I attended this church for several months and recently decided to step back. The congregation is friendly, and the atmosphere is generally welcoming. Pastor Anderson is great! His sermons promote inclusivity with a level of biblical sophistication and articulation that can be applied to the modern world we live in. He and the rest of the pastors are kind and demonstrate so much class. However , I noticed a recurring issue that affected my worship experience. Toward the end of service--particularly during the benediction prayer--there is often a noticeable lack of decorum. Many congregants rush to leave early in an attempt to beat parking lot traffic, which is sometimes unavoidable regardless. This creates a distracting and irreverent environment during what should be one of the most sacred moments of the service. On one occasion, someone even bumped into me during prayer without saying excuse me while I still had my eyes closed. That moment made me feel that the reverence due to God and the closing prayer was not being honored. As someone who values old-school worship etiquette and the sanctity of the Word, this culture of rushing out during prayer was deeply disappointing. I believe the church could benefit from encouraging congregants to remain still until the benediction is fully concluded. If someone doesn't leave beforehand, they should respectfully wait until service is truly over. I hope to see the culture evolve so that the beauty and sacredness of worship can be fully preserved. I may return at some point but I'm found another church to go to for now. read more

An excellent church home! If you are looking for a non-denominational church and a positive environment to take any family member, look no further! I love the environment, the Biblical references for further studies, and the overall acceptance aesthetics. read more

Spirit-filled service. Strong verse-by-verse Biblical teaching. Talented worship that leads you into worship and not just performing. Friendly, kind, welcoming people. My teenage daughter and I have made this our new church home. She and I both can't wait for our Sundays! She loves it as much as I do!! read more

If I rated Bridgeway based on their annual Candyfest during October, I would give it 1000 stars. Candyfest fest is the most awesome event in Maryland for children and families. Lots of games for children and unlike other events they let the children really enjoy themselves by saying take a handful of candy. There is a DJ and animated mascots, bouncy house, cotton candy and so much more. It's just fantastic. If my review was based on parking it would also be 1000 stars. There is a vast amount of parking at the Columbia, Maryland location. I will say they could improve one thing; signage. It would be helpful if they had some signs directing you to the entrance. Since the parking is so vast, it is challenging to figure out which way you need to drive or walk to enter the church. There is no one outside directing you so signs would be helpful. However, I am not going to deduct stars for that. It's a small suggestion that would help. We all have opportunities to improve each day so no need to take off stars for this. The greeters are very friendly. They seem kind but I feel they're not very genuine. Maybe because they try so hard. I won't take stars off for that either. They try hard. The church is described as diverse. However, It is not very diverse. That's no fault of the church. I think the message of diversity is that all are welcome here and that is great. I cannot take off stars because of who attends on any given day. I am happy that anyone makes it to church. That's wonderful. The people that attend dress very casually like they just rolled out of bed. Yes, come as you are but it feels as though the church has lowered its standards so much that people have little respect for how they present themselves. It feels like people give God their worst. Not deducting stars for this either. The building is very nice. It is large like a mega church. When I attended it had a good turnout but wasn't completely filled. It's an auditorium so it feels more like you got cheap seats at a concert. It does not feel like a church. I'm not deducting stars for this either. My review is based on the basics. The pastor seems very nice and welcoming but the message was not rooted in scripture. Very little reference to the Bible. It's was more of a pep search and not a sermon. I don't go to church for the parking, the building or the people. I go to church to hear the word based on scripture. If you are looking for a Bible based church, this may not be the church for you. And yes, I have attended other programs at this church to determine their basis for teaching. This is not the place where I will get spiritually fed. read more

This church is amazing!!! It is Christ-centered, multicultural, fun and innovative. The leadership of this church work really hard at ensuring it stays relevant while at the same time staying true to biblical integrity. It have a wide spread of ministries to cater to all types of people from different walks of life. The worship, music and preaching are dynamic and I feel as if this is a great ministry to belong too. Thank you Dr. Anderson for your leadership, vision and dedication to excellence. read more

