Our
The mission of Bridges Pathway is to equip and train people to follow Christ and build God’s Kingdom.
Our Certificate
You may enroll in any course for personal enrichment or complete the Certificate of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation.
The certificate draws from four areas of study (core, spiritual formation, missional, electives) and is comprised of nine courses. Each course is one unit.
Core Courses: 4 Units
Spiritual Formation: 2 Units
Missional Studies: 2 Units
Electives: 1 Unit
Curriculum
Core Courses: establishes a foundation for a Christian worldview, discipleship, and spiritual transformation.
Spiritual Formation: develops Christ-like character through the ministry of the Spirit and spiritual discipline.
Missional Studies: challenges Christians to share their faith, deepen relationships, and serve with compassion and justice.
Electives: offers courses in leadership, counseling, and theological/historical/biblical studies.
Core Courses (All Four Courses)
Discovering God by Asking Questions
The Life We are Meant to Live
Spiritual Conversations
Reasonable Faith
Spiritual Formation (Any Two Courses)
History of Christian Spirituality
The Presence and Power
Growing Deeper
Prayer Ministry
Fasting
A Theology for Desert Living
Mining the Word
Spirituality for Everyday Living
Missional Studies (Any Two Courses)
Sacred Calling
Marketplace Theology
Managing Our Finances God’s Way
How to Resolve Conflict Biblically
Redemptive Justice
Perspectives
When Worlds Collide
Basic Counseling Skills
Electives (Select One Course from Any Section)
Leadership: Spiritual Leadership, The Art of Coaching and Mentoring
Couseling: Theology of Recovery, Dealing with Grief and Loss
Theological Studies/Historical/Biblical Studies: Christology, Old Testament Theology/New Testament Theology, Church History, Old Testament/New Testament Survey
Pathway Course Descriptions
Core Courses (CC)
Discovering God by Asking Questions: An Introduction to Theology
This course will give an overview of the Bible, what God is like, who Christ is, and what we are like as human beings. At the completion of this class, you will finish with a thirst to know God better.
The Life We are Meant to Live: Being Christ-Followers
You will learn about the importance of participating in a spiritual community and the key dynamics of being a Christ-follower (spiritual formation, missional, multiplying). Also, this class will provide practical steps for helping you develop a discipleship group.
Spiritual Conversations
The purpose of this class is to equip people to have spiritual conversations with family members, friends, and acquaintances. In addition to learning the four G’s of the Gospel (God, Good, Guilt, Grace) and importance of deep friendships, we will identify practical ways for sharing our faith through testimonies, stories, common bridges in our everyday life.
Reasonable Faith: Basic Apologetics
This course introduces students to Christian apologetics—the act of defending the Christian worldview. You will learn about some of the major objections toward our Christian faith from philosophical, theological, and scientific (evidential) points of view. This course will also provide you with practical knowledge and steps to address these objections and to share your faith with others.
Spiritual Formation (SF)
History of Christian Spirituality
This class surveys the history of spirituality through the Christian church. Students will learn about many traditions including contemplative, charismatic, and holiness. In addition, you will be introduced to different theological contexts for spirituality such as Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Pentecostal.
The Presence and Power: The Spirit and God’s People
Knowing the Holy Spirit as He is revealed throughout Scripture is a key component of spiritual formation. This course will highlight the Spirit’s presence and power in God’s people in light of the Spirit’s role of gifts, fruit, teaching, counseling, filling, convicting, and sanctification.
Growing Deeper: An Introduction to Spiritual Discipline
The purpose of this course is to encourage people to commit to the practice of spiritual discipline. As a lifestyle, spiritual discipline (together with the Spirit’s work) assists people in practicing the presence of God and liberates us from the sins of the flesh.
Prayer Ministry
This course will equip you to deepen your relationship with God and ministry through prayer. If we are to be used by God effectively, our focus must be totally on glorifying Jesus! Praise God and invite the Holy Spirit to use you wholly to do His work! Students will be encouraged to be still, open, vulnerable, surrendered, forgiven, cleansed and unified—in your mind, will, feelings, body, imagination or creativity, and spiritual gifts.
Fasting: Feasting for God
This class will study the biblical and historical foundations for fasting. Students will reflect on the spiritual discipline of fasting in relation to other disciplines including prayer, worship, habitual sins, and Scripture. We will also highlight how fasting and the Spirit work together in spiritual formation.
A Theology for Desert Living: Silence, Solitude, and Meditation
This course encourages students to set apart time for silence, solitude, and Scripture meditation. In the midst of busyness, these disciplines are necessary for our spiritual formation. Using key portions of Scripture to meditate and memorize, students will be challenged to establish spiritual retreats for their personal and community life.
