The Bridge Churches Podcast

We all feel the need for approval. Whether we admit it or not, we look to people, platforms, and performance to tell us that we're okay. But when approval becomes our reference point, our sense of worth is always at risk. In Part 2 of The Comparison Trap, we'll examine who - or what - has the power to shape how you see yourself, and whose opinion is really worth trusting.

We all want to be rich-er, smart-er, or funny-er. Comparison convinces us that if we just had a little more - what they have - we'd finally be satisfied. It fuels insecurity when we're behind and arrogance when we're ahead. But comparison isn't a ladder to climb; it's a game designed with no winners. In Part 1 of The Comparison Trap, we uncover why measuring ourselves against others always leaves us empty, no matter where we land.

Why does worry feel so relentless - like a weight we can't ever fully put down? Often it's because we've taken responsibility for things that were never ours to carry in the first place. We try to control outcomes, secure the future, and solve problems that are far bigger than our ability to manage. The more we hold onto what we can't control, the heavier life begins to feel. As we conclude this series, we'll uncover a freeing truth: peace begins when we release the burdens that were never meant for us. As we learn to trust God with what is beyond our control, something powerful happens - pressure lifts, perspective returns, and worry begins to lose its grip. If you're tired of carrying tomorrow on your own shoulders, this message offers a hopeful invitation: you don't have to carry it alone.

“What if?” One of the most common traps of worry is imagining a future we think we can predict, and letting that imagined future control how we feel today. When fear takes over, we lose sight of what's true, forget the moments we've already come through, and end up mentally and emotionally far from where we were meant to be. As we conclude this series, this message invites you to step back, remember what's real, and re-engage with life from a place of strength rather than fear. You'll discover how worry distorts your perspective, how it pulls you out of the present, and how you can reclaim peace by focusing on what's in front of you today while releasing what you can't control about tomorrow. If you feel weighed down by “what ifs,” this message offers a grounding reminder: you can live with clarity, confidence, and calm - even when the future feels uncertain.

Why does worry grow so quickly, feel so heavy, and seem so impossible to turn off? Part 2 reveals a surprising insight: worry expands in the direction of whatever we pursue most. When our primary focus is securing our own comfort, future, or stability, anxiety inevitably grows— because we're trying to control what was never fully in our control to begin with. But there's a better way. This session offers a powerful shift: redirecting your devotion. When you stop running after the things that fuel your fear and instead align your energy with a purpose bigger than your own security, something incredible happens—worry loses its grip. Confidence rises. Clarity returns. Tomorrow stops feeling so overwhelming. You'll discover a practical, freeing approach to navigating uncertainty: do what you can today, release what you can't control tomorrow, and focus your heart on what truly matters. If you're ready to stop letting anxiety dictate your thoughts and start living with greater peace and direction, this message will show you how.

What if the things that consume your mind don't have to control your life? Part 1 of this series will reveal a powerful truth: they don't have to. If that sounds simple, here's the hope: even when circumstances are stressful, uncertain, or genuinely difficult, you don't have to live at the mercy of anxiety. There is a practical, meaningful way to do what you can, release what you can't, and stop giving worry the power to dictate your future. Join us as we explore an eye-opening approach to breaking the cycle of worry, rooted in real-life insight and perfectly suited for the pressures we face today. If you're tired of worry stealing your time, energy, and joy, this is your invitation to something better.

The road to Easter didn't begin with a cross, it began with a parade. Crowds cheered, palms waved, and hopes were high. But they were celebrating a very different King than the one who had come. This Palm Sunday, discover what it means to follow Jesus for who He truly is.

Most of us know the cycle. We try, we fail, we recommit, we try harder, and before long, we're right back where we started. Whether you've been following Jesus for decades or you're simply curious about what faith even has to offer, the feeling that real and lasting change is always just out of reach is something we all share. But the Bible paints a very different picture of how transformation actually happens, one that is messier, slower, and far more hopeful than we might expect. Join us as we take an honest look at what genuine, lasting change looks like.

God isn't a God who's silent. He speaks to us daily, and the main way He speaks and reveals himself is through His Word, the Bible. What would our lives look like if we learned how to hear God's voice, and hear Him accurately?

Does evil really exist? If evil is real, what does that mean for us—and how close does it actually get? We live in a world where darkness seems to operate both openly and quietly, raising questions many people avoid: Is there a personal power of evil at work? Can we tap into it - intentionally or not? And what happens when we do? In Part 3 of Supernatural, we confront these unsettling but essential questions. Drawing from scripture and classic theology we'll discover how subtle, strategic, and surprisingly ordinary Satan's influence can be. Evil rarely shows up with fanfare - it works through whispers, distortions, and small compromises that shape the world and our lives. But recognizing evil is the first step to defeating it. Join us as we uncover how evil operates, how it targets us today, and how God equips us to resist and overcome its strategies.

