Bridgewater Conklin's Podcast: Recent Episodes
bridgewaterconklin
Every single person has a story—a path that they traveled to arrive where they currently are! The same is true of every follower of Jesus. Some stories are filled with twists and turns, some are more straightforward. Each story is powerful and teaches us something about God. The question is—What is your story?
Matthew 5:6; Ecclesiastes 12; 1 Timothy 4:12
“Growing up in church while living for yourself.”
Speaker: Kurt Goglin
When you drive a vehicle, where you look determines where you go. The same is true for life. This raises a big question—What has your attention? Maybe it’s time to build some guardrails into your life to keep you from going where you don’t want to go!
Proverbs 7
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
If you grew up in an age before the internet, you remember a time when maps were a thing. The map would chart out the way to get where you were going. Someone did the work to figure out how to get from A to B. But here’s the thing—the map was only as helpful and reliable as the maker of the map. The same is true in life. We ask all sorts of people for advice, but the answers you get are only as trustworthy as the people you choose to trust.
1 Kings 12
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
We are pretty good at getting ourselves into trouble. And once we are in trouble, it’s a little hard to change the situation. But what if we could learn to look down the path first? Wouldn’t that be a helpful tool?
Proverbs 27:12
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Life is filled with all sorts of twists, turns, and construction zones—similar to the open road! When you get in your car, you know exactly how to navigate from point A to point B, but how do you do that in life? How do you avoid crashing? How do you make sure you end up where you want to end up without doing major damage to yourself and others? If we stop and Ask For Directions, maybe we can get there quicker and safer!
Have you ever noticed something going on in someone else’s life and thought to yourself, “That’s not going to end well!”? Just about all of us have the ability to see that in other people, but amazingly we often times can’t seem to see when we are personally heading toward a crash! What if there were a way to get some directions that would help us avoid crashing all together?
Matthew 7:24-29
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Everyone knows what a car does. But what does a church do? Like cars, Christians are made to move—to follow and become more like Jesus and help others follow Him too. In Acts 8 we find that the people God calls us to go to may not be the ones we expect.
Acts 8
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
If you don’t expect people to give their lives to Jesus, why talk to them about Jesus? If you don’t expect God to move, why pray? Peter and John lived in expectation and courage. God is changing lives! Put your foot on the accelerator that motivated the first church – live in expectation and courage.
Acts 3-4
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Even the most perfectly balanced engine won’t do anything without fuel. What is the fuel of a revival? It is the obedience of a Christian in several key areas.
Acts 2
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
The movement of the pistons is what gives an engine its power. The movement and secret to the power and exponential growth of the church is something the apostle Peter called “the gospel.” What is the gospel? It means “good news” but it starts with really bad news: the murder of the Lord Jesus. But God raised Jesus from the dead and if you repent you can be forgiven through Him.
Acts 2
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
A church or a Christian can look impressive, but without the Holy Spirit they will never do anything except sit and rust. The sparkplug creates the fire that starts the engine. What is the “spark” that all of us need in our church and life?
Acts 2
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
When most people think about change, they think about surface issues. Most New Year’s resolutions are about fitness or finance. I want to lose weight, eat better, exercise, and save money – exterior things. If life were a car, we’d spend all our time on the paint job. We can even parent this way – focusing only on the outward behavior of our kids. But God wants change to go deeper. Let’s go “under the hood” and examine the first Christians to learn how God can really change us, not just on the outside but on the inside as well.
When a car sits, the tires warp and go flat. The battery dies, the breaks rust, the fuel pump breaks down and animals move in. Cars are made to move. As we go “under the hood” in Acts to look at the early church we find the same thing. Christians aren’t just saved to believe something; we are created to do something. Move! What is God calling you to do?
Acts 1
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
In the book of 3rd John, John calls out a man named Diotrephes, the leader of a house Church, for acting like a jerk. Diotrephes is a consumer, and life has become all about him. How do we stop being consumers and start being contributors when it comes to our walk with Jesus?
3 John 1-15
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Thoreau said: “Rather than love, money or fame – give me truth.” It sounds quite noble. Many today feel the opposite: “I’d rather be accused of being too loving than being too truthful.” But what if both are wrong? That’s what 2 John is about – not balancing truth and love but putting them together.
2 John 1-11
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Remember the days of recording over cassettes or burning CDs? Having a mixtape was the perfect way to have all of your favorite songs in the same place. For the next three Sundays, we’re splicing together three short, all-time great letters in the New Testament that are just as relevant & needed today as when they were first cut.
Jude, the brother of Jesus, points out in his book that we become like whoever we listen to the most. Listening to the bad advice that is everywhere today leads to bad beliefs. And our bad beliefs always result in bad behavior. In fact, while many deny it, your behavior is the best indicator of what you really believe.
Jude 1:3-25
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
There are two things you are never supposed to talk about in “polite” company: politics and religion. Many believe there should be a wall between them. "Jesus, stay out of my politics!" It’s better that way... or is it? What if we opened the door and asked God into our politics?
Romans 13:1-7
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Food is a significant part of our lives! It is such a regular part of our daily lives that it is very easy to give lots of thought or very little thought to our food habits. Regardless of which camp you might be in—food is important, but your heart is more important!
Matthew 15:8-11
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
For many, money is the most private and personal area of our life. We are willing to proclaim who we voted for, what we ate last night and our favorite entertainment. But my money is my business—stay out! But is it just my business? Are you willing to let Jesus into this bolted-shut room of your life?
Proverbs 6:6-11
Speaker: Josh Edwards
Anyone who is a Christian has invited God to rule their life. But let’s be honest, there are certain areas in our lives that we’d rather not let God see, let alone change. In our day of modern entertainment - where we have handheld computers and entertainment devices with us 24/7, entertainment has become one of those areas that we would rather God stay out. So what do we do? Keep going like we are free to do whatever we want? Or is there a better way?
1 Corinthians 10:23-31
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
We have already seen how God, the shepherd, is out front leading and how He comes alongside to provide and protect. Now we get a shepherd who is following. To be in His flock is to hear footsteps behind you, but not the footsteps of disappointment, anger, or judgment. These are the footsteps of goodness and love. This sermon reveals God’s heart for His people, and His desire to give us abundant life.
Psalm 23:6
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
We could not possibly account or prepare for every danger we will face in our lives. Life is mysteriously unpredictable. Yet this psalm teaches us that God, our shepherd, has already gone before us and both accounted and prepared for each danger. He leads us on in safety, providing for us and protecting us even when we’re not aware that He’s doing so. This sermon confronts us with our great need for God’s provision and protection.
Psalm 23:5
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Life has a way of leaving us feeling defeated, hopeless, and unsure of where to turn. While sometimes other people are the cause, other times it is because of our own choices. And how does God respond to us when we’re down? This sermon highlights how God rescues, restores, and leads us in the right direction.
Psalm 23:3-4
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
No portion of Scripture, Old or New Testament, is so universally celebrated by those who are followers of Jesus and those who aren’t than Psalm 23. Many people who are unfamiliar with the Bible are familiar with Psalm 23. While there may be some who understand and appreciate its meaning and significance, there are likely far more who find some level of comfort in it, but fall short of understanding what it’s saying and experiencing what it offers. In this 4-week series, we’ll unpack some of the beauty and meaning of this beloved psalm and see how God cares for His people through deserts and gardens—and everywhere in between.
