Our 2022 Year End Report

Kingdom in the City

Mission Statement

Equipping and empowering youth, through holistic development, to be the future leaders of restoration and hope in their communities.



Vision Statement

The shalom of Christ reflected through transformed lives that cultivate thriving communities.

The West Side of Grand Rapids is a place with a rich history, robust culture, raw grittiness, and beautiful people.  It is the place where we work, live, play and worship, and there is a lot to celebrate in our neighborhood.  At the same time there are many people here that have endured a lot of hardship and neglect.  And it is in this space between beauty and brokenness that God has called Bridge Street Ministries to build a bridge between the streets and the church, bringing shalom to chaos.

Values

Christ-centered

We are a holistic ministry with a focus on Jesus. We desire that all that we do would tell of the goodness of God and his love for his creation.

Mission

As followers of Jesus, we believe that our ministry and our very lives should reflect the mission of Jesus to redeem and restore this world. Our ministry is committed to being driven and directed by our mission.

Neighborhood 

We are committed to our neighborhood. Specifically, we are committed to the marginalized, the neglected, and the hurting of our neighborhood. We aim to restore hope and identity to those in our neighborhood.

Prayer

Prayer is a critical component to the success of our mission and the revitalization of our neighborhood. We believe in a personal, good, and living God who hears our prayers. We believe in the promises of God for our neighborhood. We intercede on behalf of our neighbors, our city, and the nations. 

Relationship

We believe we are created for relationship and community. For the sake of healthy and effective ministry, we are committed to relationships being the basis for ministry. We are committed to healthy relationships with our team, those that serve, and our partners. We work as a team to foster creativity and diversity, as well as to strengthen and multiply our efforts. We promote vulnerability and accountability within the context of relationship.

Partnership 

In order to accomplish our mission, we aim to partner with others with a similar or complimentary vision. While we are fiercely committed to the mission God has given us, we also hold it with open hands, We aim to network and collaborate with others so that our efforts will be multiplied.

Empowerment 

Empowerment begins by restoring a person’s identity as an image-bearer of God with inherent value. From there, we work to engage people in taking ownership of their life circumstances and in the restoration of the neighborhood around them. Everyone has assets to contribute. We aim to help people discover what that thing is.

Local Church 

As a Christ-centered ministry, we believe the local church has a unique and powerful role to play in the transformation of our neighborhood. We aim to partner with a variety of local churches, inviting them partner with and invest in our ministry. We also work to get neighbors connected to the local church.

Discipleship 

We work to holistically walk with people on their journey toward becoming more like Jesus. Part of discipleship is sending. In discipling, we aim to send people out to carry the mission of Jesus, all over this city and this world.

Championing Young People 

We believe that young people have the potential and capacity to change the world. We aim to train, equip, and empower young people to become more like Jesus and to join him in his mission of redemption in this world.

Rhythm 

We are committed to practicing and promoting a healthy and sustainable lifestyle that includes the rhythms of biblical spiritual disciplines, including, prayer, fasting, and confession. We also spend time in intentional celebration, fellowship, and hospitality. We are committed to continuing to learn and to grow spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically as we work, rest, and play.

Excellence

We believe that striving toward excellence in all that we do testifies of the excellencies of Jesus to the world around us. For us, excellence is not an issue of comparison, but of personal best. Because we want to be effective, we work to do all things well, encouraging creativity while thinking ahead to the future implications of what we are doing now. To be excellent in all that we do, we are committed to regular times of reflection and analysis.

Gospel

We believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ is Good News for all, especially for the hurting and marginalized. We also believe that the bible is the foundation for truth. Thus, we are committed to the bible being the foundation for all that we do.