Are miracles real? If so, how do miracles really work - and why do they sometimes seem so unpredictable? If God can heal, why are some people restored while others continue to suffer? Does God show favour to a select few while overlooking the rest? Were miracles just ancient stories, or do they still break into our lives today? In Part 2 of Supernatural, we explore the mystery, the tension, and the hope surrounding miracles. Are they a sham, a relic of the first century, or something far more profound and present than we realize? Join us as we look deeper into what Scripture teaches about healing, divine intervention, and the God who is still at work - often in ways we don't expect. You're invited to wrestle with the questions, uncover the truth, and discover the surprising nature of miracles.

Is life limited to what we can see, touch, and explain or is there something more? In a world fascinated by ghosts, miracles, and unseen forces, many wonder whether the supernatural is real and how it fits into our everyday lives. Scripture paints a vivid picture of a world where the natural and supernatural intersect, but it also warns of the dangers of seeking power and control outside of God's design. The greatest mistake we can make with the supernatural is to either overestimate or underestimate its influence. Join us as we begin this new series, Supernatural, exploring what the Bible reveals about the unseen world and why understanding it matters for your life today.

What kind of person do you want to be? When people have to stand and talk about you when you're gone, what do you want them to say? Do you realize that's up to you? What if you decided to be . . . extraordinary?

Chances are your greatest regret can be traced back to a decision you made when your body wanted something that your heart knew was wrong. An appetite was raging. You saw something or someone you wanted… even though he, she, or it wasn't healthy for you. But you gave in to your body anyway. You yielded to the little kings that want to replace the King who calls you to live from the inside out. What do you do when your body wants what your heart knows is wrong?

Do you really want to be like everybody else? Everybody else takes their cues from everybody else. Being like everybody else makes you average - worried, in debt, bored, and dissatisfied with what you have. If you knew that living like everybody else on the outside would leave you feeling like this on the inside, would you have done what you wanted, when you wanted, with whom you wanted? NEXT STEPS: For all next steps mentioned today in our announcements and to download the verse wallpaper for your phone that Scott mentioned, click here: https://bridgechurches.churchcenter.com/pages/next-steps

We want to do what we want and live our truth. “I can do what I want, when I want, with whom I want…as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.” We don't want “kings” in our lives, whether those kings are parents, bosses, the government…or God. But in our attempts to do what we want, when we want, with whom we want, we end up serving little kings like appetite, lust, fear, comparison, insecurity, generational dysfunction, addiction, loneliness, and greed.

***This episode contains mature content and is not appropriate for children. Listeners be advised that there is discussion of murder, sexuality, and sexual assault. “It's my life. I have the freedom to do what I want, when I want, with whom I want, and nobody can tell me what to do…as long as it doesn't hurt anybody.” You've heard it a million times. Maybe you've been the one to say it from time to time. But what if life doesn't work that way? What if our desire to live our lives our way has major consequences for us, for the people with us, for the people who love us, and for the people coming after us?

As we conclude our series, Away in a Manger, we'll reflect on how this season invites us to engage our imaginations and embrace the wonder of Christmas. But what if we let that same imagination inspire something even greater? What if we truly embraced the way of Jesus—the way of love—and allowed it to shape our world?

In Part 2 of our series, Away in a Manger, we'll discover that while Jesus came to show us the way back to God, He also came to show us the way back to one another. The same grace that restores our relationship with God empowers us to pursue reconciliation with people, whenever and wherever possible.

In part 1 of our Christmas series, Away in a Manger, we'll begin by asking an honest question: have you ever felt like you've lost your way? Usually, by the time we realize we're lost, we've been wandering for a while and our first instinct is to ask, “What should I do?”. But what if there's a better question to start with? This week, we'll explore how Christmas reminds us that when we can't find our way back, God makes a way to us.

What's the real purpose of the church? Too often, our preferences get in the way of the mission Jesus gave us. This week, we'll look at how the early church wrestled with putting Jesus' purpose above their own preferences and what that means for us today. In part two of FOCUS, we'll discover how the church can truly be a search party for the lost and the kind of movement our world desperately needs.

Most people think God gets angry when we wander, but Jesus told a different story. A story of two people who saw the same person, but neither saw him correctly. In the same way, we often see God through distorted lenses — shaped by fear, pride, or past experiences. In part one of this series called FOCUS, we'll talk about how to see God clearly — not as a distant rule-keeper or reward-giver, but as a loving Father who runs toward both the reckless and the religious. When we learn to see God through the lens of His love, it changes everything about how we see ourselves and others.

Fear feeds off uncertainty about the future. But hope anchors us when everything else falls apart. In the final week of Scared to Death, we'll explore the kind of hope that doesn't collapse under pressure, a hope that lasts when everything else lets us down.

When life feels out of control, fear tells us to grab tighter. But control never delivers the peace we're searching for. In this message from Scared to Death, we'll discover how prayer shifts the weight off our shoulders and brings a peace that can steady us, even in chaos.

When fear hits, it feels brand new, I've never been here before. The first job loss. The first diagnosis. The first time someone walks away. But while it may be new to us, we are not the first to go through it. God's people have faced fear and uncertainty throughout history, and every time, He's proven faithful.

When fear hits, it feels brand new, I've never been here before. The first job loss. The first diagnosis. The first time someone walks away. But while it may be new to us, we are not the first to go through it. God's people have faced fear and uncertainty throughout history, and every time, He's proven faithful.

