Geography Matters

The stickiest pages in our Bibles are usually the maps in the back-  mostly because they represent the most unused part of our Bibles. The maps are often seen as being as relevant to us as the genealogies, the laws in the book of the Deuteronomy, or the family record pages at the front.

But the maps in our Bible point to our God as being missionary minded about his love and message. When God sent his Son into this world it was Jesus who was embodying this foundational truth. It is this conviction that compels BP to go into all the world … for God so loves people-  of all colors, cultures, kinds, and nationalities.  But there’s more to it than just being mobile. It’s about being intentional.

The maps show specific and strategic places where God’s people were being sent. This was a simple reminder that God does not do “random” or “accidental”. There is a sovereign and divine plan behind “sent Christians” that is the story behind the story. There is a person on the receiving end of our compassion and message that is unknown to us, but known to God. Geography matters.

In Acts 16:6-10 Paul was prevented from speaking the message in Asia as a divine closed door they understood to be from God. Instead, Paul was given a dream of a man in Macedonia pleading for help and he proceeded there by faith. What Paul did not know is that God was already at work ahead of time. He was at work in the heart of a wealthy businesswoman, named Lydia, wondering if there was a greater purpose in life than just success. He was preparing a demonized girl to experience freedom from bondage from the evil things in this world. He was working in the life of a middle-class jailer who would discover life in Jesus and be the spiritual anchor he always wanted to be for his family.

We feel this truth guiding us as we form our BP team to go to Moldova this summer, June 15-23. Moldova is a small country between Romania and Ukraine and the poorest country in Eastern Europe. The state run orphanages are overwhelmed with kids and they literally throw girls and boys out on the streets at 12 years old when there is no more room. Most of the girls are certain to be kidnapped into sex trafficking.

Consider being a part of our mission to serve and love orphans through a summer camp that we host at the Orphanages. The Team meetings are every Thursday at 7:30 pm. Call Leigh Fragnoli at 770-294-6153 for directions. The fundraisers you will hear about at BP help to raise the funds to sponsor the camp so 200 kids can attend for free. Please consider partnering with us. The first Fundraiser is Friday, March 2, from 6 - 10 pm; a BINGO BASH at Latimer Hall in downtown Woodstock.

Geography matters to God. The person God is preparing beforehand is the story behind the story that compels us to be Difference Makers at BridgePointe.

Phase 1 - Here We Come!

Two weeks ago, on a Sunday night, over 150 B.P. volunteers attended an appreciation dinner in their honor. What a night! I’m still feeling the buzz. The room was filled with a great vibe of community and excitement about what God is doing in our midst. Remarkably, there are presently over 250 people who make up our Leadership Community of volunteers. Wow! What a team! Their commitment and support, as well as yours, motivated me to share a sneak preview of Phase 1 in our movement towards a more permanent home for BridgePointe.

Being unable to sustain the property, the Pointe Team has worked hard to secure meeting space for our student ministries and other gatherings that have been hosted at the Outback. To keep costs low, we were in search for a facility that could combine our office space with our needed student meeting space, under one roof. Bringing the office space and student meeting space into one facility is what we are calling Phase 1 towards our transition to a more permanent home for BP.

I’m excited to report that this week our Pointe Team has negotiated an offer to occupy about 6,000 square feet of space through a sub-lease. Our offer was accepted and our goal is to sign contracts this week. The facility is located at the Arnold Mill Park Facility Park, just three minutes up from the present offices, past downtown Woodstock on Arnold Mill Road. With exception of the warehouse, the interior is already fixed with move-in ready, professional style carpet and paint.

The new facility will host:

•             A large warehouse that can be used for large group meetings. The warehouse is at least twice the size of the garage at the Outback. Although this is primarily set up for the student gatherings, it will host men and women’s events, and other gatherings.
•           Roll-up doors in the warehouse, with a patio just outside for BBQ and gatherings.
•          A large community room adjacent to the warehouse to host classes, training, and meetings. This area is more than twice the size of the living room area in the Outback.
•          A large kitchen directly connected to a community room with an oversized island and counter space for serving, and plenty of cupboard space for storage.
•         Ample parking and lighting.
•         A formal front waiting area for those coming to the office.
•         Ample office space to host all the Lead Team.
•          Conference table meeting space.
•          Workroom space.
•          Rooms for storage.
•          Men’s, women’s, and handicapped bathrooms, all separate from each other.
•          An attractive and well-kept exterior and common areas.

Our present plan calls for some needed walls to be erected at the facility next week, February 13-18. Then, during school break, February 20-25, we hope to move the contents of the Outback’s student equipment and furnishings. Both High school and Middle School will be cancelled that week to allow for moving.

When you add what we are already paying for the current office space and costs incurred at the Outback, we are gaining more than twice the size and twice the quality of the Outback for about an additional $1000 a month-   a deal you won’t find anywhere!  We are working towards sacrificial and intentional cutbacks to make up this amount in seeking to break even.

This is an exciting next step! There will be much more communication and creative connecting points that would serve to draw us together. The Pointe Team will also soon expand in much more detail regarding Phase 2 and Phase 3, which will ultimately complete our journey to a more permanent home for BP. We can’t wait to share the rest of this story with you!