Bridgeway Youth Ministry

Chris & April

Chris VanDyke:

I was born and raised in Arizona. Most of my church years were spent at a church in the Valley called Scottsdale Baptist Church (SBC). Pastor Gregg Cantelmo was the last pastor of that church while I attended it. He and I left at roughly the same time. Shortly afterwards he was offered his current position here at Bridgeway. April and I attended another church closer to home for a year, during which time we were married and I tried to finish school. With about a year's worth of credits left to complete, Gregg called and offered me a temporary, part-time job at Bridgeway. I was hesitant, but he finally convinced me. It took another two months for April and I to decide we could make this our place of ministry. My pastorate at Bridgeway began April 1, 2004. I love working with students, it is what God has called me to do. When I was a senior in high school (1998) I remembered my Jr. high school leader (Scott Murray, for those who know him) in a very positive light and wanted to impact Jr. high school students in the same way. That began a long journey for me that finally resulted in my attendance at Southwestern College for a degree in Christian Ministries/Youth (Graduated 2005) and an internship in the Student Ministries at SBC.

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April VanDyke:

I was born and raised in Arizona, except for a few years spent on the East coast in Maine. All of my family and friends live in the greater Phoenix area, but mostly in Scottsdale. This is where I went to high school and where I have lived most of my life. Chris and I came to Bridgeway in 2004 as a temporary, fill-in middle school pastor. We were asked to stay on as the Youth Pastor, and we have been here ever since! I was called to youth ministry in 2000, a year after graduating high school. Although I had enjoyed hanging out with the younger students when I was in the youth group, I had never thought of myself becoming part of the adult leadership team. God knew that I needed some reason to pursue Him more deeply, so he called me to work with the students at my first church, Scottsdale Baptist. He has really given me a passion for meeting them where they are at, and for keeping watch over their hearts. Students really need to know that people care about them. I know what it was like to go without a solid female leader in my youth group, so I am comitted to being that person wherever God takes me.

Servant Leaders

Chris Hanson:

Weather and Job brought me to Arizona. I came to Bridgeway because it was a close community church of God. I want to work with the youth because youth are our future and I am passionate about impacting them.

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Ashley Blunt:

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Jeff McIntyre:

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DeeAhn Murray:

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Bryan Perez:

I came to AZ because of a job relocation. I am currently a field service Engineer with Ford. My wife found Bridgeway by voting there. We both visited and saw that the teaching was based on the bible. The fellowship of the church was very warm and inviting and we saw the spirit moving within Bridgeway. I feel called to work with the youth because when I was growing up as a teenager I didn't have Christian role models and was lost at what I believe was a very critical time in my life. I would like to give teenagers what I didn't have but needed so bad and that is mentorship and discipleship. My goal is to help the youth avoid some of the mistakes that I made and to encourage them to build a strong and rewarding relationship with Christ.

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Faith Perez:

I fell like God has given me grace and mercy and I want to share this and my life testimony with the youth and mentor them: We moved to AZ in the summer of 2008. Bryan relocated with Ford from Michigan. We were looking for a church since we arrived to AZ. We looked at about 20 churches. In November I voted at Bridgewayt for the Presidential election. We visited that next Sunday. We loved the biblical teaching and saw the Holy Spirit working at Bridgeway.