The Bridge - Silver Spring

Today I got a chance to visit a unique church plant in Silver Spring called, "The Bridge". The church was unique for a few reasons. To begin, it was located in a movie theatre on the downtown block. This is a trend for many church plants these days, but it still strikes me as a really innovative idea, having grown up in stand-alone church buildings my whole life. The movie theatre brings in a lot of people who wouldn't normally come to church because of its comfortable, casual, and entertaining feel. You never know, somebody could walk in planning to see a movie and end up getting a sermon instead. Another uniqueness about this church was the diversity present in its body. The Bridge ministers to people of different colors, ages, and social backgrounds. The diversity of the church overwhelmed me with a sense of awe for the way that God works in people of all walks of life. Sitting in a church in Silver Spring with people much different than I, I could still feel the presence of the same God working in the same way to different people. A final observation I made of The Bridge that I really enjoyed was the passion in worship exhibited. Not only did the church show passion in worship songs, but also in the sermon and in the prayers. We weren't there just be a fly on the wall, we were there to worship something greater than ourselves and it was clear by the passion exhibited.

After the service, we got a chance to have a conversation with lead pastor, Jumain Jones. He offered some insight on defining a personal spiritual path and also gave us a bit of background for The Bridge. Planting a church is not an easy task, but its amazing to see the power of prayer in this ministry. The ministry takes an active role in the community and serves people every day in some very unique ways. This church is a great example of a movement that is moving, there is still a lot to be done in Silver Spring, but it is catching fire.