Life has a way of throwing us into fights we never saw coming — some we expect, some that blindside us, and others we fight just to keep standing. In part one of our new series The Fight, Pastor Scott shares a powerful message from Isaiah 43:2 about the God who walks with us through the waters and the fire. With humor, honesty, and hope, he reminds us that God doesn't promise to keep us out of the storm — He promises to be in it with us. Whether you're in a battle right now or trying to make sense of one you've just come through, this message will remind you that you're not alone — and that your fight still has purpose.

Hearing the words of Jesus is not enough—He calls us to live them out. In the final message of this series, we'll explore the parable of the wise and foolish builders and ask ourselves: Are we building lives on His truth or simply admiring His teachings from a distance? True discipleship is revealed not by what we say we believe but by how we live each day. This week, we'll be challenged to apply what we've learned and walk forward in obedience, empowered to be more than “Christian”—empowered to be followers.

Following Jesus will stretch you. Striving to more than a “Christian” will lead you into places of discomfort where faith becomes real and growth happens. This week, we'll look at Peter's bold step out of the boat and into the storm, and how Jesus meets us in those moments of courage. Faith doesn't grow in the safety of the shore—it grows in the tension between fear and trust. This message will challenge us to leave behind passive belief and step into active, obedient faith.

Jesus never promised comfort or ease—He promised transformation. And transformation comes through surrender. This week, we'll hear Jesus' call to “take up your cross” and follow Him, embracing a faith that costs something. We'll face the hard truth that following Jesus means dying to self, letting go of control, pride, and comfort. But in that death, we discover the power of resurrection living. It's not about what we lose—it's about who we become.

Jesus never promised comfort or ease—He promised transformation. And transformation comes through surrender. This week, we'll hear Jesus' call to “take up your cross” and follow Him, embracing a faith that costs something. We'll face the hard truth that following Jesus means dying to self, letting go of control, pride, and comfort. But in that death, we discover the power of resurrection living. It's not about what we lose—it's about who we become.

Sometimes life falls apart without warning, and we're left wondering if anyone really sees us in the chaos. In the story of a broken man in Mark 5, we discover that Jesus doesn't run from the ruins, he steps into them. This message is an invitation to consider what it might mean to have a presence with you that's stronger than the storm, closer than the hurt, and steady even when everything else crumbles.

The world is running a race toward money, influence, career status, often at the expense of one another. But Hebrews teaches us the real race is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, together. You don't win by being first, you win by being faithful

We live in a world where it's easy to create a version of Jesus that fits our preferences. One who blesses our opinions, endorses our lifestyle, and never asks too much. This week, we're tackling a challenging truth:  If your Jesus never disagrees with you, you might be following yourself. Join us as we explore what it means to really follow Jesus, not a custom version we've created, but the one who calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and truly live.

Feeling weighed down by life? Ever wonder what happened to the dreamer you used to be—the one who lived with optimism, bold plans, and a head full of possibilities? This Sunday's message in our At The Movies series will revolve around the movie TOP GUN, and is for anyone who's ever felt grounded by reality, discouraged by circumstances, or just worn out by the pressure of everyday life. Come hear a powerful and uplifting talk that will challenge everything you've believed about attitude and circumstances. You'll discover how the right mindset—modeled after Jesus himself—can lift you above life's turbulence. Don't miss this inspiring reminder that your attitude doesn't have to follow your circumstances…it can lead you to something greater.

We've all fallen for something that seemed too good to be true, only to realize it was just smoke and mirrors. In this message, we explore how the enemy deceives us not with force, but with illusion, just like a magician. What if the lies we believe are costing us more than we think? Join us as we expose the oldest trick in the book and discover how to see through the deception.

We all know people whose life fell apart, not because of a text they sent, but because eventually their heart caught up with them. They pushed what was going on inside of them as far away as they could, and put on and sent the emoji they had to. They were good at putting on a facade, but behind closed doors, deep down inside, there were emotions that weren't' dealt with until it was too late. In part 2 of this series, we're going to discover why that happens, and what we can do to ensure that the fate of others doesn't become our own.

Controlling what emojis we choose to send digitally is easy. Navigating the emotions we truly feel on the inside isn't as simple. Sending a thumbs up when you agree, a smiley face when your team wins, or a sad face when they lose is one thing – but when it comes to responding to real life and the real emotions we feel based on what's happening to us or around us is a challenge. In part 1 of these series, we're going to unpack the words of Solomon, the wisest man in history, to discover where our emotions begin, and how to deal with them in a healthy way.

What if work could be more than survival—or success? What if the job you don't love was about something holy? Together, we'll learn how you can bring a spiritual approach to your every day work space. Whether you're a boss or an intern, at home or in the marketplace—God wants you to see your work as sacred.

“What do you do?” It's a question we often ask to try to figure out someone's identity. But should work and identity be connected? Whether you're chasing success or dreading failure, it's easy to let your work define your worth. But that kind of pressure will break you. In part two of Made for Monday, we'll unpack how the Gospel frees you from proving yourself—and gives you a title no promotion ever could.