As a reminder, the response to The Bridge Initiative was beyond what we could have asked or imagined.  We had 240 families/individuals participate.  Together, a one-time cash offering of $377,689.71 was received and our 3-year pledge total was $2,002,436.12.  This truly is a miracle of faith that affirms our commitment to continue to connect others to Jesus Christ in the Raleigh/Durham area. 

From this point forward, giving envelopes are available at the church and have been printed with spaces allowing you to indicate the designation of funds to The Bridge Initiative.  Online giving also allows for this designation – just go to www.southbridgefellowship.com and click the giving tab. “

In September 2006, about 40 people gathered to talk about starting a church that would exist to reach the Raleigh-Durham community. We dreamed of being an outwardly-focused church, of building bridges of life change into our community. We decided our core values of worship, community, growth, service, and generosity would be second only to our primary value—connecting people to Jesus for life change. Since that time, Southbridge has seen hundreds of lives changed. Marriages have been restored. Addictions have been broken. People have come to Jesus for the first time, and people have returned to Him.

But we have reached a critical point during these still early days of this movement of God, and so we embark on this new faith journey. It will take a God-sized faith to move us to the next level, where hundreds of changed lives become thousands of changed lives. Don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of this movement of God, The Bridge Initiative.

Mission Statement:
The Bridge Initiative makes a way for us to open more doors for people in the RDU area to come to Jesus Christ and experience life change at Southbridge Fellowship.

From the beginning, Southbridge Fellowship has experienced tremendous growth, but we have reached a plateau at the theater. Many people still come to visit, only to see a church that is at its practical capacity. We need more space in order to effectively continue to answer God’s call to reach people in the Raleigh-Durham area for Jesus.

Opening Doors
God has done amazing things in the lives of our people. Yet there are thousands of people in the Raleigh-Durham area who have yet to be connected to Jesus for life change.

Where are we headed?
In order to help us better facilitate our core values of worship, growth, community, service, and generosity, we believe our next meeting space needs to accommodate at least three times as many people as we are currently able to reach.

There are three options we are considering for our next meeting space.

Buy land…
The first option is to buy land, with the intent of building at a later date, to prepare for long-term growth.

Buy an existing bui lding…
The second option is to buy an existing building that provides us with room for growth.

Lease an existing bui lding…
Lastly, we could enter into a medium-term lease (approximately 5-10years), with plans to move into our own building afterward. Leasing a building will solve our near-term challenge of providing space for more
people now. It will give us time to continue to build the financial base necessary to move into a more permanent building of our own following the lease period.

Why now, without a specif ic property in mind?
We have missed out on building/leasing opportunities in the past because we did not have the finances to act on them. The Bridge Initiative opens doors for us to move forward when God brings the right opportunity for Southbridge. It is exciting to know that we are preparing to follow the Lord in faith as He leads us, as He led Abraham, into a land we do not yet know. In this sense, we are ‘building the bridge as we cross it’.

Pray
Ask God to lead you through a process where He reveals His will for you and your family. Pray specifically: God, show me how you want me to participate in The Bridge Initiative to reach one more person for Jesus.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will
direct your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6

Consider
Plan a time to sit down with your family and discuss what God has done for you… then ask: What are we willing to sacrifice to connect another person to Jesus for life change?

‘God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.’
(Treasure Principle, Alcorn)

“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Luke 6:38

Commit
We serve a big God. Trust that He will provide what He impresses you to give.

“Each person should do as he has decided in his heart – not out of
regret or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:13

Here are some ways to consider:

1. Giving Out of Income: Give as you receive income — whether from your regular income, bonuses, and/or personal business.

2. Personal Sacrifice: Change your lifestyle in order to create resources for giving.

3. Delaying Expenditures: Postpone planned purchases or home improvements so that those funds can be given.

4. Gift of Non-cash Assets: Innovative gift strategies involving non-cash assets usually provide a far greater tax deduction than if an asset was first sold, with the proceeds then being donated.