Metaphors can be powerful figures of speech, helping us to understand what would otherwise be unclear to us. In the opening lines of Psalm 23, the author refers to God as a shepherd and himself as a sheep. He goes on to say that because that is true, he has need of nothing. How can he say that, and how can I experience that? This sermon answers those questions.
Psalm 23:1-2
Speaker: Josh Jones
Motherhood is challenging. When life and motherhood aren't what you had wanted, planned, or anticipated, it’s easy to wonder where God is in all of it. From the anticipation of it through all the seasons of it, it tests every woman every step of the way. Sometimes the challenges are the result of our own choices, while at other times they result from the choices of others. There are moments so difficult we may wonder if God knows about our situation and, if He does, if He cares at all. In this sermon, we’re going to get a look into the lives of two women in the Bible whose experience of motherhood was far from ideal, and we’ll see where God is in their stories and what He has planned for them.
Genesis 16:1-16
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
The capacity for addiction can be found inside all of us. In fact, the addict experience could actually be called the human experience. Why do we do the things that we don’t want to and why do we want the things that we do? These questions and more, when brought into the light and laid at the feet of God, can help us find freedom from the addictions that rule over so many of us!
John 8:31-36
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
There are two paths to take in this life. You can’t have both. There’s the Easy Button and there’s the Greatness Button. Guess which one Jesus pushed? This gets at a fundamental difference in our desires and God’s desires for us. My goal for my life is happiness and comfort. God’s goal for my life is greatness—to become god-like (more like Jesus).
Matthew 16:21-27
Speaker: Joel
One of the greatest giants that we ever struggle with is a giant in our head! Insecurity, low self-worth, and even self-hate all show up because of rejection or feelings of rejection from the events in our lives. What if we could drop that giant? What if we could be secure in who we are and how we are valued?
1 Samuel 17
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Everyone experiences fear and worry and sometimes fear can leave us frozen—unable to think clearly or respond effectively. But, is that are only response? Mark 6 gives us hope for when we face fear and worry.
Mark 6:45-52
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
We all have habits, patterns and sins that have a way of consuming our lives. These ‘giants’ like fear, rejection, comfort and addiction can wreak havoc in our lives. In this series we look at what God’s Word says to discover that whatever your affliction is, it can, will, and must fall to the power of Jesus.
Israel learns that there are still Giants in the land; some are right in your face, yelling at you, and others are more subtle. Some "giants" leave us trembling and hold us back. These "giants" are keeping you on the sideline, so what do you do? You change your perspective, but how do we do that?
1 Samuel 17
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Jesus came to cancel the things that hold you prisoner!
Luke 4:18-19
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
When we understand all that we have been forgiven of, it compels us to forgive others. We have wronged God far more than anyone has ever wronged us, and yet He canceled our debt. Forgiveness cannot stop with us, it must flow through us.
Matthew 18:21-35
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Everyone wants peace. But how do we get there? Our sin nature wants to lean into revenge and getting even, but peace is actually found in forgiveness. How do we become healed and whole after being wronged? The only path is forgiveness. It’s not that we become healed and then forgive, we have to forgive to heal.
Colossians 3:12-15
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
When you have been hurt deeply, forgiveness can feel like an impossible task. What is the big deal with forgiveness? Does God really expect me to forgive THAT person? How on earth am I supposed to forgive those who have wronged me? Join us as we look at some common misconceptions about forgiveness, how forgiveness leads to peace, and how being forgiven compels us to forgive others.
The Bible commands us to forgive. But so much has been assumed about what it means to forgive that we want to take the time to talk about what forgiveness is—and what it is not. In doing so, we will find that Biblical forgiveness may not be what we thought, but it is so much better.
Colossians 3:12-13
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
What about when we can’t honor someone? What about abuse? Today we are joining the conversation about God’s heart for the abused and will unpack four responses to the problem of abuse.
Luke 4:16-19
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Marriages often don’t fall apart in a single day. They also don’t get fixed in a single day. Both healthy and hurting marriages are the product of small choices over time. The “little things” can make a big difference.
Song of Songs 2:15
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Re-Upload: 02-25 16:05
In the heat of the battle, reacting, instead of carefully responding is very easy to do. However, if we are going to honor one another above ourselves, we are going to have to learn to listen to one another and resolve conflict with good rather than evil. What might happen in our relationships if we listened to God’s instructions instead of our feelings?
Romans 12:14-21
Speaker: Joel Kessler
Let’s stop pretending. The longer you are in relationships the harder it is to pretend or fake loving someone. Eventually the real you comes out. We need to stop pretending and genuinely love others.
Where do we begin when it comes to relationships? There is ONE thing that all good relationships have in common. Whether it be a husband and wife, two people dating, parents and kids, employer or employee or best friends there is ONE thing that every good relationship has in common.
Romans 12:9-10
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
We’re talking about vision. A vision for the people in your life who don’t know Jesus to become followers of Jesus. A vision for those in your workplace to lean in to hear what you have to say because you live out your faith in such a winsome and attractive way. A vision to have a vibrant, growing, community of faith in communities where it’s lacking. A vision to creatively participate in what God is doing in the world. A vision to ask and expect big things of God while we innovate and take risks. A vision to see exponentially more people jumping in to become a part of what God is doing among us by serving, giving, praying, investing, and inviting.
Matthew 25:29
Speaker: Josh Jones & Tim Sullivan
In Matthew 24 Jesus’ followers ask Him THE question: “What sign will signal your return at the end of the world?” What are the six things that Jesus said have to happen before He returns? Are any still unfulfilled? And most importantly, how should we live in these last days?
Matthew 24
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Since Jesus made it abundantly clear that we are living in the end times - we should know how to live in a way that makes every day count! So how do we live “ready”? Jesus sent letters to churches in Asia Minor to make sure that they were ready for His return and making the most of every opportunity. Will you listen what Jesus says to His church?
Mark 13:32-37; Revelation 1:1,4-8, 3:14-22
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
War. Poverty. Unrest. What in the world is going on, and how should we live today? The current conflict between Israel and Hamas has sparked several questions regarding the End Times and whether this is the end. If we are living in the End Times, how would we know & how should we prepare?
The current Israel crisis sparks many questions for followers of Jesus. We wonder if this is the end of the world. If so, how did this begin, and what is our response? Today, we will look at Genesis 16-21 and go back to the beginning of where the conflict started.
Genesis 16:1-3; 9-12, 17:17-19, 21:8-10
Speaker: Bob Kadlecik
Join us as we look forward to 2024 by looking back on all that God has done in 2023!
Speaker: Josh Jones
The events surrounding the Christmas story are incredibly unlikely. So much so that it’s almost ironic that we celebrate it so greatly.
God becoming a baby.
The King of Heaven placed in a feeding trough.
The king of Israel becoming so scared by a tiny baby that he kills off all of the baby boys in Bethlehem.
Why such an incredibly unlikely plan? To produce an incredible outcome. The only question is—will you receive the gift of Jesus?
Luke 1:35
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
So much of the Christmas story seems unlikely, including God’s choice of messengers to tell people about it. Angels were an obvious choice, but shepherds and foreign wisemen? But the most unlikely of all was God’s messenger to earth–Jesus. That God would humble Himself into such a small and weak container, a baby boy, is the most unlikely plan of all.
