As we begin another year of ministry at Bridges Community Church, now is a perfect time to remind ourselves of our mission as a church. What are we about? What is most important? As we ask those questions this week, we'll see that our mission isn't any different from the mission of the earliest church. Their priorities are our priorities. This week, we will study how we are simply the next generation of a grand tradition that dates all the way back to the first century.

Many contemporary observers and social commentators are of the opinion that, because we live in a postmodern era when Christianity is no longer the baseline around the world for cultural identity and discourse, the Christian faith and message are personally and culturally irrelevant and out-of-touch with modern sensibilities and needs.

Is that true? Is the gospel message still personally and culturally relevant in the 21st century? If so, what bearing does it have on people’s lives today?

Many Christ-followers could probably come up with a quick and fairly accurate description of God the Father and of Jesus. But what about the Holy Spirit? Is the Holy Spirit your conscience? Is it karma? Is it like the force in the Star Wars movies? Is it those goosebumps you get while hearing a good song or hearing a stirring message? Why do some churches seem to be obsessed with the Holy Spirit while other churches virtually ignore the subject? And why was the Holy Spirit so important to the earliest Christians in the book of Acts? Just who is the Holy Spirit anyway, and what role does he play in the world today?

We've heard the story of Saul's conversion. It is possibly the most famous salvation in the history of the Christian church. While most of us won't experience a blinding light on the road to Damascus, this week we'll look at Acts 9 and see what we can expect from our own conversion experiences.

Prayer. For some of us, it comes as naturally as breathing. For some of us, it seems intimidating and daunting. We wonder if we are doing it right or if anyone is actually listening. But how did Jesus' earliest followers pray? What did they pray for? What was the result? This week, we examine one of the few recorded prayers of Jesus' earliest followers and how we can apply their example to our lives.

Everyone is looking for happiness and joy, in increasing measure. That quest could lead to a better future. But then again, maybe not. That will depend on the source one looks to for happiness, which may be a lot closer than Anaheim, CA.