What Is Building The Bridge Ministries, And Why Do We Need It
It was the summer of 1992 when my wife and I attended our first Building the Bridge Conference. The conference was being held in Tampa, Florida, and was at that time referred to as “The Conference on Evangelism Into The Black Community.” It was the first time within the parameters of the United Pentecostal Church International that we witnessed the full cultural expression of the Black/African American community put on display in one of our organization’s officially endorsed conferences.
The atmosphere of worship was joyous, heartfelt, and dynamic. It was overflowing with many different forms of dancing, soul-stirring singing, and fiery, anointed preaching. It was no doubt an eye-opening experience that has positively impacted my wife and I ever since. It was in this Building the Bridge Conference thirty-two years ago that I realized that The United Pentecostal Church International was Poised, Prepared, and Positioned to effectively evangelize the Black/African American Communities in North America. It was my hope then, and it is my hope now that our culturally diverse organization would maximize all its God-ordained resources to reach into this rich, plenteous, and ripe harvest field.
So, What Is Building the Bridge Ministries, and Why Do We Need It? Building the Bridge Ministries, as the evangelistic arm of the UPCI, envisions a church that empowers all pastors with the training, tools, and support needed to lead thriving congregations. Serving as an advisor to UPCI leadership, BTB is committed to promoting outreach and evangelism with Black/African Americans across the U.S. and Canada, facilitating connections, and encouraging active participation in UPCI programs and activities
Building the Bridge Ministries in the past, present and future has, is and always will be about evangelism. It is not a ministry that overemphasizes race, but it is a ministry that places a high premium on grace. It’s not a ministry whose primary focus is on the color of someone’s skin, but it’s a ministry whose primary focus is to see souls effectively delivered from sin.
To effectively reach into the Black/African American community, we must specifically target the Black/African American community. The Bible says of Jesus, “And He must needs go through Samaria (John 4:4).” For Jesus to effectively reach the Samaritans with the gospel, He had to specifically target the Samaritans. Therefore, if we follow the Biblical model of Jesus, we too will develop strategies and objectives to specifically target this community also.
In other words, when we’re talking about reaching the Black/African American community, we’re not talking about reaching the Black/African-American community only, but we’re talking about reaching the Black/African American community also. For instance, our motto for the United Pentecostal Church International is The Whole Gospel to The Whole World By The Whole Church. This organizational mandate from God also includes the fifty million Black/African American souls that reside in North America that are both plenteous and ready to be harvested.
This is the primary reason why we need Building the Bridge Ministries. We in the United Pentecostal Church simply cannot neglect or overlook a fifty million soul harvest field. If God didn’t neglect or overlook one hundred and twenty thousand souls in Nineveh in the Old Testament, surely He’s not going to allow us to neglect or overlook fifty million soul harvest fields in North America in the twenty-first century.
Another key component to Building the Bridge Ministries is to contribute to the continued advancement of diversity within the United Pentecostal Church International. This component serves to promote intentional inclusion and cultural affirmation within the UPCI. Building The Bridge Ministries also provides resources and consultation to both leaders and constituents within the UPCI on matters of importance to the Black/African American community. We aim to provide the tools and support that are needed to effectively reach and integrate this diverse community within our churches throughout the United Pentecostal Church International.
Building The Bridge Ministries also promotes programs, initiatives, and objectives that encourage and support evangelism, discipleship, church planting, and training of churches. The ministry also assists ministers of all cultures and backgrounds who have a burden and vision to reach the Black American Community within their city or district.
What Building the Bridge Ministries is NOT...
We are not a response to the sociopolitical climates of our day. Building the Bridge Ministries has been in operation for nearly 50 years in UPCI. At the request of Bishop David Bernard, we have addressed social injustice, racial inequality, intentional inclusion, and cultural awareness. However, we, along with our General Superintendent, believe that the biblical response has always been our focus and is never a reaction to current or past climates. As a ministry, we approach the issues of our world biblically and seek to guide individuals and groups in a healthy cultural understanding to effectively reach the Black/African American community.