Luke 2:8-20
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
When something is promised, it’s easy to get excited and start watching for the fulfillment of the promise. It’s easy, that is, until time drags on and on, seemingly without any movement or change. Eventually, it’s easy to start thinking “It’s not going to happen”, or “We must have gotten it wrong”, or “They must have changed their mind.” Before you know it the lack of movement convinces us that the possibility of anything happening is highly unlikely. So what do we do when God’s timing seems suspect and leads us to believe that His promises are highly unlikely?
Luke 2:21-40
Speaker: Joel Garrison
A birth predicted 1000 years before it happened. A star guiding magi to the birthplace of a special child. A heavenly message proclaimed by angels to simple shepherds. A virgin giving birth…to a child…who was God. What do all these things have in common? They seem unlikely. But could it be that God uses the most unlikely circumstances to bring about the most wonderful outcomes? We think so. And we invite you to join us as we celebrate an “Unlikely” Christmas.
We cannot control how likely or unlikely our life events will be. We can only control our response to them. Mary’s circumstances were beyond unlikely; they were miraculously impossible. But Mary had an unlikely response to her confusing and frightening circumstances – she completely trusted God. She wanted what God wanted, even when she didn’t understand. In the most unlikely birth in human history, Mary had a very unlikely response to God – she trusted Him. Will you?
Luke 1:26-38
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Jesus warns us not to store up treasures on earth. It’s not just because wealth might be lost; it’s because wealth will always be lost. Either it leaves us while we live, or we leave it when we die. No exceptions. The more you have, the more you’ll leave behind. So the wise will store up treasures in heaven, living not for what is temporary (the dot), but for what is eternal (the line).
Matthew 6:19-21
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
When confronted with a need, it is typical to assess your resources and determine what you can afford to give to meet the need. Is this the right approach? Or is there a better question to ask? Jesus challenges us to ask “What do I have?” rather than “What can I afford?” Then He uses what we give in a powerful way.
Matthew 14:13-21
Speaker: Chris Tracy
Do you do This? This opens doors and solves problems. This inspires others to do This, too—it’s the good kind of contagious. When they tell our life stories, we want them to put This at the top. We are hardwired for This. This is who we are, and This Is What We Do.
Giving may be an action, but generosity is a posture. When we are generous with our resources, we follow the example of our God, who is not only generous toward us, but multiplies the impact of our giving and the joy we experience as a result of our generosity. Generosity, beginning with the tithe, helps us to put God first.
2 Corinthians 9
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Many people are looking for more purpose in their lives and circumstances. As we wrap up our Starting Point series, we will see that our uniqueness finds its fullest and best expression when connected to God's divine purpose in the world. As followers of Jesus, we are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves--and it's called the Church.
Acts 9
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Faith has a starting point, and as we discussed in week one, our faith is tied to the resurrection. The Christian faith is founded on a person and an event that is supported by historical evidence, and the evidence demands a response.
Acts 17
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Most religions want to negotiate with God. The Bible tells us that God isn’t interested in negotiating, because He is more interested in giving to us than getting from us. In this week of Starting Point, we talk about how grace explains why we can’t bargain with God.
Ephesians 2
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
“What can wash away my sin?” It is the age-old question everyone and every religion asks. We all have seasons of our lives and things in our lives we wish we could erase or forget. What do we do with them? In this week of Starting Point, we talk about the solution to our guilt and shame
Mark 1
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Rules, Rules, Rules! Why are there so many rules? Sometimes when you read the Bible it can very quickly feel like all it is is a list of do’s and don’ts. Some people even think that the 10 Commandments are the centerpiece of the Christian faith and that obedience is required to get in. But what if a relationship with God doesn’t depend on obedience? When it comes to your relationship with God, what is the role of rules?
Exodus 20
Speaker: Joel Garrison
We can all agree that our world is a mess! The world’s three largest faith traditions claim the same starting point - Abraham, and they all agree that God stepped into the mess of our world to do something about it. The question is - how do we get the help He provided?
Genesis 12
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Everyone makes mistake, right? But is it a mistake when you do it on purpose? What do you call a mistake that you can’t seem to stop doing even though you really want to? Our problem isn’t that we are mistakers. Our problem is that we are sinners. We must first recognize our sin for what it is. But we must also see how Jesus came not to condemn us in our sin but to restore us.
Matthew 5:20-22; 27-28
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Everything has a starting point: A relationship, a career, a life, a nation. What is the starting point of Christianity? What do you believe and why do you believe it? Join us as we ask questions and think through the foundations of not just Christianity, but your relationship with God.
Paul wrote a dozen books of the Bible and was beheaded for following Jesus and telling others about Him. What was the starting point of his incredible faith? What was most important to him and the other Christians who knew Jesus personally?
1 Corinthians 15:3-6
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Following Jesus means becoming more like Jesus. That is a high standard, but thankfully we do not have to get there all at once and we are not alone in the process. Everyone has a next step to take in becoming more like Jesus. We can be more of what God calls us to be each day if we will walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-26
Speaker: Joel Garrison
You may have noticed that at Bridgewater Church we value community. We live in a culture that is very individualistic, yet in Scripture, we are encouraged to be connected so that we can contend for one another, be united in love, and increase in our understanding of God. All of this is so that we may share our faith and continually be built up and strengthened in our faith. This can produce a heart of thankfulness, but it does not happen by simply showing up; it requires connection.
Colossians 2:1-7
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
If you’ve been a part of Bridgewater for very long, you realize that we place a significant emphasis on reaching out to people far from God. Why? The actions of Jesus show us that He values people and has an urgency in having spiritual conversations. If you’ve been found by Jesus, it’s time to help find others.
John 4:1-42
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
As a church, we want to be known for serving others. This is us; this is who we are. Jesus was an example for all of us to follow, and if we want to follow Him, we need to live as Jesus lived and live our lives in a way that looks like Jesus.
John 13:1-17
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Like people, no two churches are exactly alike. Though there are many churches known by the same name, there is only one of us. As a church, we exist to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ. But we have a unique personality and contribution to make in God’s work. At Bridgewater, we are motivated by our mission and driven by our core values. These core values are the why behind the what and the how. Join us in this series, as we focus on Bridgewater's Core Values. This is us.
We, as a church, value radical generosity. But why? Why choose to give in a world consumed with getting? We value generosity because God has been so generous to us. In giving us His Son Jesus, God has given us the ultimate gift and has set the standard for sacrificial giving. So it is both our joy and responsibility to follow His example. We give because He gave.
1 John 3:16-18
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Why do we meet on Sunday mornings? What is the point of church? It’s hard to be 100% onboard with something if you don’t know why you are supposed to do it.
Romans 5:6-11
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Following Jesus requires me to obey God, not just listen and talk. Next Sunday is an opportunity to put our faith into practice and BE the church!
Matthew 28:18-20
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
What changes hearts? The only thing that radically changes my heart and the hearts of our enemies is love! Rules don’t change anyone’s hearts. Grace does! Love does!
Hosea 1:1-10; 3:1-3
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
What should you do if you’re constantly being hurt, offended, or angered? Maybe the problem isn't an outward one but an inward one—a problem with ego. When you’re humble, you’re not constantly thinking, "How do I look?" Or "Am I a success?" Or "What do they think of me?". God delights in making marvelous things happen using the humble and yet we think far too much of ourselves. So in reality, the question is: what’s really been wounded? You? Or your ego?
