Our History
Bridgewood had its humble beginnings at a small core group meeting and picnic on Sunday August 7, 1994. We were up to 57 adults by our Grand Opening Service on September 25, 1994 at Chippewa Middle School in Shoreview where we continued to meet until 1999. Tom Stuart, our founding pastor, had prayed and asked the Lord for 60 adults and was complaining to Him that we were 3 short of the goal. The Lord reminded him that with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit we had 60!
Founded as a non-denominational church for both seekers and believers alike, our motto from the beginning has been “working together with God to reach and transform people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.”
In 1995 we began searching for land and a permanent “place to call home” in the Lino Lakes-Shoreview area. After two years of frustration and many closed doors the Lord spoke very clearly to us that if we were going to find a “place to call home” we must first be more earnest in prayer about “placing a call home”! At a Sunday picnic service on July 27, 1997 after a sermon on “Lessons from the Titanic” we thanked the Lord that we had “missed the boat” on the land. The very next day the availability of the 20 acres in Blaine, on which our church is presently situated came to our attention and within 24 hours we had a purchase agreement on an agreed upon price of $129,000. God had indeed worked a miracle!
In addition God provided us with a temporary 1700 square foot office building in August of 1998, at the eleventh hour, just a day before signing a lease for half the office space for the same amount of money! Then in June 1999 He led us from Chippewa Middle School to Spring Lake Park High School where we met on Sunday mornings until the completion and dedication of our permanent church home on our 20 acre site. The paying off of the land and down payment for constructing our building was made possible through several amazing offerings from the Bridgewood family who responded sacrificially to the promptings of the Holy Spirit!
While completing our building in 2001 and adding a Phase 2 Addition in 2007 have been hallmarks in our numeric growth, our most important marks of growth are growing spiritually. Our spiritual growth inwardly in our relationship with Jesus Christ and sharing of His love with others is our primary objective.
Our history is continually being punctuated with God’s miraculous life changing power providing countless salvations from spiritual death, transformed lives, miraculous emotional and physical healings and the restoration of broken relationships. To God be the glory, great things He has done!
We invite you to come and share in the next chapter of Bridgewood’s adventure with God. If you have any questions or if there is any way we can help you, please do not hesitate to contact us!