What’s a bridge?
Most people imagine a structure that carries a road between two high points. But sea captains also issue their orders from command centers called bridges. The thin piece of wood on a violin that the strings stretch over is a bridge. And when a composer connects two movements, he writes a bridge.
Still, the most important aspect of any bridge is what it does. Connects. Supports. Brings together. Spans the gap.
When we first set up Bridge Builders, we pictured ourselves as the classical networking, bridge-building ministry—introducing people, building partnerships, and then getting out of the way. For some partnerships this is the way it works. We are convinced that the Lord would have us build more, stronger and more diverse bridges not only to Latvia, but throughout Europe.
Bridge building is about partnerships.
The backbone of our vision has always been to create, strengthen, and mobilize international partnerships. BBI’s original dream was to build a thousand living bridges for the Lord, each with its own distinctiveness, emphasis, and potential. Since 1994, BBI has helped create partnerships and alliances involving close to 200 churches, organizations and businesses. Here is a list of churches and organizations, American, Latvian and International, with whom BBI has worked either on specific projects or long-term partnerships. Perhaps your church or organization should be next?
Master Partnership List
This is a list of past and present partnerships.
IN THE USA – CHURCHES, ORGANIZATIONS & BUSINESSES
Arizona
Bridgeway Community Church, Phoenix
Red Mountain Community Church, Mesa
Master Planning Group International, Scottsdale
Arkansas
Beech Street First Baptist Church, Texarkansas
California
Biola University, La Mirada
Calvary Christian Fellowship Church, Inglewood
Calvary Church, Los Gatos
Celebrate Recovery, Lake Forrest
First Presbyterian Church, Berkeley
Foothills Community Church, Santa Rosa
Galilee Trade Publishers, Bel Air
Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena
Immanuel Baptist Church, Highland
International Refugee Mission, Los Angeles
Latvian Lutheran Church, San Francisco
Regal Books, Ventura
Thomas Kinkade Museum, Saratoga
William Jessup University, Rocklin (formerly San Jose Christian College)
Saddleback Church, Lake Forrest
Santa Rosa Christian School, Santa Rosa
Saratoga Federated Church, Saratoga
Stanford University, Los Altos
Colorado
Bear Valley Church, Lakewood
Laptops for Latvia, Denver
Latvian Lutheran Church, Denver
Leadership Development Council, Colorado Springs
New Horizons for Children, Littleton
New Commandment Men’s Ministries, Broomfield
Navpress, Colorado Springs
Paraclete Mission Group, Colorado Springs
Servants of Christ International, Denver
Strive LLC, Windsor
The Elevation Group, Colorado Springs
Timberline Church, Ft. Collins
Georgia
Hope Baptist Church, Winder
New Horizons for Children Inc., Acworth
Idaho
Church at the Grange, Bonners Ferry
Illinois
Cedarstone Partners, Wheaton
Communication Institute, Lisle
Crusader West Church, Chicago
Latvian Baptist Church, Chicago
Salem Baptist Church, Chicago
St. John’s Latvian Evangelical Church, Chicago
St. Peter’s Latvian Evangelical Church, Chicago
Wheaton College, Wheaton
Willowcreek Association, Barrington
Michigan
Zondervan, Grand Rapids
Minnesota
EPPIC, Minneapolis
Montana
Three Lakes Community Church, Troy
North Carolina
MentorLink International, Raleigh
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Charlotte
Nevada
A Father to the Fatherless Orphans’ Fund, Lake Tahoe
Minden Community Church, Minden
New York
Harper-Collins Publishing, New York City
Oregon
Adair Community Church, Adair Village
Abundant Life Center, Jefferson
Aurora Presbyterian Church, Aurora
Bonanza Community Church, Bonanza
Bridge Media Group, Philomath
Calvin Presbyterian Church, Corvallis
Camp Morrow, Wamic
Christmas Valley Community Church, Christmas Valley
Colton Community Church, Colton
Communication Graphics, Hillsboro
Compassion Ministries, Corvallis
Dark Horse Literary Inc., Keizer
Doxology, Corvallis
Fairview Mennonite Church, Albany
Foundry Church (formerly First Baptist Church), Bend
First Baptist Church, Corvallis
First Baptist Church, Eugene
First Christian Church, Brownsville
Frontline Ministries, Corvallis
Grace Baptist Church, Salem
International Writers Group, Winchester Bay
Jefferson Baptist Church, Jefferson
John and Phil’s Toyota, Corvallis
KHPE Radio and Extra Mile Media, Albany
Kingwood Bible Church, Salem
Langell Valley Community Church, Langell Valley
Latvian Lutheran Church, Portland
Leadership Link, Corvallis
Living Faith Community Church, Philomath
Luis Palau Evangelism Team, Beaverton
Maupin Community Church, Maupin
Multnomah Publishers, Sisters
North Albany Community Church, Albany
Northwest Medical Teams, Portland
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Reedsport Church of God, Reedsport
Roth Hay Farms, Christmas Valley
Shadowsmith Photographics, Corvallis
Teel’s Travel Planners, Corvallis
The Beldings, Philomath
The Hive, Philomath
Santiam Christian School, Adair Village
Sisters Community Church, Sisters
Wamic Community Church, Wamic
Western Seminary, Portland
Pennsylvania
St. John’s Latvian Evangelical Church, Newton Square
South Carolina