Philippians 2:1-8
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
All of us have experienced offense and been offended. We’ve all felt the pull to respond in kind. How should the gospel shape the way we respond to being offended? Is it possible that we settle for a cheap knock off way of handling problems when God offers the best response possible? Proximity breeds empathy.
1 Samuel 25
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
So many relationships struggle and end because of one simple thing: offense. He offended me. She hurt me. They offended me. All of these are statements that most of us are used to hearing and maybe even saying. What if there was a better way? What if we could approach struggles, conflicts and problems with a different outlook? The way of Jesus teaches us something foundational about conflict - it teaches that offenses will occur - but we don’t have to be offended. You see: offense is an event, offended is a choice. So, what choices can we make to live in the way of Jesus even in the midst of conflict?
Jesus says: Drop the offense with forgiveness, because if we change our approach to offense, maybe we’ll stop being offended!
Matthew 5:21-26
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Everyone has thoughts on singleness and marriage. The world, our families, our friends, and even churches have a lot to say about it. But what does God really have to say about it?
Genesis 1:18-25
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Over the past 50 years - the conversation about sexuality and homosexuality has changed drastically in our culture. How do we navigate these conversations biblically and point to the hope of the gospel? How do we formulate convictions for ourselves that help us stand firm against the brokenness that exists inside every one of us? Broken Sexuality will walk through 4 truths designed to guide the way that we see our sexuality and interact with others.
Genesis 1:27-28
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
History has not always reflected well on people of faith and those who identify as transgender. But followers of Jesus must both seek to understand the dynamics of transgenderism while responding in Christlike love to those who are wrestling with issues of identity. This message will help us understand how we arrived at this cultural moment, what God’s Word has to say about it, and how to wisely and lovingly respond to all people.
Genesis 1:26-28
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
What if we aren’t just animals but something more – created in the image of God? It would mean that all human life is equally sacred no matter your color, sex, size, or how little of life is left.
Genesis 1:26-27
Speaker: Joel Garrison
'In the beginning God' are some of the most important words to understand the world we live in. In the beginning God spoke creation into existence with design, intention, and purpose. This reality has powerful implications for some of the most important conversations of our day. We are not left to culture, opinion, or our own thoughts to determine the answers to these questions. God, through His Word, has made available for us the answers to questions about life, sexuality, gender, marriage, and more.
Whatever is most important in your life will ultimately serve as the grid in which you make your decisions through. In order to understand the world we live in, we must see our world through the right lens. God, the Creator of everything, is the ultimate source of life and truth. That reality must filter how we answer every ethical and moral question we encounter.
Genesis 1:1-3
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
We love moms at Bridgewater and so does God. In fact, God has incredible plans and purposes for women! Join us as we discover how God is using the season you are in right now to bring about His good plan in and through you.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
I quit fear by waiting on God instead of striving to do it all on my own.
Psalm 46:1-11
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
I quit fear by worshipping God instead of worrying.
Matthew 14:27-33
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
I quit fear and worry by trusting in God instead of myself.
Exodus 16:2-27
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
He’s a terrible boss. Almost everything he says is a lie. He sucks the life out of you and anyone he’s around. He holds you back from so much joy and adventure. And yet so many continue to serve Him. Who is he? Fear. It’s time for you to turn in your resignation and quit fear.
Week 1: I quit fear by confronting lies and believing God's truth.
Matthew 6:23-24
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
This weekend is a weekend of celebration. It’s a weekend of celebration because what we celebrate at Easter changed everything for humanity. It brings hope to those that are hopeless. It speaks new life to those who are desperate for a brighter future. In times of difficulties we cling to hope that our worst days won’t be all of our days, & Easter provides that hope!
1 Corinthians 15
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Sin has a way of messing up so many things in our life, especially our connection to God. Before accepting the free gift of salvation, it’s what keeps us from a relationship with God. After accepting the free gift of salvation, sin can cause us to feel distant from God because we often feel guilty about what we did and think God must be mad at us. So we hide from God or are distance ourselves from Him. But Jesus didn’t go to the cross so we could have a cold distant relationship with our Heavenly Father. Repentance and confession are essential pieces to walk in a close relationship with God.
Psalm 139:1-4; 23-24
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Have you ever heard a song that moved you? Whether it was the words or music itself, it just had a way of drawing you in so powerfully? Music is an incredible gift, and all throughout the Bible, God’s people have used music to declare how good God is. The songs we sing every Sunday aren’t just because we love music, but because God has given us worship through song as a means of growing closer in our relationship with Him.
2 Chronicles 20
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Have you ever felt like your connection with God could be better? Does it feel like things get in the way of you knowing God? Do you ever wonder if there is something you could do to have a closer relationship with God? You’re not alone! And the good news is, the Bible offers us an answer to those questions. Join us as we dig in to God’s word and dive deeper into knowing our great God.
One of the ways Scripture gives us to get in tune with God's heart is to fast and pray as we seek Him. Fasting is the practice of laying aside food and sometimes other things to create space for more prayer in our life. Join us as we discover the joy of seeking God through prayer and fasting.
Matthew 4:1-4
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Conflict is an inescapable reality. No one is immune to it. It has a unique way of exposing the motives of our hearts. So we’re going to follow James’ lead and lean into the source of human conflict to see how it brings the quality of our faith to the surface so that we can pursue an authentic faith in God.
James 4:1-3
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Life can be confusing, frustrating, and difficult to navigate. Because of that, wisdom is a treasure so valuable we eagerly search for it in books, blogs, and people. But how do we know when we’ve found it? What does true wisdom look like? James shows us the differences between worldly wisdom and wisdom from God and why people of faith pursue the wisdom that is from God.
James 3:13-18
Speaker: Josh Jones
Faith is essential to having a relationship with God. But is it possible to have a kind of faith that God doesn’t accept? The answer is yes! So we’ll discover qualities and characteristics of both real and counterfeit faith to determine which we have.
James 2:14-26
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Temptation is part of the human experience. We’re all tempted to do what we know is wrong. But how should we respond to temptation? And when does temptation become sin? What does our response to temptation reveal about our faith? We’ll look at the process of temptation from beginning to end to better understand how sin works and how to overcome it.
James 1:13-18
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
In a world of copies and counterfeits, it can be difficult to know that you have something authentic, something real. And when it comes to issues of faith, it can be even more confusing. But James offers us help as he shows us what real, authentic faith looks like in the context of everyday life.
Everybody experiences times of difficulty and suffering. But for followers of Jesus, these trials not only expose the condition of our faith in Jesus, but also serve to strengthen and develop it. We’ll see how our responses to suffering shed light on whether our faith is real or counterfeit.
James 1:1-8
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Let's take a look back at what God has done in 2022, and look ahead to what we hope He does in 2023!
Philippians 1:3-6
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Anything in life that is worth changing, is worth doing the work to keep that change. We can’t clean our house once and expect it to stay clean forever, in the same way we can’t expect one short season of trying to change make us different forever. Real, lasting change is a result of choosing to pursue and keep that change day in and day out.
Lamentations 3:19-25
Speaker: Joel Garrison
There are so many things our lives can be about. So many really good things can become the center of our priorities, even. In Christianity it can feel a little overwhelming when you consider all the “good things” we could and maybe feel like we should be doing. But what if it was really much simpler than that? What if the entirety of everything we ought to aim for in life could be boiled down into two things?