We are NOT... Black Lives Matter…
Building the Bridge Ministries was born from a burden given by the Holy Spirit to men of God back in the 1970’s who saw a need for the United Pentecostal Church to reach into the Black/African American community long before the organization known as Black Lives Matter ever came to be.
In 1974, men of God such as N. A. Urshan, Jack Yonts, Jack Dehart, J.T. Pugh, George Coleman, and John Cupit began collaborating about the need to be both strategic and intentional about the need to impact this community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, it wasn’t until 1979 that the first Annual Black Evangelism Conference was held in Houston, Texas, at Life Tabernacle hosted by the late James Kilgore. It was at this conference that Building the Bridge Ministries appointed Reverend Danny Brown of New Orleans, Louisiana, as its first ministry Director. Although Building the Bridge Ministries has faced many challenges along the way, it was those courageous men back in the 1970s who saw the need for our organization to have a major impact on this unreached community.
What Does Building the Bridge Ministries Do For The UPCI and The Districts It Serves?
Building the Bridge Ministries functions in an advisory capacity to the General Superintendent, General Board, and District Boards on issues related to the African American/Black communities. The ministry serves to make recommendations pursuant to deliberate diversity and inclusion within the UPCI by providing leadership, tools, and support to evangelize the Black/African American population in the U.S. and Canada.
Building The Bridge Ministries exists to accomplish a portion of the UPCI’s shared mission by promoting the programs and activities of the UPCI among pastors and congregations of all backgrounds and cultures that are endeavoring to evangelize the Black/African American community. In addition to hosting the Annual Building The Bridge conférence, we also host training events throughout the year to assist in accomplishing its purposes. To accomplish these purposes, Building the Bridge Ministries has prioritized four objectives that serve as cornerstones of ministry to effectively reach this community and simultaneously provide tools to make a major impact on the overall Mission, Vision, and Values of the UPCI.
Our first objective is to partner with local churches and districts to host what we have identified as R.E.A.P. (Reach, Embrace, Assimilate, and Preserve) Crusades. This is a Grassroots Evangelism approach designed to strengthen and support churches with less than 100 members. Each event will be structured in accordance with the BTB R.E.A.P. Policy.
Our second objective is to support three North American Missionaries per year by providing $1500.00 Sponsorships to the annual Apostolic conference held in Mississippi. Each North American Missionary must be approved by their Pastor/District Board and welcome diversity in their outreach efforts.
Our third objective is to provide a Building The Bridge Ministry Grant Policy that supports small churches and demonstrates a commitment to growth, diversity, and community engagement. This grant aims to provide financial assistance to ten churches, with each receiving $500 (10 churches at $500 each) to church members that will attend a UPCI-endorsed Bible College. There are eligibility requirements and an application process to be followed in accordance with the BTB Ministry Grant Policy.
Our fourth Objective is to target new unchurched communities for new church plants in accordance with the BTB Church Plants Policy. This policy outlines Building the Bridge (BTB)'s commitment to collaborating with North American Missions (NAM), District Superintendents, and District Boards to plant new churches in strategically targeted communities. This partnership seeks to expand outreach and strengthen the presence of the Apostolic message in underserved areas, particularly within African American/Black communities.
In conclusion, Building the Bridge Ministries has always been a growing, evolving ministry. Although, through the years, it has faced and overcome many challenges, the ministry is just as motivated now as it was in the beginning to successfully and effectively reach the Black/African American community in North America. We in the UPCI are one church with one mission, and that is to take “The Whole Gospel to the Whole World By the Whole Church.” As the evangelistic arm of the UPCI to the Black/African American community, Building the Bridge Ministries is serving a vital role in accomplishing that God-given mandate. Let us all within the United Pentecostal Church International maximize this opportunity to strategically and intentionally reach every creature with the glorious gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Rev. Wilbert Blandon
Currently serves as the BTB District Director Liaison. He has been involved with Building the Bridge Ministries since 1992, serving 13 years as the BTB Secretary from 1999-2012. Wilbert Blandon has also served as WNOP, Men’s Ministry, and NAM Ministry Liaison. I am grateful for my service in these capacities and look forward to supporting Building the Bridge Ministries' mission and vision in the future.
