About Us

| History |  What We Believe |  Strategic Plan |  EFCA Doctrinal Statement |

Early in 2001 the Lord began to stir the desire and passion of several individuals to plant a church in Shakopee. This passion was driven first and foremost by the need to see the people of Shakopee, and the surrounding communities, grow spiritually by experiencing a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. For years, this area has been difficult to impact with the gospel because of a strong “worldly” influence. While the Shakopee area has become a hot spot for growth in the Twin Cities, the challenge continues for spreading the gospel and establishing a stronghold for new and growing believers. The Bridge was planted to meet this challenge.

Initial planning for The Bridge took more than six months and involved more than 20 people who met every Tuesday to pray, train, and work on the church’s purpose, mission and core values. Pastor Dan Moose of Hutchinson, MN, helped train this “core group,” which included full-time pastor Mike Richards. Pastor Mike already had been in the ministry for more than 10 years and had most recently served as youth pastor at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Lakeville, MN. The core group also included two teenagers, seven couples and their families. Other sources of support for the church plant were the North Central District of Evangelical Free Church and two partner churches: Prairie Hill Evangelical Free Church, Eden Prairie, MN, and Trinity Evangelical Free Church, Lakeville, MN.

The Bridge opened for public worship October 7, 2001, in the Shakopee Junior High School cafeteria. It initially focused on five ministries: worship, prayer, children, spiritual growth and expansion. From the start, Pastor Mike said the church would be relationship-based. “Our purpose is to live in Christ and lead others to Him,” he says. “We believe the only way to accomplish that is by maintaining strong, personal relationships with God through Christ and by developing genuine relationships with other people.”

In September 2004, just before its third anniversary, The Bridge moved its Sunday worship service to Pearson Elementary in Shakopee.

The Bridge is part of the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA). The EFCA – which has its national office in Bloomington, MN – is an association of more than 1,300 autonomous Christian churches. The EFCA was formed in 1950 by the merger of the Swedish Evangelical Free Church and the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Free Church Association. Those two church bodies, representing more than 275 local congregations, had been birthed in the revival movements of the late nineteenth century. For more history on the EFCA, visit www.efca.org/about/history/index.html.