Bridgeway Community Church - Churches Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I went to Bridgeway for about three years. I was part of the language ministry when they connected me with a really creepy guy in leadership, from Korea. They suddenly, instructed me to stop associating with him but never explained why. Lead Pastor, Doctor David Anderson is very charismatic and smiles a lot but sort of in a creepy way; Like Tony Robbins. The kind of person you really admire but not sure why. His sermons are inspirational and entertaining but mostly Worldly, like a motivational speaker on PBS or a TED Talk. Instructional, psychological thrillers, often, not central to the word of God or strongly grounded in the Bible. Instead of Jesus, it's more like he's the star of the show. My mom loves Doctor Anderson but she isn't Christian and does not believe Jesus is the only way to salvation. She thinks there are many roads to God. Please pray for my mother and others like her? Don't just take it from me. Go and experience Bridgeway for yourself. The people are nice and it is a high production, lights, cameras, action kind of experience. I guarantee you will at least have a good time. But as a born again Christian (John 3:3) I never came away feeling adequately challenged or fed. Bridgeway has saying they are quite proud of. "Majoring in the Majors; Minoring in the Minors." Which is usually very wise. But it's also been said, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Gelations 5:9) read more

This is a great place to worship, comprised of people, so I'll be transparent. This church is multicultural. You will be blessed to worship and serve with people from many cultures. Worship teams lead us with songs from the radio as well as original songs; the choir sings once each month. Bridgekids is available for children 5th grade and under. The safety of the children is paramount, so some rooms close when there aren't enough background checked volunteers to care for the children. This church is a growing church and began outgrowing the walls. As a response, another location opened up in Owings Mills / Reisterstown. Now there are plenty of seats in Columbia for the 8, 10, and 12 o'clock services. It's not a perfect place, but it is full of people who love the amazing God and are learning to live well. read more

My 100th review was reserved for one of the best places I've been to in the area- my church! I seriously can't believe there's NO other Yelpers at my cool church?! Come on, people, we gotta let folks know how awesome Bridgeway really is! If you're not into the "typical" church experience, live for diversity, appreciate GOOD live music and theatre, plus have an affinity for comedy then you will absolutely love this church. Every week since I joined in this past Spring has been a revelation of all sorts. This church is definitely a great model for the future of Christianity if we really want to live out what the Bible mandates. Pastor David Anderson (DA) is a self-assured, articulate yet incredibly insightful and hilarious pastor who has a daily radio show on WAVA (105.1). He touches on subjects and issues usually swept under the rugs at churches, namely why are they so segregated? Especially in the 21st century? Well, at Bridgeway the congregation REALLY consists of people from all faiths, all ethnicities and nationalities. Not just one or two people, either, to fill some sort of quota. No, people- long term Partners- are all part of a myriad of fantastic cultures. It's amazing who you might meet on any given Sunday, sitting beside you and laughing out loud at one of the skits performed before Pastor DA's message. Bridgeway also has many opportunities to get involved. Check out one of the informational tables in the lobby or just ask one of the many volunteers at staff, who will welcome you with a genuine smile on their face. Too shy? No problem, because Bridgeway actually recently launched their own interactive, Facebook-style website for you to join and find out everything you need in a click or two. I'm so into social media sites (yeah, I'm Yelping right?) and The City (bcc.onthecity.org) is super user-friendly. I'm not on FB but I'd say it's a lot easier to use. Reminds of an evolved Twitter. No, really! Check it out and come to one of Bridgeway's three services- 8 a.m., 10 a.m., and 12 noon. They usually are less than 1 1/2 hours and offer a fantastic children's church, complete with their own live music and drama performances, for the kiddies under 12. read more

This is a lifestyle church and it rocks! It's a warm, environment replete with global citizens. The community is pretty self contained with something for everyone in addition to spiritual messaging. Lots of lifestyle groups, opportunities to share and refine your talents (and enjoy the top notch talents of others). Plus the NEXXUS center for teens is awesome. A true come as you are church... read more

No parking, traffic flow congested ... no one outside to direct traffic or people walking ... chaos! Right when I walked in heard loud music that was not appealing to the ears ... I walked in to find a choir of like 50 people that were not in tune ... the lead singer was pretty amazing though Pastor was sweating profusely and out of breath ... I thought he might pass out ... he shouted the whole time instead of relating the message to the people, not very personable ... when I looked around most people were asleep or playing with their electronic devices The band played so loud during the offering I almost wanted to plug my ears ... It was hard to find something I liked ... people seemed nice, that's bout it Needless to say, not going back! read more