Brookwood Church, Simpsonville
Texas
Buckner Orphan Care International, Dallas
Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas
Evangelical Development Ministry, Muenster
Family Bible Fellowship, Canton
First Baptist Church, Athens
First Baptist Church, Canton
First Baptist Church, Grand Prairie
First Baptist Church, Hawkins
First Baptist Church, Houston
First Baptist Church, Longview
First Baptist Church, Richardson
Frio Baptist Church, Hereford
Interstate Batteries, Dallas
Northside Baptist Church, Odessa
Orphan Outreach International, Plano
PCS Production Company, Dallas
SandBox Logistics, Houston
Temple Baptist Church, Hereford
The Dalton Gang, Richardson
Westbrooks, Dugger & Westbrooks Financial, Dallas
Tennessee
DISCIPLE, Nashville
Lausanne Arts, Brentwood
Washington
Harvest Community Church, Camas
Highlands Community Church, Renton
Lake Tapps Community Church, Sumner
Latvian Lutheran Church, Seattle
Pacific Crest Industries, Seattle
IN LATVIA – CHURCHES, ORGANIZATIONS & BUSINESSES
CHURCHES
Agenskalns Baptist Church, Riga
Balvi Baptist Church, Balvi
Baptist Church Plant, Gulbene
Baptist Church Plant, Vilaka
Berzgale Baptist Church, Berzgale
Cesis Baptist Church, Cesis
Madonas Baptist Church, Madona
Ergli Baptist Church, Ergli
Evangelical Bible Church, Riga
Gipka Baptist Church, Gipka
Golgotha Baptist Church, Riga
Laba Vests (Good News) Church, Riga
House of God, Riga
Jelgava Baptist Church, Jelgava
Jelgava Pentecostal Church, Jelgava
Jelgava Russian Baptist Church, Jelgava
Madona Baptist Church, Madona
Madona Baptist Church Bible Study Group, Lubana
Matthews Baptist Church, Riga
Mazsalaca Baptist Church, Mazsalaca
Mersrags Baptist Church, Mersrags
Misa Baptist Church Plant, Misa
Mission Church, Riga
Pavils Baptist Church, Liepaja
Plavinas Baptist Church, Plavinas
Rezekne Baptist Church, Rezekne
Riga Pentecostal Church, Riga
Russian Baptist Church, Olaine
Salvation Army, Riga
Salvation Temple, Riga
Sigulda Baptist Church, Sigulda
Tilza Baptist Church, Tilza
Talsi Baptist Church, Talsi
Trinity Baptist Church, Ogre
Ventspils Baptist Church, Ventspils
Vilandes Baptist Church, Riga
White Baptist Church, Daugavpils
Ganibas Camp, Uzava
Denominations and Church Movements in Latvia
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia, Riga
House of God, Riga
Latvian Baptist Union, Riga
Latvian Methodist Union, Riga
Latvian Pentecostal Union, Jelgava
Organizations, Businesses and Networks
3 D Farms, Ergli
Art to Save the Heart, Riga
Atklasme Publishing, Riga
Atradums Publishing, Riga
Baltic Pastoral Institute, Riga
Camp Ganibas, Uzava
Eagle’s Wings Camp, Ergli
George Barbins Christian School, Riga
Global Leadership Summit Latvia, Riga
Ista Briviba, Riga
Latvian Bible Center (formerly, Riga Bible Institute), Riga
Latvian Christian Mission, Riga
Latvian Christian Radio, Riga
Latvian Evangelical Alliance, Riga
Latvian National Prayer Breakfast Committee
M–Studio, Riga
Matthews Community Center
Mission Pakapieni, Tukums
St. Gregors School, Saldus
Teen Challenge Latvia
INTERNATIONAL – Organizations with long-term presences in Latvia
Agape Latvia (Campus Crusade), Riga, Latvia
Buckner Orphan Care Latvia, Riga, Latvia
Greater Europe Mission, Riga, Latvia
International Mission Board, Daugavpils, Latvia
Latvian Christian Student Fellowship (IFES – InterVarsity), Riga, Latvia
Youth With a Mission, Valdermarpils, Latvia
INTERNATIONAL – Organizations with whom we have participated in one or more projects
ArtsPlus Roundtable, Switzerland
Celebrate Recovery UK and Europe, Darby, UK
DAWN Norway, Kristiansand, Norway
European Artists Network, Poland
European Evangelical Alliance
European Leadership Forum, Lisle, IL
First Step Forum, Kokkola, Finland
Friends of the Martyred Church, Kokkola, Finland
Slavic Swedish Mission, Stockholm, Sweden
Solasen, Kolmarden, Sweden
Sonlife International, Wheaton, IL
The Alliance of Saturation Church Planting, Budapest, Hungary
The International Foundation, Arlington, VA
The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, Wheaton, IL
Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL
CHURCHES AND MINISTRIES FROM OTHER NATIONS
Austria
Schloss Mittersil, Mittersil, Austria
Canada
Coleman Christian Assembly, Coleman, Alberta
Tables of Stone, Quebec, Canada
DISCIPLE, Nashville
Estonia
ArtsEst Plus, Tartu
Centre for Creative Industry, Tartu
Salem Baptist Church, Tartu
France
Proclaim!, Strasbourg, France
The Netherlands
“Wilhelminakerk” Dutch Reformed Church in Haarlem
The United Kingdom
Arts Centre Group, London, England
Kings Arms Church, Bedford, England
Jubilee Centre, London, England
Ireland
Latvian Lutheran Church, Dublin
Presbyterian Church, Adelaide Road, Dublin
Italy
Operacion l’ultima ora, Guigliano in Campania Napoli
Italian Gospel Mission, Firenze
Italy for Christ, Frascatti
Italian Evangelical Alliance
Poland
Chelm Baptist Church, Chelm
Romania
Imago Dei Romania, Timișoara
Ukraine
Eastern European Leadership Forum, Kiev
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Charles Kelley
Charles Kelley, a Latvian-American, is the Founder and President of Bridge Builders International. He has served in pastoral and intercultural ministry since 1973. He also paints and plays piano.
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