“Mercy isn’t just the job of the Christian. Mercy is the mark of the Christian…..If the church doesn’t identify with the marginalized, it itself will be marginalized. This is God’s poetic justice” (Tim Keller)

“Caring for the poor is one natural overflow and a necessary evidence of the presence of Christ in our hearts. If there is no sign of caring for the poor in our lives, then there is reason to at least question whether Christ is in our hearts.” (David Platt)

“God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

In Micah 6:8 God commands us to ‘act justly’; that is to treat all people fairly, to do the right thing, to pursue justice for the oppressed and marginalized, to speak out for those who are unable to speak out for themselves. To ‘love mercy’; to develop that heart of compassion and care for all people, especially those trapped by self or society. To get our hands dirty in a costly and personal way. And to ‘walk humbly with our God’ – to cultivate that deep intimacy in our daily walk with Jesus so we see people the way Jesus sees people.

2026 is The Year of Merciful Justice at The Bridge Church. A year for us to be inspired by scripture to see people how Jesus saw people; to cultivate the same heart for every individual that Jesus had for every individual; to invite the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to feel that gut wrenching compassion for those in need. Not just to feel it, but do something, show mercy to those less fortunate than ourselves. A year to focus on how we love what Jesus called ‘the least of these’.