Examples of non-cash assets include the following:
Real estate – land, houses, or other properties
Business interests – ownership in closely-held businesses, Limited Partnerships, LLCs, or Sub-chapter S corporations
Restricted securities – publicly traded securities that may have sale restrictions
Loan notes – money owed to you through loan notes
Estate gifts – proceeds from wills, trusts, or life insurance policies
Retirement plans – 401Ks, IRAs, or pension plans
Life insurance – term, whole, universal, or variable
Personal property – royalties, copyrights, artwork, or precious metals
For more information on the potential tax advantages of this type of gift, please visit www.christianfoundationtriangle.org or talk to your tax advisor.

5. Savings & Investments: You may be able to give some portion of
accumulated assets without significantly affecting your future security.
The “returns” from investing in ministry and tax benefits may be more
significant to you than simply accumulating more market returns.

The following example illustrates how small sacrifices can lead to signif icant Kingdom impact:

“In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm
foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life
that is truly life.”
1 Timothy 6:19

Commitment Sunday – February 28, 2010
On February 28, 2010, we will be asking individuals and families to commit to their part in Making a Way. Would you begin today to think and pray about what you will do in cooperation with The Bridge Initiative?

Our goal – $1.5 Million
What will it take over the next three years to reach our goal together? We will need a broad-based commitment across our church to give as the Lord leads in order to achieve our goal. This means that pledges will come in varying amounts, with each of us having a vital part.

Here is just an example of what that might look like.

What is The Bridge Initiative?

The Bridge Initiative is a three-year project, to raise money for the specific purpose of leasing or buying a property for our future facility. The Bridge Initiative makes a way for the people of Southbridge Fellowship to take this next step of faith together.

Why are we doing this?

First and foremost, there are thousands of people in the Raleigh-Durham area that have yet to be connected to Jesus for life change. There are people in our community who we are currently not reaching, some of whom will die and go to a Christless eternity.

While we rejoice that our congregation has grown over the past couple of years, we have to face certain obstacles. One of those obstacles is that we have reached our capacity at our present facility. In order to continue to reach more people in our community, we need to have more space in a new facility. The Bridge Initiative opens doors for us to accomplish this goal and realize our vision of reaching people for Jesus.

What is the objective?

Presently, we do not have property for a building or a specific building to lease. We ask you to give toward the vision— connecting people to Jesus for life change—which has impacted your own life and the lives of your families and friends, so that we can impact even more people.
If there is no facility, what is being considered?

There are three options we are considering. The first option is to buy land to prepare for long-term growth. The second option is to buy a building. Lastly, we could enter into a medium-term lease (approximately 5-10 years), with plans to move into our own building afterward. Leasing a building will solve our near-term challenge of providing space for more people now. It will give us time to continue to build the financial base necessary to move into a more permanent building of our own following the lease period.

Is it really time to do this if there is not a specific facility?

We have been presented with several opportunities for facilities that would not only allow us to continue what we’re already doing but would also help us reach more people. However, being a young church without money in the bank for these projects, we have not been able to move forward with these opportunities. We want to get ready for the right opportunity.

Do we have a revenue target?

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

-Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV

Through The Bridge Initiative, we want to watch God do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. We know that having 1 to 2 million dollars in the bank will allow us to make a reasonable down payment for land in our community and to begin the building process when it is time.

Should my commitment to The Bridge Initiative affect my regular giving?

No, the objective of The Bridge Initiative is to give over and above your normal tithe. If you simply divide what you would already be giving, the campaign will not raise the needed additional capital.
When will we hear more?

In January 2010, the church body will receive more information on The Bridge Initiative. February 28, 2010 will be ‘Commitment Sunday’, where we will each make an individual commitment to carry out God’s plan for us.

Don’t miss the chance to be a part of this movement of God! This is a special time in the life of our church where we live out our mission—connecting people to Jesus for life change—by taking new steps of faith together. Join us on Sunday, January 10th for The Bridge Initiative Kick-off Day. We will begin our new series entitled “Together”, and will learn more about how we can walk this faith journey together.

Upcoming Dates:
January 10th Kick-off Sunday
January 31st Information Day
February 28th Commitment Sunday

Together Sermon Series:

Why Should We Come Together | January 10, 2010

Not Meant To Be Done Alone | January 17, 2010

What’s God Up To? | January 24, 2010