and it was all well and good and then suddenly it kind of takes a turn and you're getting a little uncomfortable with it? All of a sudden, it's not a movie you want to watch if your mom is in the room. Somewhere along the way, follower of Jesus or not, you might have asked the same question our friend asked: Should I watch this?

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Did you know that overdose is the leading cause of death for people under 50? More than heart disease, cancer, and homicide. Does God have an answer for those struggling to find freedom from addictions and substance abuse? Join us as we tackle a very relevant topic for our communities.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Open House

We have gone over 4 of our 5 values and the vision/mission for Bridgewater Church. Each week, as people have had the opportunity to respond to God's word, next steps have been taken— and yet, when we take next steps we have to realize that at times our choices will be unpopular and we may even suffer to some extent. So, what do we do when things get difficult? How should we respond? The natural tendency is to be discouraged and complain. But what if God is actually up to something good!

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Satan hates it. It may be the most counter-cultural activity you can possibly do. But it's an essential part of making more and better disciples: Found people, find people.

Life is better connected. Almost everything (eating, sports, work, or following Jesus) is more fun and more effective when done with someone else. Join us as we discover how we can connect with others in a way that helps us become more like Jesus.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

What's the big deal about baptism? Listen in to some common misconceptions about baptism and the reasons why so many people don't follow Jesus in this important spiritual step.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

The third and last step toward a national spiritual awakening may be the most counter-cultural of all. Could it be that this old, outdated, traditional idea is the missing ingredient to a spiritual revival in your life and beyond?

We all know what prayer is; it's asking God for help. But what if that's not what most prayer is about? What if there is more to prayer than we have always thought? And what if those missing prayers are what is needed to not just change an individual life, but to change a nation.

How does God turn an entire nation back to Him? Join us as we look at how Israel was transformed in Nehemiah's day and what we can do to to start that spark in ourselves. Spiritual change on a national scale begins with God's Word. But that spark of change doesn't come from just reading or understanding the Bible—that's for spiritual babies. America will never change until Christians grow up and take this step beyond just believing God's Words.

Career goals are great and working hard is really important. Making money to pay your bills is essential. But what if there was more happening at your job than just earning a paycheck and what if there was more to your paycheck than just earning money? What goals does the Bible lay out for your career and your paycheck?

Anyone who has kids or cares for kids knows that kids have needs. Parents spend much of their time meeting their kid's needs or helping their kids learn how to meet their own needs. But when it all shakes out, what do our kids need most? What really should be our highest aim for our kids?

Everyone who is married or one day hopes to be married comes to the relationship, the engagement, and the altar with hopes, dreams, desires, and expectations. How do we ensure we have the right expectations and goals in our marriage?

What is the goal of dating? If someone were to ask you why you were in a romantic relationship with someone, what would you say? Would your reason be so that you aren't alone? Or would it be "because I'm bored"? Maybe you just want someone to pay attention to you. What if there were bigger goals to dating than just swiping right or swiping left? Join us as we discover what the Bible has to say about this pivotal season of life.

Family relationships, friendships, coworkers, acquaintances and romance...we are all in relationships. Sometimes things get messy and we react by going through 'relationship rituals'; just doing what we've always done without giving it much thought. Few things in our life are more important than the relationships we have. Sure, we make goals for things in our life that we feel are important, whether it be our career, our finances, or our living situation. What if we created relationship goals that were based not on what the world called successful, but on what God called successful? How do we know how to navigate these relationships so we don't just survive, but we thrive? Join us as we discover the relationship goals the Bible gives us for every area of our life. What is your goal for singleness? Is it just a waiting room for marriage or is it something more – something even greater and more significant?

No one has more power to destroy my life than I do, however, there is another enemy. The devil stands opposed to God and opposed to those who follow Him. The Bible talks openly about the devil and his plot to take people away from following God and giving Him praise. But the Bible also talks plainly about how God has given us a plan and a strategy to fight off the schemes of the enemy.

Sin doesn't usually get us to go from zero to a hundred—it gets us to go one degree at a time; one small moral compromise that doesn't seem like a big deal. But when it comes to our moral life, there is no such thing as a small decision. We have a phenomenally powerful choice on our hands. One choice affects another, and the effects of those choices accumulate and magnify over time.

There is a war being waged on the next generation. Raising kids that grow up to love God and win the battles that they are fighting doesn't happen by accident. Kids are humans who have been given free will, which means there is no perfect formula or guarantee on how our kids will turn out. However, we do think the Bible lays out a great battle plan. A strategy to give them the best fighting chance at winning their own battles.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Unchecked thoughts rarely stay just in your mind—they will almost always express themselves in words or actions. The words you speak, come from somewhere. They didn't just originate on your lips—they came up out of your heart; they came up out of your inner person. If we believe lies about ourselves, about others, and about God, we are going to eventually start speaking those lies. There is great power in the words we say, how are you using them?

The reality is we all face battles in this life. Various difficulties and trials come our way. You're in one right now, whether you want to admit it or not. The Bible presents a number of different verses that help us to see that life is not a playground but a battlefield. But a battle that God has promised victory for those who follow Him. Join us as we take on the fight for our lives against darkness, against our selfishness, against our self-sabotaging tendencies, against our minds, against our mouths, against our sin, against our enemy, and for the next generation. Join the fight and get your life back. Our minds are the battlefield where we probably take the most shots from the enemy and it is perhaps the most important territory to take back. Not every single problem in your life can be solved simply by mind over matter, but what happens in your mind really does matter.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said He's coming back. What's taking Him so long? What did He predict would happen before His return and what should we do now to be ready?

Where did everything come from? Are people merely a more complicated version of monkeys, fish and bacteria? Let's look at the Bible's explanation of where life, the universe and everything came from.

Saggy pants, rat-tails, powdered wigs and men in tights are no longer in fashion. Beliefs come in and out of fashion as well. But is truth determined by popular vote? Join us as we look at some “outdated” beliefs of the Bible that are still true. Is Hell real? How bad is it? Who goes there? Let's dig into what Jesus says about the place many people only know as a cartoon or swear word.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our mission is to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.

Though we have been called to unity as a church, we are also instructed to draw lines and make judgements. The problem is we don't often judge correctly and we don't often judge the right people.

The Christian life is lived by grace. And that grace does not leave us where it found us but grows us up into living like Christ. But the Bible might define spiritual maturity differently than we do.