Matthew 28
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
God sent Jesus to the cross to make change possible, and then He sent His Spirit to live in us to give us the power to actually change. But He wasn’t done yet! God also gave us His Word to lay out a pathway to leave behind the old and move our lives towards the new life offered in Christ.
Psalm 119
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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?
Galatians 5:16-25
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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. Where do 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?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Speaker: Matt Pousseur
Christmas is the biggest cultural celebration that we have and yet, unless several other things happened, we wouldn't even know about it or celebrate it today. What if the point wasn't Christmas—what if the point was something else entirely? Something that could give every single one of us hope for our future?
Matthew 1:18-21
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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?
Luke 2:1-11
Speaker: Joel Garrison
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?
Matthew 1:1-16
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
2 Samuel 15
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
2 Samuel 13
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
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?
Scripture: 1 Samuel 23-24
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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?
Scripture: 1 Samuel 16-18
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Ephesians 4:6-8; 5:10-12
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
[Re-Uploaded 10-25-2022 @ 19:52 With Just the Sermon after accidentally uploading the whole service ]
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?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Anger is one of those things that is easy to spot in someone else, but can be harder to identify in our own lives. We can so easily blame-shift our anger to make it someone else’s fault: we did that thing or said those words or reacted that way. How do we break free from the vicious cycle of anger?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Maybe you feel like you’re the only one? Or you worry, “If I ask, what will they think of me? When you doubt you can feel like a spiritual failure or have gone apostate and fear being judged. But we want you to know this is a safe place to ask hard questions. God isn’t scared of your doubts and neither are we.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
In this series, we are going to bring up the issues we all deal with that don’t often get dealt with.
Today’s question:
Asking for a friend, when does God give up on you? Like how bad is too bad for God? Is there some sin or something we could do that God would never want us?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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!
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
No matter where you are in your journey to become like Jesus, everyone has a next step. Sometimes that step is big, other times it’s small. But what many don’t realize is that often your next step isn’t just about you. What if your next step was to help someone else take their next step?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Jesus has a vision to change the world one life at a time as His followers make more and better disciples of Him. But how do we do that? This series unpacks several Biblical principles (our core values) that result in more & better disciples. These values change lives that will change the world.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
If you want to spark a highly spirited debate among sports fanatics just ask, “Who was the greatest?” Though most of us have no chance of being the greatest at a sport, if you live these two principles, you can be the greatest person on earth.
Passage: Mark 10:32-45
Speaker: Joel Garrison
!! Re-Uploaded 7-17-2022 - 5:30PM With the Correct File. Sorry for Any Confusion !!
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?
Passage: Nehemiah 9:38-10:1
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
!! Re-Uploaded 7-17-2022 - 5:30PM With the Correct File. Sorry for Any Confusion !!
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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?
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
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?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
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?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
If it didn’t happen, nothing in the Bible is helpful or dependable. If it did happen, everything in the Bible is true and reliable. The resurrection is the hinge on which all of Christianity and perhaps all of human history turns.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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?
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
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.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
The world is watching us and deciding if Jesus is worth following. How we treat each other as Christians and how we act when it looks like we are losing perhaps says more than our words ever will.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Though we have been called to unity as a church, we are also instructed to draw lines and make judgments. The problem is we don’t often judge correctly and we don’t often judge the right people.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
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.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Everything in the church and the Christian life must be centered on and filtered through the cross. Everything changes in light of the cross. Our unity as a church hinges on Christians living a cross-centered life.
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
A divided church is an unhealthy church. A divided, unhealthy church is a dying church. Therefore the church must fight for unity.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Series: The church is messy because it is full of messy people. Yet it still is God's chosen instrument to bring light to the world. How do we reconcile the mess church can be with the perfect of God. How do we love and serve the church in the way Christ served the church? 1 Corinthians shows us how God loves, chastens, disciplines, and restores His church even when it looks too far gone.
Sermon: If we are going to live in this world, we need to understand that God's grace is the only chance we have. It is also the only chance others have at making it. We must keep our own need for grace at the forefront of our minds when dealing with others.
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
How far would you go to save someone you love? To the ends of the earth? God loves the world and following Him means joining Him in His plan to bring that love to the ends of the earth.
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Sermon: Peace isn't dependent upon circumstances or luck. Jesus said that He wants to give us peace. How do we receive the peace He offers?
Scripture Passage: John 14:27-29
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Sermon: It's time to arm yourself with these three weapons to put your worries on life-support.
Scripture Passage: Judges 6:11-24
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Sermon: Some of the most godly people have struggled with depression. Discover from God's Word how we can fight depression physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Scripture Passage: 2 Corinthians 10:5
Speaker: Joel Garrison
What do we do when we face obstacles in life? In this message, Pastor Matt from Bridgewater Hallstead shares the three most critical steps we need to take to experience God's blessing.
Series: Find freedom from your stress, anxiety and depression.
Sermon: Stress is a part of all our lives and can push us to the breaking point. What are the causes of stress and what is the pathway out of stress and into peace?
Scripture Passage: Luke 10:38-42
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Sermon: While we're on the heels of a great Christmas season we want to take some time to reflect on the significance of Christmas and what it mens for the rest of our year. Christmas reveals to us that the presence of God is most often felt with people of God. We can so clearly know Immanuel has come for us, when His people show us His love.
Scripture Passage: Romans 5:5; John 13:34-35; John 1:14
Speaker: Matt Pousseur and Josh Jones
Sermon: Have you ever been given something that should be a blessing, but really doesn't feel like one? What does it even mean to be blessed? Are blessings found in the accumulation of stuff, or the greatness of our achievements? Perhaps the greatest blessing of all isn't something, but someone.
Scripture Passage: Luke 1:46-55
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Series: Every year, people across the globe celebrate Christmas together. But beyond the lights, the gifts, and the traditions stands a story. Not just any story, but a story that has been told since the beginning of time. It's the story about a problem, that finally found its answer in what we celebrate at Christmas. Join us this Christmas season as we discover the answer to our greatest problems, Immanuel.
Sermon: In a time of life that should feel full of joy, celebration, and warm feeling, we know that is not always the case. What do you do when, you're no seeing what you hoped to see, you aren't where you hope to be, or you long for something that isn't a reality. Where do you turn?
Scripture Passage: Isaiah 7:1-16
Speaker: Tim Sullivan
How do you overcome crippling financial fear and anxiety? The antidote to fear isn't courage, it's trust.
Scripture Passage: Luke 12:22-34
Speaker: Joel Garrison
What if the solution to our financial problems wasn’t “just a little bit more”? Join us as we discover why more is never enough and talk about Jesus’ radical solutions to the financial anxiety and discontent we all face.
