ABOUT
Join us at The Bridge
At The Bridge, community is not just a word. It is a place where you belong, where your story matters, and where your faith can grow alongside others who care. We believe that connection is essential because life and faith are best lived together.
Here, you will find people from all walks of life who are ready to support, encourage, and share the journey of life with you. Our small groups, ministries, and events are designed to help you build real relationships, find meaningful purpose, and experience a sense of family.
No matter where you are on your faith journey, at The Bridge you are welcomed and valued. When you connect with our community, you discover strength, hope, and a deeper sense of belonging.
Join us and find your place to grow, serve, and thrive. This is a community where you can be known, loved, and empowered every day.
Our Purpose
To BRIDGE the church to the World
and the world to the love of Jesus.
Our Vision
to BRIDGE the love of God
that changes the heart
and the love of neighbor
that changes the world.
What We Believe
-
As United Methodists, we believe in the Trinity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We affirm God is everlasting and is the maker and preserver of all things. He is infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness, and love.
-
We believe Jesus was the Son of God and the child of the virgin Mary. He was truly God and truly Man, who endured the suffering, shame, and death on the cross to pay the debt for humanity’s sin. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is the eternal Savior and Mediator, who intercedes for us and came to earth to live, to teach us how to love, and to restore us to God.
-
The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is our helper, teacher, friend, and seal for the promised inheritance of eternal life with God. His presence, guidance, and wisdom allows a direct connection with our heavenly Father, and we receive spiritual gifts to empower us to live and to serve.
-
We believe the mission of the Christian life is summed up in the two great commandments of loving God and loving our neighbors. Scripture informs us that this is lived out as we love mercy, seek justice, walk humbly with God and “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
-
The Bible is foundational for our beliefs and provides the divine guide to our practice and is the primary source for our Christian doctrine. It contains all things needed for salvation and living a life unto God. The Bible forms our beliefs. We look to the traditions of the Church, reason, and experience to help inform our faith and help to interpret scripture.
-
We believe that God’s grace is God’s willingness to grant favor. It is unearned and undeserved. God's grace pervades in and through disciples, hastening, strengthening, and confirming our faith. We believe in three forms of grace:
Prevenient grace is at work in our lives, drawing us to God prior to salvation.
Justifying grace brings us into a right relationship with God through faith in Christ.
Sanctifying grace that continues to work in us to transform us into the image of Christ.
-
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried. The third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
PASTOR & LEADERSHIP
Lead Pastor
David Briggs
Rev. Dr. David Briggs is a servant leader who measures ministry by the transformation of people and the community. His leadership is marked by hope-filled preaching, clear vision, and a heart for service.
Under his guidance, worship at The Bridge UMC in Pearland is passionate and purposeful; focused toward genuine encounters and spiritual growth. He champions strong ministries for children and youth, believing faith must be nurtured early and well. He also emphasizes congregational care and fostering a community where everyone is known, valued, and supported.
Pastor Briggs and his wife, Rosalia, are partners in ministry and in life. They have been married for more than twenty years and are raising four daughters who serve the church alongside them. Rosalia is an author and Christian rap artist. She carries a heart of compassion that shapes their shared ministry.
Pastor Briggs holds a B.S. in Psychology from Sam Houston State University, a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology, is ordained as an Elder in the UMC, and has a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership & Community Development from Perkins School of Theology.
If you’re longing for a church that’s honest about the world, hopeful about people, and ready to serve a diverse community with courage and clarity, The Bridge has a place for you. Help us shape a church where belonging becomes transformation; one relationship at a time.
Email: dbriggs@bridgeumc.org
Board Chair
Peyton Johnson
Peyton Johnson brings decades of leadership experience in logistics, transportation, and labor relations to his role as Board Chair at The Bridge UMC. He is known for communicating complex information clearly and helping people understand and support shared goals. He was drawn into the United Methodist Church by the steady character and grounded leadership he witnessed in its pastors and congregations, eventually becoming deeply involved in building and supporting church communities.
Peyton was among the earliest members of the core group that has now become The Bridge UMC and played a key role in establishing the organization and preparing for this new season of ministry in Pearland.
His hopes for The Bridge are straightforward: to become chartered, grow sustainably as a United Methodist congregation, and see the pastor’s vision for a vibrant, community-engaged church fully realized.
Email: PJohnson003@comcast.net
Lay Leader
Crystal Gibbs
Crystal works alongside the pastor and ministry teams to help implement the church’s mission and vision in practical, relational ways. As Lay Leader, she encourages and equips people to serve, notices gifts and potential in others, and helps connect them with ministries where they can thrive. She serves as a liaison between worship, small groups, youth, music, outreach, and care so the whole church works together for positive impact in the community.
She also leads the church’s prayer ministry and serves on the care team, coordinating weekly and midweek prayer, receiving and lifting up requests, and helping ensure that those who are grieving, in crisis, or in need of spiritual support experience the attentive, compassionate community The Bridge strives to embody.
Professionally, Crystal is an e-learning developer in staff development, creating accessible online training and educational materials. Trained in sociology and social justice, she has advocated for safer conditions for students and supported community needs through research and grant-related projects, reflecting her deep concern for equity and the flourishing of others.
Crystal became United Methodist in college after being invited to a Bible study, discovering in the UMC a community that welcomed her intellect, gifts, and unique personality as part of God’s calling.
She and her husband Tyree were drawn to The Bridge UMC through a marriage ministry event and soon recognized it as a diverse, loving, Spirit-led community where people from many backgrounds are united by faith, relationship, and a passion for serving the wider community.
Email: crystalgailgibbs@icloud.com
Music & Worship Director
Verlincia Prince
Verlincia Prince is a Houston native who grew up in the United Methodist Church and has been steeped in music and education since childhood. She began piano lessons at age four and went on to study violin, handbells, viola, and cello before discovering her vocal gifts in the church. She later studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, majoring in Professional Music with concentrations in performance, music education, and music business. She has performed widely, including with the Houston Symphony and the Phillip Hall Singers. For Verlincia, every performance—sacred or secular—is an opportunity to use her God-given gifts to draw people toward God’s presence.
As Worship Director and Worship Leader, Verlincia oversees the full flow of worship along with the music ministry and worship team. She plans weekly services, writes and selects calls to worship, and coordinates music that is intentionally multigenerational—blending traditional hymns and gospel-rooted sounds with contemporary and culturally relevant arrangements so people of all ages can participate meaningfully. Her goal is for worship to engage people not as spectators but as active worshipers making their own joyful noise. She works closely with the pastor to align songs, liturgy, and calls to worship with sermon texts and series so the entire service tells a coherent spiritual story.
Verlincia loves leading those who feel called to sing and is committed to cultivating a worship culture that reflects the diversity, joy, and energy of The Bridge while honoring the best of Methodist tradition. She sees her role as helping people encounter God through sound, story, and shared praise in a church that is anything but stale.
Email: verlinciaprince@gmail.com