Mining the Word
This entry level course in biblical exploration using mining techniques and methodologies will develop your skill and give you the confidence to pursue deeper mining on your own. Students will learn and practice three essential steps for exploring God’s Word: observation, interpretation, application.
Spirituality for Everyday Living
We naturally measure our spirituality by serving, praying, and reading Scripture. We need to remember that what we do on an everyday basis is also significant for our Christian faith and spiritual formation. This course will highlight many aspects of everyday living including work, beauty, grief, love, and suffering.
Missional Studies (MS)
Sacred Callings: Work and Vocation
Does God consider some vocations more holy than others? What should our attitude be towards work and what kind of characteristics should we be developing? This course addresses the related issues of work and vocation and helps us to understand their importance.
Marketplace Theology
Students will learn about integrating their faith and spirituality in the workplace. This course will identify key work-related issues such as success, ethics, idolatry, failure, job satisfaction, alienation, and other themes. In addition, we will address issues of pressure and conflicts that are associated with the workplace.
Managing Our Finances God’s Way
This course introduces students on how to handle money God’s way as stated throughout the Bible. Students will learn among other things, that everything we have is a gift from God and that He desires to work through ordinary people with ordinary finances to do something of eternal significance through our lives. To do so, this course provides practical steps for managing our finances to further God’s kingdom.
How to Resolve Conflict Biblically
Conflict in the human experience is inevitable. Conflict in our lives is very real. In this class you will learn biblical concepts on how to deal with conflict. It is a practical class on how God will use conflict in your life to help you grow in your Christian faith.
Redemptive Justice
This course highlights the needs of those in challenging conditions and offers practical suggestions for coming alongside these individuals and communities. Special attention will be given to living truthfully, developing compassion, and pursuing justice as missional Christians.
Perspectives
Perspectives on the World Christian Movement is a Christian education course designed to help believers learn more about God’s heart for all nations and how believers worldwide can play an active role in the Great Commission. It is run locally, coordinated regionally, and supported behind the scenes by a national office. http://class.perspectives.org/visitor/about.aspx
When Worlds Collide: Introduction to World Religions
This course introduces students to several of the world religious traditions including Chinese religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. You will learn about the key doctrines, beliefs, and practices of several religious world views. In addition, this course provides practical steps for sharing your faith with members of other religions.
Basic Counseling Skills
This class combines lecture and skills training. An integrative approach draws from theology and psychology. Some of the major topics discussed include wholeness, active listening, asking questions, empathy, the use of prayer, Scripture, and Christian community.
Electives (E)
(1) Leadership Electives
Spiritual Leadership
This course is designed as a forum for learning about leadership in the context of church ministry and volunteer service. Topics such as vision, goal-setting, character, leadership styles, organization, communication, and empowerment will be highlighted.
The Art of Coaching and Mentoring
The purpose of this course is to provide students with effective skills for coaching and mentoring others towards spiritual growth and effective service. In addition to learning about the traits of a good coach/mentor, you will be given training about managing the coaching/mentoring relationship.
(2) Counseling Electives
Theology of Recovery
Addiction (substance, chemical, bodily) affects men and women from all walks of life. This class draws from psychological-social and theological-spiritual resources and analyzes the symptoms of addiction. Students will discuss underlying spiritual issues such as sin and shame and the importance of God’s grace, healing, and forgiveness.
Dealing with Grief and Loss
The purpose of this course is to assist students to understand and help those who have experiences of grief and loss. In addition to learning about stress and trauma, we will discuss the bereavement process. Topics to be addressed include marital separation/divorce, death/dying, relocation, job, etc.
(3) Theological, Historical, Biblical Studies Electives
Christology
This class addresses the key issues surrounding the life of Christ. Beginning with the Old Testament, students will also learn about Christ’s birth, teachings, mission, death, resurrection, intercession, and judgment. In addition, students will study about the historical quest for Jesus and how other religious traditions view Jesus.
Old Testament Theology / New Testament Theology
This course provides an overview of the major themes of the Old Testament. We will study topics such as creation, humanity, covenant, law, the
Church History: Patristic to Medieval / Reformation and Modern
This course is a general survey of the history of the Christian church beginning at the end of the first century through the Medieval Age. This class will identify key themes, significant theologians, and major doctrines that shaped this time period. (Note: Part two of this class surveys the Reformation through the modern church age period.)
Old Testament / New Testament Survey
This class will introduce students to the historical context of the Old Testament. In addition to summarizing and outlining each biblical book, this course will identify background issues, purposes, and key themes of each book. (Note: A similar class introduces students to the New Testament.)