Jesus says more is never enough, because greed isn’t better than contentment. Jesus addresses the three lies that feed greed and discontentment: It’s all from me, it’s all for me and I have lots of time.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
God dramatically delivered His people from Egypt. He demonstrated His great power to them, gave them a new identity, and provided for their needs. He led them out to freedom. But for what? What did He have in mind for this nation? God chose them not only to demonstrate His love for them, but also His love for all people. He didn’t just save them with no purpose. He gave them an incredible purpose, to represent Him to all people. They, like the people of God today, have not been saved simply to enjoy our salvation, but to offer that salvation to the people in our world. We have been commissioned.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Though God redeemed His people and brought them out of Egypt, the journey of freedom wasn’t easy. They faced challenges and questioned God and their leaders along the way. Like us, they were longing for rest and desperate for provision. But God miraculously led and sustained them all along the way, whether they chose to recognize it or not. We, like them, can be led to believe that we don’t have the resources we need to do all that God requires of us. But even in our doubt, God still provides and resources us for our journey through life.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Stories of rescue are some of the most amazing to be told. The account of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt is no different. When God brought His people out of Egypt, He also decimated the false religious system of the people of Egypt by bringing plagues against their country that served to reveal their god had no power to save them. The pivotal moment was the final plague, when God commanded Israel to make sure they were covered by the blood of a lamb. This pictures the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, whose death redeemed us from slavery to sin.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
When God chooses to use someone to accomplish something significant, what kind of person does He choose? Does He look for the strong, able intelligent, or popular? Or does He look for something else? When God chose Moses, we learn not only the kind of person He may choose, but we also learn that His agenda for what He will accomplish through that person is as important as what He will accomplish in that person.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
We all love a good story. What makes a story so compelling and so good is when we can see ourselves in someone else’s story. In this series, the call is to see ourselves in someone else’s story. From the book of Exodus, we’ll learn from the nation of Isreal’s mistakes and work to repeat their success. From captivity to commission, this is the human story.
All people have the same starting point - held captive by sin. We are born this way. While it seems natural to us, it is not the the way it has to be. And though sin takes from us and leads us to death, this is not the way it has to be. Freedom from sin can be found in fearing God.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: Loss, heartache, and disappointment have a way of affecting our faith. Maybe you thought God was going to heal someone, or change a situation and he didn't come through like you hoped. That disappointment can drive us to a place of unbelief and doubt. What does Jesus have to say about the hardest moments of our lives?
Scripture Passage: John 11:1-44
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: There is nothing more important than what you believe about God, salvation, and eternity; yet so often other things cloud out the most important decision you will ever make. Is the reason you can't believe because something else has caught the attention of your heart and has led you away from what matters most?
Scripture Passage: John 6:14-69
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: Are doubts and unanswered questions holding you back? Have you heard things about God and believe that they have left you with more questions than answers? Before you get answers to your questions, there may be something else you need. Join us this weekend as we unpack what may be getting in the way of you believing.
Scripture Passage: John 20:24-31
Speaker: Joel Garrison
There are many reasons people give for why they can’t believe in Jesus. Maybe it’s disappointment. Maybe they are skeptical of the whole story, or maybe they just find other things more important. What would change for you, if Jesus satisfied every reason why you can’t believe.
The first type of person who says they can’t believe, might not be who you think it is. Maybe it’s someone who says they already believe, but truly hasn’t believed in Jesus. They’ve got just enough religion to think they have the real thing, but lack saving faith.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: There are three kinds of people: Committed (stool), comfortable (recliner) and camal (bean- bag). Which one are you and why are two of those options so terribly wrong? If true, Christianity is of utmost importance. If untrue it is of no importance. The only thing Christianity cannot be is moderately important.
Scripture Passage: Joshua 14:6-14
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: Gods Love Is Amazing and Open to You
Scripture Passages: Romans 8:31-8:39 / 2 Corinthians 11:23-11:27
Guest Speaker: Tim Sullivan
Sermon: The living room is where we connect as friends. How can we do that better at Bridgewater Church? And why is interacting in circles more powerful than sitting in rows?
Scripture Passage: Ephesians 3:16-18
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: The porch is where we welcome guests. How can we be a welcoming church? How do we make the church a irresistible as Jesus?
Scripture Passage: Acts 15:1-6, 19
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Series: Jesus gave His followers one job; make disciples. Take a tour with us through the "house" called Bridgewater Church to discover how this one command affects everything we do.
Sermon: After the resurrection, Jesus could literally do anything. He did one thing. And He tells us to do this one thing. What is it? And how do we accomplish it?
Scripture Passage: Matthew 28:18-20
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: For all the times that we do not know what to pray and for all the times that we feel caught in the rut of praying for the same thing in the same way, there is a solution. We can pray God's words back to Him.
Scripture Passage: Psalm 100
Speaker: Chris Tracy
Sermon: Sometimes there is nothing that we can do to change God's answer to our prayer but sometimes we can make a difference. The outcome of our prayer is not disconnected from our relationship with God. We can take steps towards praying more productively.
Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:9-15
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Series: Do you feel like when you pray, you never see any results? Sometimes prayer can feel like less than a conversation. It can feel repetitive and one sided, but it doesn't have to be that way. Our prayers are deeply connected to our relationship with God.
Sermon: What if we were to tell you that God answers all our prayers? Would you believe us? What would happen in your life if you believed God answered all your prayers?
Scripture Passage: Luke 18:1-8
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
There are three characteristics of Nehemiah’s life that allowed him to build more than a wall, and become one of the greatest leaders of all time. What victories will God accomplish through you if you do the same?
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Most people believe great deeds are done by great people. But what if greatness isn’t measured by ability? What if God is looking for something else entirely?
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Before God can use you to change your reality, you must face it. Who and what stands in the way of what God wants to accomplish and who will stand with you?
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Series: What if you could change your world? Join us as we plunge into 2,500 year-old events that will challenge the very nature of your life today and send you on a mission to change your reality.
Sermon: Changing your reality starts with a picture - a vision - of what should be. These four questions will help you identify your vision of what God wants to do through you to change this world.
Scripture Passage: Nehemiah 1:1-4
Speaker: Joel Garrison
What does it take to build the muscle of faith that in season and out of season we are ready for whatever God calls us to do? How do we build our faith in such a way that we are ready when God asks us to take that big crazy step of faith?
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: Sometimes we encounter seasons of life that throw us down and beat us up. They leave us wondering if we really have what it takes. We can feel fearful and struggle with our faith. Is there a type of faith for that? What about someone who is imperfect but trying?
Scripture Passage: Matthew 14:22-30
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: How do you know it's really God? How can you be sure that what you feel led to is actually of God? How do you have faith when you also have doubt? How do you move forward when all you have is a maybe?
Scripture Passage: Genesis 12:1-4
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: Before you can have crazy faith you have to start somewhere. That somewhere is baby faith, and it's something that God said He can do great things with. What if you started your faith journey and took God at His Word?
Scripture Passage: Matthew 17:14-20
Speaker: Josh Jones
Series: Throughout the Bible there are stories of people who lived their life by faith and accomplished incredible things for God. They just believed God, even without having all the facts they may have wanted upfront. We call them heroes of the faith. But what if they weren't just ancient people we read about, but are people we know. What if you lived your life in such a way that you were considered a person of great faith, maybe even crazy faith?
Sermon: The people of the Bible who lived with a crazy amount of faith built floating zoos, left their country to an unknown land, and slew giants. What do we need to know about faith to live all out for God? Discover how to have faith beyond "the status quo, or just getting by," and really start living out crazy faith.
Scripture Passage: Hebrews 11:1
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: Rule #5: Forgiveness: What is it? What isn't it? When do I need to forgive and how do I do that?
Scripture Passage: Matthew 18:21-35
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Series: If you sneeze and I say, "Bless you!" - it isn't going to change your life. Much more powerful than the blessing of a man or woman is the blessing of God. But how do we get God's blessing? God's promise to prosper us and give us His happiness?