We tried to go to Bridgeway Community church for the 1st time today for 10:00 service with my family and already back in the car at 10:10. We were basically turned away because they had no program for 3 year old or 1 year. Yes we could have taken them into service but "what would we have gotten out of service"?? It a shame that they had class/programs for ALL OTHER AGES! Why not have class for a 3 year old that can't sit in service quietly but have class for older kids then are capable of sitting through a service. So disappointed read more

Pretty cool Easter event at Merriweather. Large crowd and great music. Unfortunately poor crowd management. The ushers for the Pavillion seating were very stressed and not very nice. Not spirit filled and just not ready for the assignment. One usher said there were seats and directed the crowd to the left gate, facing the stage. Once the crowd got there the other threw up a gate and no more seats with an angry voice. So we found a shady spot on the grass. This is just one more thing that raises concerns with this church after attending for some time. Many members are seeking other churchs. Oh well.. The weather was beautiful. read more

I have worshipped at Bridgeway (after moving to the area) for 21 years. I love it! I guess if you are super critical and focused on finding fault...something will always be wrong. I have sought the God's presence and found: 1. The teaching of God's word 2. Serving our community 3. Serving our members, the sick, & widowed. 4. Life Groups creating a deeper connection of God's word and self 5. Ministries and Missions aligned with God's mission 6. Infant to young adult care and services and Christian development 7. Friendly, caring, and creative people who have become extended family 8. Spiritual growth and ongoing food for growth 9. A pantry feeding the poor and others in need 10. Holiday drives for food deliveries and gifts for children in need. 11. Fun activities together to create an environment for interacting and getting to know other members. 12. A Pastoral Staff who are approachable, knowledgeable, real to life people. If you come to Bridgeway, you will receive a warm reception. We would love to see you. There is parking and a parking ministry and overflow parking. There is contemporary worship music. We cannot please all the people all the time but we try our best to make it a great experience. I wish you luck in finding your church home wherever that may be. After all, the church is you and you make up Its character. There is no perfect church because there are no perfect people. We are learning his word and striving to be better in the knowledge, guidance, and love of the Trinity. I hope to see you at Bridgeway or heaven. read more

Awesome worship and great teaching! There is now a campus in Owings mills / Reisterstown.

I figured my 500th review should be something special so I reserved it for the most special place I go. My church. I found Bridgeway via an internet church when I moved close to Columbia and was looking to strengthen my relationship with the lord. I went to Bridgeway first thinking it would be one of many visits to area churches until I could find one I loved. Well I was one and done! The 1.5 hour service time was welcomed after growing up in a church where you pretty much give up your Sunday. I love the time of worship and the music that is played. I also love that Pastor Anderson strives to build a diverse church community with strong ties to the community around it. I've never been to a church that celebrates diversity and I love it! I also love that Pastor Anderson and the other senior pastors preach in a way I can understand. While there are hundreds of people at service it seems like the message is directly to me. On the Sunday mornings when I can't make it I know I can log into the internet campus and still have an interactive service. I love that they have pastors that are in the chat and taking the time to show you how to be connected even when you aren't there. I have started to join ministries and meet other people and know that these people will be in my life for a very long time. I have finally found a church where I'm not only going for the word, but also for the fellowship! With that said if your looking for a new church home I recommend at least checking out Bridgeway, you will be surprised at what you find! read more

It's been a while since I've been here, but from the memories I've had here to my new church that I go to, this place was and is still amazing. I've been going to this church since it first started back in one of the smaller theaters in Howard Community College till it expanded to a warehouse off Red Branch Road. Senior Pastor Anderson which also co-founded Bridgeway is an amazing person. I always loved his sermons and laughed at his jokes. He knows when to be funny and at the same time knows when to be serious. There are other pastors either training or are helping Pastor Anderson that also preach on Sundays. Bridgeway has so many different programs going on every week for many people. From marriage counseling to adult, teen, and children counseling. They have programs devoted to the homeless and the unfortunate. Their morals are genuine. And the church itself, when you go inside, the AC or Heat is on depending on the weather outside. A whole stadium and then the outside where their cafe is has comfy couches and chairs for us to sit and listen to the preacher on 2 big screen TV's. Now I go to a church called New Beginning Community Church in Burtonsville and our praise team is pretty close to Bridgeway's praise team. Sometimes they come over and praise, worship, and pray with us, and vice verse. They're some of the most genuine people I've ever met. Nothing but love from them. This church is different because it's multicultural. I can almost guarantee you that most cultures around the world, you'll see here at Bridgeway, seriously. My Pastor created his own church with the blessings from Bridgeway. Other churches won't give you blessings or even let you part ways. Especially from Korean churches. There are so many examples I can give you about how great this church is. But instead I'm just going to let you experience for yourself on how this church is. :) read more

