Hey everybody!

GREAT WORK, SOUTHBRIDGE!  Your consistent contributions to The Bridge Initiative are adding up!  We’ve passed the $975,000 mark and are going strong!  Our consultant said if we didn’t have a project identified within a year of starting this campaign, we would probably have trouble keeping momentum.  It’s been 20 months and we’re a little below the level we hoped, but awfully close and it certainly doesn’t look like there’s a loss of momentum.  To God be the glory!

I served in Bridgekids a few weeks ago (you should try it, it’s great!) and thought, ‘it’ll be awesome when we get a building and won’t have to do all the setup and tear-down and wondering where the extra paper towels are or what class has the glue sticks this week.’

Then I thought, maybe God doesn’t want us in a building yet.  Maybe we’re more apt to embrace the ‘life change’ idea and focus more on others right where we are right now.  Maybe this is what we need to make us stronger.  Maybe when we move into a building there will be a release of pressure to BE the church since we will look around and see a building.  Maybe it’s just really hard to even find a starting point for a church building with $975k in Brier Creek.  We don’t simply want a building. The Bridge Initiative is about seeing more lives changed. God has us at this point for a reason.

Thanks for continuing to meet your pledges.  Thanks to the search committee for continuing to seek.  Thanks to those of you who are serving.  Thanks for connecting people to Jesus for life change!  May the name of our Lord Jesus be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (II Thessalonians 1:12)

Nate Oltmans

TBI Finance/Follow-up Team

For information on the Bridge Initiative visit the TBI website.

Earlier this year, Southbridge Fellowship initiated a project called The Bridge Initiative; the purpose of which was to raise funds for a potential future facility.  God always amazes His people, and we were blown away by your generosity and commitment to the vision of this church.  On that initial commitment Sunday – without having identified a property or building to buy or lease – the people of Southbridge committed to give more than $2 million dollars over a three year period.  It was a clear demonstration of just how much we believe in the vision God has given us.

Since that time nearly one year ago, our future facility team has been working diligently.  Just a couple weeks ago I was in a van driving around with them looking at six different potential future properties. We are still analyzing a couple of those properties today.  What has also been exciting is seeing your continued generosity since that initial commitment Sunday.  I wanted to post this blog to give you the most updated numbers as of the end of November and to say ‘thank you’.  As a result of your giving, we are now in a position to respond when God makes evident what our next step should be.  Please pray with us that God makes clear what He desires for us to do next… we would love for Him to show us in 2011!  As you consider your year-end giving, please keep The Bridge Initiative in mind.

THE BRIDGE INITIATIVE GIVING UPDATE

The Bridge Initiative (Feb 2010-Feb 2013)

Project Goal            $ 2,010,336
YTD Giving (as of 11-30-10)    $ 581,338
YTD pledged (as of 11-30-10)    $ 631,074
% received vs. % pledged        92% *

* The initial offering was $377,689.71, so our monthly received vs. the monthly pledged percentage is tracking at approximately 80-85%.

Hello, my name is Nate Oltmans. I serve as the TBI Finance Director and will be giving periodic updates on how The Bridge Initiative is going.

We’ve passed a major milestone on our journey!  The Bridge Initiative is now more than a half a million dollars!  Praise God!!!  There is a LOT going on at Southbridge – we’re changing the format of our Sunday Morning worship experience to make room for more people in the theater.  This has taken a lot of time, effort and coordination but we see it as firmly inside the goal of The Bridge Initiative:  to connect more and more people to Jesus. The search for a permanent home prayerfully continues, but these recent changes are a big step in advancing our vision in the place God currently has us.  Philippians 4: 6 – 9 has been on my mind all day.  “6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  Today (for me) that means don’t worry about our future facility, but thank God for where we are and for His work in us while we ask Him for a more permanent facility.

Here’s an awesome example of God working through the members of Southbridge (and shows the generosity of our body which is also firmly inside the goal of The Bridge Initiative) – at a recent meeting of Community Group leaders a financial need for a family in our church was brought up.  The pastoral team hoped for $500 to help the family meet a short-term obligation.  Over $4,000 was given!  That’s life-changing!!!

I’ll close this blog-post with my prayer today: “Lord, thank you that I don’t have to worry about a facility for Southbridge!  Thank you for the generosity of our church-family and thank you for the power we see at work when others are connect to You. I would love to find a building and get started on moving in, we ask for that Lord – we ask for a permanent home.  What we desire more, though, is that we remain dedicated to reaching this community and this city for You. Wherever someone is lost, help us find them and bring them to you, Lord.  Thanks again God for granting us the abundance that you have – help us steward it and further your kingdom with it.”