Scripture Passage: Numbers 6: 22-26
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Sermon: Rule #4: When you confront, confront with love and gentleness. Every conflict provides you with an opportunity to please God. Every conflict provides you with an opportunity to love others.
Scripture Passage: Galatians 6:1-2
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Rule #3: Humbly asking for forgiveness is the most powerful relational remedy in conflict. Remember: There is a big difference between an apology and asking for forgiveness.
Scripture Passage: Matthew 7:3-5
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: Rule #2: You must focus on your part of the conflict regardless of what the other person does. Remember: your biggest enemy in conflict is YOU!
Scripture Passage: James 4:1-2
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Series: The happiest and greatest moments of your life happen through relationships. The worst and hardest moments of your life happen through... relationships! Join us as we discover the "rules" to build better, lasting relationships.
Sermon: Rule #1: Your goal in conflict cannot be to win the conflict or avoid the conflict. Your goal must be to please God. Remember: Sinful people tend to respond sinfully when sinned against.
Scripture Passage: Romans 12:18
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: Although the world lives with the end in mind, with Jesus our story is not a story of ends. Regardless of what you have done in the past, Jesus wants to turn your grave into a garden. Jesus isn't finished with you. He's just getting started.
Scripture Passage: John 21
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: We have been marked by Jesus to leave a mark! One of the last acts of Jesus' earthly ministry was to serve his disciples and to challenge them to leave a mark of service.
Scripture Passage: John 13:1-5
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Sermon: We have been marked by Jesus to leave a mark! Possibly the defining mark of a follower of Jesus is love. What does it look like for us to love where we live?
Scripture Passage: Matthew 22:34-40
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: We have been marked by Jesus to leave a mark! Few things can change and influence people like forgiveness. As we learn to forgive, we live out what we have been marked to do!
Scripture Passage: Luke 23:32
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Series: What's the thing that defines you? When people think of you what is the thing they first associate with you? What if when someone thought of you they quickly thought of Jesus? What if you lived in such a way that it was obvious you have been marked by the power, forgiveness, love and mind of Christ? In this series, we will discover what it looks like to bear the marks of Jesus.
Sermon: If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been marked for a mission. Jesus has set you apart and called you but you may have to learn to take care of the donkeys before you see your name in lights.
Scripture Passage: Ephesians 4:1
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Too often we miss who our battle is truly against in this world. We miss our “Breakthrough” because we are fighting the wrong things and/or the wrong people. You and I have an enemy and the sole purpose of his existence is to chew God’s people up and spit them out. If we desire to proclaim victory in this world, if we want to thrive and not just survive, then we need to identify our true enemy and build a battle plan to stand against him.
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Sermon: We have a choice before us when we experience the brokenness of this world in our lives first-hand. We can choose to be just like the broken or we can choose to be who we are in Jesus. Suffering in this world leads us to one of two responses; sinning or serving; which will you choose?
Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 3:9-15
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Sermon: Everything God does is by design and done for His purposes, but too often we live completely opposite of that truth; especially in the middle of suffering and pain. We come to believe that everything just happens around us and to us without thinking of a divine purpose. What if there was a plan. What if God has revealed His plan and we just missed it. Once we see with clarity that God does everything on purpose for a purpose, we are able to understand that we have been chosen right here, right now, for such a time as this. Each and everyone of us has a purpose and it is far greater than ourselves!
Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 2:4-10
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Finding our breakthrough starts with our minds. How we think determines how we live, simply because thinking always precedes doing. It is when we are alert and fully sober minded we are able to live differently- and when we live differently than the broken world around us we find our victory over it.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
This world is not one we were meant to just survive; we are meant to thrive. As we read through scripture, we come to the same conclusion over and over again that we can find victory in a defeated world- but how we do that will surprise many of us. A breakthrough in life is a life of busting free from the brokenness of the world and taking a hold of a life that is truly life through God’s grace!
The realities of the broken world in many ways, for many of us, overshadow the greatness of God’s glory through the gift of life by His son. We forget who we are, we forget what He has already done and we get lost because we think we have lost. There is victory in Jesu and victory over this defeated world.
Speaker: Joel Garrison
Sermon: The key to professional breathing room is focus. We should learn to work towards what we're good at, which means improving on our strengths, and delegating our weaknesses.
Scripture Passage: Exodus 18:13-24
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Ever feel like you can’t catch your breath? Our culture encourages us to fill up our schedules and empty our bank accounts. Living on the line creates too much stress and tension but God has a better way. Our Heavenly Father wants to lead you to a life with breathing room.
In our attempt to get the most out of life, our schedules spin out of control. Our time is limited, and someone has to decide how we spend the time we have left. When we surrender our time to our Heavenly Father, He will lead us to breathing room.
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Sermon: Jesus' plan was the most unexpected of all. People expected Jesus to save those like them; He came to save everyone. People expected a king to rule and make everything right-right now; He came to die.
Scripture Passage: Luke 2:25-35
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Assumptions often blind us to reality. When I assume something won’t happen or can’t happen, but then it does happen - it’s unexpected. Jesus not only comes in an unexpected way, he wants to do the unexpected in our lives.
If God can use these spiritual rejects, God can use you!
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Sermon: We all want to be recognized, admired, sought after, and envied. We hunger for approval. We want to be known. But what do you do when there is no amount of "known" that will satisfy your appetite?
Scripture Passage: John 1
Speaker: Bob Kadlecik
Maybe you’re a “Three P” person - you have power, prestige and possessions. You have influence. You are envied. People take you seriously because of what you’ve accomplished, what you look like, or who you’re married too. There’s nothing wrong with being a “Three P” person. But when it comes to pride, “Three P” people face a unique challenge.
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
There’s something that rises up in each of us. It keeps us from apologizing, admitting we’re wrong, or showing weakness. It keeps us from forgiving. It causes us to lie about our pasts, to cheat instead of loose, and to feel happy when someone else fails. It stands in the way not only of our relationships with other people, but our relationship with God. What is this thing and how do we kill it?
There is a sin that is so common to the human experience, it is the gateway to all other sins. It promises to make us bigger, better and more important, but only make us smaller and meaner. It strips us of our capacity to connect with others. So, what is “it” and how do we kill it?
Speaker: Bob Kadlecik
Sermon: Give like Jesus is in need.
Scripture Passage: Matthew 25:31-46
Speaker: Tim Morris
Sermon: Save like your money is God's.
Scripture Passage: Proverbs 6:6-8
Speaker: Bob Kadlecik
Series: Earn all you can and save all you can, so you can give all you can for as long as you can.
Sermon: Earn More. Work like Jesus is your boss.
Scripture Passage: Colossians 3:22-25
Speaker: Matt Pousseur
There is a life that is abundant, and to the max awesome. But it’s on the other side of a new set of patterns and a new self.
Speaker: Tim Morris
Sermon:"When you compare the NEW with the LAST, you will get stuck in the Past"
Speaker: Jeff Schrecengost
Sermon: God has a way of putting pieces of the puzzle together and revealing His plan in the midst of uncertainty.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Sermon: There is a grief that leads to freedom and one that leads to death. How to find the path from brokenness through grief to freedom.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:9-10
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
It’s easy to push blame for the problems, but only one of us is responsible for where we find ourselves. But the good news is there is another one who has come to undo what we’ve done.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Everyone and everything eventually gets a little busted up. Life has a way of leaving us wounded, hurt, or stuck with some habit we don’t want. But God promises to restore us, and not just a little bit, but at a soul level. Not just a little tinkering, He promises to make us new. A promise of restoration.
