Meeting Multiple Inner-City Needs

Deep in the heart of Savannah, Georgia, U.S. missionary Jonathan M. Brown serves residents through Life Bridge Inner City Ministry, an Assemblies of God church founded in 1994. Brown, 49, transitioned to director and pastor in 1997.

The church has several weekly outreach programs and ministry events throughout the year, serving everyone from the area’s youth to the homeless. In 2012, Life Bridge lost its rented location when the owners sold the land. The ministry holds its meetings at seven different locations in Savannah, and continues to pray for a home building in the increasingly expensive inner city.

The Power Teen Club and Boys and Girls started in 2000, and Brown says he sees kids grow in their faith and help their communities through the program.

“The Lord spoke to my heart and told me if we don't get those kids off the streets, they will be back on the streets causing the crime and violence,” Brown says.

Quincy L. Jones came to Jesus through the Power Teen Club. Now 17, Quincy says he started attending the club when some kids in his neighborhood asked if he wanted to come to church with them. The more Quincy learned about Jesus, the more he wanted to believe. Brown’s commitment to helping others inspired him, and he wanted to do the same. Quincy gave his life to Christ at age 11.

“Jonathan Brown is a good pastor and I learned more about Jesus from him,” Quincy says. “But I also learned about doing the right things and the wrong things in life.”

In 2018, Brown baptized Quincy, who now is a volunteer for the Power Teen Club, along with assisting other Life Bridge ministries. An average of 15 meet at the Power Teen Club and Boys and Girls Ministries once a week for an hour and a half. Both kids and teens gather for a meal, then they go to separate classes.

The teen club involves games, Bible memorization, and a message from Brown. Although in-person teen club gatherings have been restricted because of COVID-19, the youth keep in contact through Facebook Live services.

Life Bridge also operates a soup kitchen for the homeless every Monday, the Power Kids Club on Tuesdays, a sidewalk Sunday School at a local community center, a Saturday night service, and grocery assistance as needed. But because of the pandemic, the only weekly events operating are the soup kitchen and grocery assistance.

The Saturday service is conducted through Facebook Live. Brown says he calls and texts attendees on a regular basis to keep up with them.

The church has increased its grocery assistance program because of the virus. Since the pandemic began, Life Bridge has provided 52 families with groceries, and served 2,272 meals to the homeless.

In July, Life Bridge held a drive-through Back to School giveaway. The ministry partnered with five Savannah schools, and handed out 700 book bags with school supplies at the outreach.