Let me say that the review that I wrote a month ago was not all the way complete.I sinned in my criticism about bridgeway.I was wrong.bridgeway is a great church.I was apart of it for 10 years.I left because I didn't agree with one of the pastors.I was hurt.I left bridgeway angry.I forgive the person who offended me.I've moved on to another solid church like bridgeway.paster da is a great pastor.I don't agree with his position on homosexuality but I understand his great heart.he does a great job at reaching his flock with the word.Pastor da doesn't do expository teaching but he's great at teaching the word.I was wrong to call him a rockstar pastor.I didn't understand or forgot his calling in reaching the world thru radio.I repent for my sin of judgement.God bless bridgeway. read more

I think this church has outgrown its space. Parking is a pain. I ran into significant issues with childcare which pushed me away from the church. It's hard for me to receive the word while my two younger kids are in my ears. read more

6/15/14 My friends are members here and were dedicating their daughter today, Father's Day. I am the godmother so of course I have to be here to see and support. The church is located in a business park in Columbia, MD off Red Branch Rd. There are signs directing people to parking for the church and staff doing the same. The main lot when I arrived for the 10 AM service. They have 3 services 8, 10, & 12. So I parked in the overflow lot and walked over. The church is huge and GORGEOUS!! I have heard a lot of great things about this place. The members are so welcoming from the parking lot and all over the building! They have a coffee bar, book store, help desk, free Wi-Fi, café, etc. This place is amazing! The service was even better. The pastor preached an amazing Father's Day message. The singers were able to lead the church in praise and worship. The facility is top notch and so are the people. I do have a home church but will definitely frequent here every no and gain. If you are looking for a church home I would suggest this place. read more

Bridgeway Community Church is an amazing church to attend. They have numerous ministries that you can participate in. No one should have an excuse for why they don't fit in here because there is something for everyone even the children. The children including teens have their own ministry during our 3 different sunday services. We even have services for special needs teens. Right now we're in the Thanksgiving season and I'm in line waiting to pick up Thanksgiving baskets to deliver. The amazing thing is they had so many volunteers they had to turn some away. They are probably at least 30 cars in front of me waiting to pick up. It really warms my heart to be part of a church that have members that are so giving. Dr Anderson the senior pastor leads by example and he has set for and awesome example for us all to follow . If you don't have a church home or are you looking for one or you curious we welcome you with open arms. read more

Bridgeway Community Church - Kingdom Women Bible Study. 1st Saturday of the month until June. Join us - Churches Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

I use to be a member of Bridgeway for 10 years.bridgeway was great for me for the first 6 years there.Pastor D A played a big role in my faith with his great motivational practical teaching messages.I was blessed by them.The people are nice and friendly including the leadership.They love God and all people.Now the cons.Bridgeway puts way to munch emphases on racial diversity.For the record,Bridgeway is not as diverse as it use to be.Bridgeway is 85 to 90 percent black.They do a great job in hiding that if you look at their website or watch it online.Bridgeway is also a very liberal seeker friendly church.Bridgeway never does expository preaching.The lead pastor who is a great man with a great heart has drifted away from what the church should be.pastor D.A is doing to munch other great things other than focusing on being the great bible teacher that he use to be.Pastor DA has become more of a rockstar pastor with his radio show on wava for the past 10 years.Bridgeway does not preach the whole counsel of God's word with expository preaching .They water it down with great positive motivation practical topical preaching. Bridgeway main value system is racial diversity.entertainment and motivational waters down messages.I pray that bridgeway would repent and get back to preaching expository messages and get rid of there liberal theology. read more

Bridgeway Community Church - Churches Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