The four common places we run to fix what we know is broken.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Sermon: Church isn't all about "me." If you are a follower of Jesus, you will have a concern for people.
Scripture Passage: Luke 10:25-37
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
If we are following Jesus, we will be concerned about people that are far from Jesus.
Speaker: Bob Kadlecik
Sermon: You can't do life alone. It is almost impossible to follow Jesus if you aren't tied to a local church and a smaller group of people that have permission to step into your life and have a hard conversation.
Scripture Passage: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Series: We see our Bridgewater core values hanging on the wall each week, but do we really know what they mean? Vision leaks, is a series all about reclaiming our purpose as a church and living out our core values.
Sermon: If you are walking with Jesus, He will be changing things in you and around you. That is why Jesus wants everyone to take the next step in their spiritual journey.
Scripture Passage: Philippians 3:10-14
Speaker: Matt Pousseur
Sermon: Christians have a different scorecard. Victory doesn't happen every couple years on one day in November, it happens every day we love unconditionally those we disagree with politically.
Scripture Passage: Philippians 2:1
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Sermon: Our world is increasingly divided, but Jesus prayed that as followers of Him we would be united. How do I talk with someone who believes differently than me?
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Politics and religion are the most divisive subjects in America today. How do we love like Jesus and yet courageously stand for truth? When it comes to politics and religion, what is the win?
Unity comes from a purpose or person greater than you. Are you willing to evaluate your politics through the filter of God’s Word or do you create a version of faith that supports your politics.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Are you frustrated, depressed or just blah? There is a great adventure to which God is calling you. Follow this path to the encouragement and recharge that we all need.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Sermon: As we've become more social media centric, we statistically have less empathy for others. Social media isn't the problem, it's just become a crutch to the natural inclination of our hearts. So how do we develop empathy and better care for others the way God intended us to?
Scripture Passage: Mark 1:40-41 NAS, Matthew 14:14 NIV
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Sermon: Do the constant app notifications leave you feeling scattered and weary? There is a special rest for the people of God. Find out the benefits of a technology break in week 3 of struggles.
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:12
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
How has social media affected you? If you say it hasn’t, there is a good chance you are wrong. One of the areas of impact is the “Authentic you”. Being “Authentic you” is a rarity on social media and the pressure to be someone you are not is overwhelming. Instead of presenting the authentic you, we post the me we want to be.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Series: As you scroll through your day, does it feel like everyone else has it all together? Someone always has the best job, cutest kid, or happiest relationship. We're pressured to measure up to other people's social media status updated and left with more #struggles. This four-week series studies what it's like to live a Christ-focused life in selfie-centered world.
Sermon: We all want to know the secrets to life, the secret of getting fit, rich, liked, or the secret to falling in love. But what about the secret of contentment, the secret of knowing how to have a heart that is fully satisfied? It could change your life!
Scripture Passage: Philippians 4:11-13
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
“This Father’s Day we want to honor Dad’s by taking some time to learn from each other in how to grow in one of the most important jobs we believe we have, being a Dad! A round table discussion with four pastors on being a Dad according to God’s Word.” Speaker: Father'a Day Panel
Together we'll ask two questions to help us become as tolerant as Jesus to learn four ways to respond wisely to divisive, inflammatory issues with someone who disagrees with you.
Speaker: Bob Kadlecik
Do you ever feel like God doesn’t hear one of your prayers, like maybe it just somehow didn’t get through? It can be disheartening when you don’t receive something you’ve earnestly asked for. Join us this week as we explore some of the reasons you may not get the response you’re expecting.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
“Is Christianity true?” That has been the question people have wrestled with for centuries. But recently that question has been replaced by an even more basic one: “Is Christianity even good?” This week, listen as Dr. Sean McDowell answers the question, "How could a loving God allow so much suffering or send people to Hell?"
Speaker: Sean McDowell
How could a loving God allow so much suffering? Join us as we delve into this question and try to answer it.
Speaker: Dr. Sean McDowell from Biola University
Psalm 23 is one of the most well known passages of scripture in the Bible, but many times we breeze over it without realizing the assurance it offers. As we wrap up the "Your Verse" series, we will be introduced to the Good Shepherd that promises to provide every need for his flock.
Speaker: Ethan Morrison
In Jeremiah 29:10-13, God says that He has a plan for us, a plan to prosper and not harm, and His Word is such an integral part of that plan. The Bible gives us strength, encouragement, and direction - tools that we need to live out His plan for us. Join us as we look into Jeremiah 29 and get a better understanding of the big picture.
Speaker: Rich Clark
The choices we make determine where we end up in life, but our motivations and desires determine who we are when we show up there.
Speaker: Matt Pousseur
Of the 31,000+ verses in the Bible, what one challenges and inspires you the most? In this series we encourage you to pick and memorize one verse of Scripture to hold onto for the rest of your life - because the Bible isn't just interesting, it's life changing.
No one wants to be a quitter. This verse reveals four secrets to living a life that never gives up.
Speaker: Bob Kadlecik
Jesus continually faced opposition throughout his earthly ministry, but it didn’t stop him. His mission was too important to be stopped then, and it won’t be stopped now.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Palm Sunday is a reminder of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He enters the city and is treated like royalty, but by the end of the week, he is crucified. Join us as we talk through this transition, and get our hearts prepared for Easter.
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
The Greatest Treasure, Jesus, told us he had a gift for us that was greater than himself in the flesh. We can't see the gift, which makes it easy to forget what we have been given. But this gift has the power to change our entire lives, to empower us, strengthen us, and carry us on our hardest days.
There is treasure all around us everyday, treasure of precious value. But we miss it; we walk right by it and don't give it a second thought. Our eyes have filters on them that keep us from seeing the treasure for its real value. How do we change the filters on our eyes to see treasure so easily missed?
Speaker: Bob Kadlecik
Series: There are things in life that we treasure deeply, we hunt, dig, dive, and search for these things. What if you found out they fail in comparison to the greatest treasure of all? What if we reappraised what was really valuable in life? How might that change how we live and what we live for?
Sermon: Can you imagine finding something so important, so valuable, that you sold everything you owned to get it? Liquidated your entire estate to get your hands on it! Would you just ignore it or would you do everything you could to get your hands on it?
Scripture Passage: Matthew 13:44-45
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Sermon: It is the most destructive evil known to humanity, and it lurks within every human heart. Discover how to spot and overcome the sin that corrupted the mightiest of angels.
Scripture Passage: Obadiah 1:11-14
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Sermon: Sadness says life is terrible, but despair says life is terrible...and it will never get better. How do I deal with despair - or help someone I love out of it?
Scripture Passage: Habakkuk 1:2,4
Speaker: Barry Kilmer
Sermon: What do you do when you seem to stand alone for God? Instead of mediocrity, Amos chooses to be strangely courageous.
Scripture Passage: Amos 6:1
Speaker: Matt Pousseur
Series: How do you respond to tragedy, loneliness, despair and arrogance? Join us as we explore truth from 4 unfamiliar books of the Bible that will help you thrive when life tries to take you under.
Sermon: What do you do when your world turns upside down? Joel's strange response shows us how to thrive even in disaster.
Scripture Passage: Joel 1:2-3
Speaker: Barry Kilmer