How The Bridge App Can Assist Your Congregation

As smartphones and tablets have now slightly overtaken personal computers as the primary means for accessing digital information, local churches are also re-assessing how they communicate with their members.

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, the Christian Reformed Church (Ministry in Canada) has partnered with Extreme Technology to develop The Bridge App to provide local churches with an affordable and effective mobile app for serving their members. 

What sets this app apart from other smartphone apps geared toward churches is that The Bridge App aims to be Relational, Missional and Local in a distinctively CRC way and with the emphasis on the local congregation.

Some features of the app include:

• Home screen appearance can be customized with the photo or logo of the local church, and key functions can be enabled, disabled and arranged based on the preference of your congregation.
• Up to three custom functions for local content such as pastor’s blog, children’s ministry or community service.
• Watch function allows for worship services to be streamed from Zoom, Facebook, Livestream or YouTube
• Prayers, Events and Announcements can be easily posted and instantly shared to either ‘verified members’ or made ‘public.’
• Give function allows giving to the church budget, customizable local causes and CRC ministries, by credit card or direct from the donor’s bank account, as well as recurring gifts to causes such as the church budget.
• devotional from ReFrame Ministries is available wherever you may be, plus the Bible can be accessed in various languages and versions.
• Instant access to thousands of CRCNA Resources as well as hundreds of current articles from The Network, The Banner, Christian Courier and other respected sources.
• An always up-to-date version of your membership Directory with essential contact information (and option for photos) can be turned ‘on’ or ‘off’ depending on the preference of the local congregation.
• Security features allow the local church to decide what content is ‘public’ and what is for ‘verified members’ only, and permission to post announcements, events and prayers can be delegated to specific members of the congregation.

Roughly two-thirds of CRCs in Canada are currently using The Bridge App, and during the past year the app has processed $3.6-million in donations for the local churches. But, for churches that are not utilizing the app, a booklet and a brochure have recently been produced to explain the many benefits of The Bridge App, and an information package is available by contacting [email protected].

And, even if your church is not utilizing the app, anyone using an Apple iOS or Android device can download the app and use many of the standard features.

The Bridge App is made available and supported for CRCs in Canada through Ministry in Canada, and is available to US congregations directly through the developer, The Bridge App Inc.

See the attachments below for additional information about The Bridge App, including a video that you can share with your congregation.

IN CANADA - for additional information, please contact your CRCNA Bridge App team at [email protected].

Dorothy Vandersteen

The Bridge App Program Manager

[email protected]  / 1-800-730-3490  Ext. 4245

Ken Bosveld

Canadian Ministries Resource Coordinator (The Bridge App)

[email protected]  / 1-800-730-3490   Ext. 4307

IN THE U.S. - for additional information, please contact:

Deb Hunter

Product Representative, The Bridge App Inc.

[email protected]  / 289-273-7062