My husband and I are new to the Maryland area and wanted to find a church to attend. We found this place through google and decided to give it a try. As soon as we walked in it felt like this was home. The people just smiled and greeted us and escorted us to our seats. The place is just absolutely beautiful. The church has done a great job with creating such an amazing worship place. My husband and I were moved very deeply during the worship portion and the pastor of the church gave a great sermon when we were there and we could completely relate. We will back next Sunday and plan on making this our home church from now on. read more

Don't let the small number of reviews fool you. This is a relevant, contemporary, diverse place of worship where the Word of God is the centerpiece. As a PK, I've visited dozens on top of dozens of churches of various denominations all over the country - Baptist, AME, Presbyterian, Catholic, Holiness, Apostolic, Methodist and more. The BCC experience is a combination of the best aspects of all of the above plus its own uniqueness in one package as a non-denominational church of Christ-followers building bridges to the community. It is large, but very warm and welcoming to all people. Come as you are in jeans or business attire. Check young children in at BridgeKids for worship time on their level with their own praise, drama, and activities. The best way to make it feel like home is to get involved and serve in the numerous ministries, attend a life group, or Wednesday Night Alive. WNA has individual special interest classroom-like sessions for pre-school, teens, and adults. Whether you are a Bible scholar or just beginning your walk with Christ there is a seat for you. Personally, I drive 30+ miles one way to serve and worship here on a regular basis. You can imagine how many churches I pass along the way including the one that is less than a mile from my house. read more

Dr. David Anderson, lead pastor of BCC is awesome! He is not only highly knowledgeable about the Word, but he is also very much attuned to the world around him as well as the needs of his pastoral community. As a newcomer, I am impressed by the diversity, progressive vibe, and relevance that Bridgeway Community Church seems to convey. The 30+ miles commute is so worth it! read more

Amazing, uplifting and wonderful. I love this church. I can't believe I've been in Columbia 7 years before finding a church for my family. So thankful to have a wonderful place to go. Coming from a baptist church full of people that look like me, I'm happy for a place that is so diverse. The music is everything. The musicians are the best I've ever heard. Nikki the music leader has the most amazing voice. Dr. Anderson is so wonderful. I'm growing here spiritually for the first time and my teenager gets to be part of a great church where is can grow also. Everyone needs to come and experience this place. You have 8 am, 10 am or 12 noon to let it all go and just be wrapped in love on Sunday. read more

We're in need of a church home out here. We've visited some interesting churches these last few years. This morning we actually flipped a coin between two churches. And Bridgeway is where we ended up and I am so very glad we did.First impression we got of the church was the website. It is very informative. If you want to get an idea of what this church is about please click the "About" tab on the homepage and click on "Partnership" Awesome to see how they view membership. Today was Compassion Sunday. I'm not sure if that means the service was different than it is on other days. But here's how it went. All the doors had greeters. Big smiles bright eyes! There's a great sitting area and even a cafe in the lobby. Bottled water is allowed in the auditorium. The praise and worship part of the service was Awesome! There was song, and prayer and praise and it flowed so beautifully! The message this week was about Compassion and the church is partners (i think??) with Compassion International. If you don't know - Compassion International is an organization where you can sponsor a child in another country. Today they had one of those children - all grown up now- speak about the experience and how they changed her life. It was really wonderful to hear her talk about what it was like receiving letters from and eventually meeting one of her sponsors. And now she works for the organization and she has a child of her own that she's sponsoring. It was really beautiful. You know you see those commercials everyday and wonder if those kids ever really get the money people send in - Apparently they do. And they get the letters you send them (she saved hers in a binder) It was so great! Then there was the offering period (no hard pitch there! quite refreshing as I've been to some churches where you feel pressured to give even though you are a visitor and possibly tithing to your home church.) The Alter Call, and we were dismissed with the benediction (closing prayer). It was a great experience. We will definitely be back as we continue our search for a church home. read more

This one of the best churches in Maryland.They are kind,caring and considerate. Always show godly ways.But,still to appeal to all ages and cultures. read more

I love BRIDGEWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH. It is a beautiful worship experience the way GOD WANTS IT TO BE. As soon as you walk in there is a sense of love and peace just comes over you. So wonderful, I recommend this church to anyone looking for a new church home. read more