Mystery Worshipper: Amanda B. Reckondwyth
Church:
The Bridge Church, Glendale
Location: Arizona, USA
Date of visit: Sunday, 7 September 2025, 8:30am
The building
They met at first in a private home in January 2018, and later at a local recreation center. Then the pastor of a local church with dwindling membership invited them to meet at his facility, and (quoting from their website) ‘God spoke to’ the two pastors about closing the host church and taking over the facility as their own. Extensive renovations were done. The building is churchy looking, but ultra modern. Inside, one enters a rather dark, windowless room. Red lights illuminated the stage, on which were musical instruments. There was a large projection screen on the back wall. There were no symbols of Christianity anywhere in sight.
The church
They sponsor ‘bridge groups’ that employ (quoting from their website) a ‘message-based curriculum, written every week specific to our weekend message… We work hard not to rehash the message but travel to different places in the Bible that support what our pastors are teaching us.’ The bridge groups meet at various times during the week at various locations. They also have an ‘outreach closet’ that accepts donations of gently used clothing; support groups for single pregnant young women and for women who have undergone an abortion; and outreaches to the ‘less fortunate’ and to children living in foster homes. They support LifeStream, an independent living retirement community. There is a ‘welcome party’ on the last Sunday of each month, apparently to welcome new members. The church itself has two locations: one in Glendale (which is the one I visited) and another in the Phoenix metropolitan area’s East Valley. There are three services each Sunday at the Glendale location, and one in the East Valley. One of the services is also live-streamed.
The neighborhood
Glendale is a sprawling suburb to the northwest of Phoenix. The church’s Glendale location is on Greenway Road at 54th Avenue, primarily a working-class residential area mercifully free of strip malls and other commercial distractions. Nearby are the ultra-conservative Arizona Christian University and Banner Thunderbird Hospital, one of the area’s more notable health care institutions.
The cast
No one was introduced, but judging from photos on their website I’d guess it was the lead pastor who preached. Greeting and announcements were given by a woman whose identity I really can’t guess – it could have been any of the women pictured on the ‘Meet Our Team’ page on their website.
What was the name of the service?
‘Happy Seventh Birthday.’ Today was the seventh anniversary of the founding of the Greenway location. Their website invited us to ‘spend the morning in celebration of the goodness of God… while beginning a new one full of excitement, vision, joy, growth, honor, and a continued desire to go into all the world and make disciples… and even enjoy a beverage from a local vendor.’How full was the building?
I counted about 200 chairs and it was completely full. A mixed crowd, most of whom were casually dressed. The crowd leaned more toward the young side than the old – always good to see.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
An usher at the door said, ‘Hello. God bless you. Welcome.’ Inside, a lady working the room stopped at my chair and said, ‘Hello. I’m [name]. Welcome.’
Was your pew comfortable?
It was a chair, and yes, it was comfortable.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
Lots of noisy visiting, hugging, kissing, and hand shaking. Three minutes before service time, a countdown clock was displayed on the screen and the musicians took their places on stage.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
‘Well, good morning. Let’s stand up.’
What books did the congregation use during the service?
None. Everything was projected.
What musical instruments were played?
The standard array of rock band instruments. There were also several female vocalists.
Did anything distract you?
It never ceases to amaze me how many young men have forgotten what their fathers taught them (didn’t they?) about gentlemen removing their hats indoors, especially in church. One young hat-wearing man arrived late and removed his hat as soon as he found a seat. Oh good, I thought, he remembered. Wrong – he put it back on after a few minutes. Another young gentleman sported one of those haircuts where the entire head is shaved except for a spike of hair in the middle. Had his spike been any taller it would have gotten stuck on the ceiling. The usher who greeted me at the door could have passed for the twin brother of one of the men who sing in my choral group – but he’s Jewish!
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
Their website states that ‘The music is lively, but not obnoxious. We do our best to keep the volume at a level that is enjoyable for all age groups.’ Wrong! The music was unbearably loud – hard Christian rock accompanied by a numbing drum beat. I turned my hearing aids off but it helped only marginally. I was sorry I hadn’t brought earplugs with me, but I trusted their website – silly me. Everyone seemed to be getting jiggy with it: clapping, waving their arms, swinging and swaying. After the first number, the lights came on and a woman came out, made some announcements, and recited a prayer. Oh good, I thought, there’s only going to be one ‘worship’ song. Wrong again! No sooner had she finished when the lights were dimmed and the band started up again. They continued on for a good 20 minutes or so. There was some sort of fog machine that produced a heavy mist. If there’s going to be fog, I prefer it be made by incense. After that, the lead pastor (I think) made some remarks about it being Bridge Church’s birthday and then began his sermon.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
I stopped timing it after 40 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
4 — I was all set to give him an 8 or 9, but I kept subtracting points the longer he rambled on. His style was relaxed and conversational and he had good rapport with the audience. Amplification was very loud, though – necessary, I suppose, for a congregation whose hearing had been damaged by exposure to intolerably loud hard Christian rock week after week.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
His text was 1 Peter 4:7-11 (the end is near, so be sober, alert and prayerful). He said that Peter tried to squeeze a lot into this passage (which, as a matter of fact, is exactly what I thought he was trying to do in his sermon), but all of Peter’s points make for a powerful church. Prayer is a starting point, not an end point. The end is not doomsday, but rather a time of hope. Is the end really near when 2,000 years have already passed? God is waiting to see how many souls can be saved. Eternity matters! And above all else, we must love everyone, not just those whom we like. Love is a fire extinguisher for sin. Do people feel more loved after being with us?
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
None of it.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
I thought the pastor’s sermon was never going to end. The time for the next service to start was drawing near, and yet he rambled on and on. A lady sitting next to me got up and left, and I thought it wise to follow suit.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
There had been no collection, so I left my Mystery Worship calling card on the seat. As I left, I asked the usher who had greeted me with ‘God bless you’ if the pastor realized that another service was coming in, and he told me that he did. I saw that a crowd was waiting in a lounge area that I hadn’t noticed before, and more people were milling around outside. The service was being piped outside through loudspeakers, and I heard the pastor still rambling on as I got to my car.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
Coffee was available both before and after service, but I didn’t sample it. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
0 – Zero, goose egg, nada! No blessed way! This is rock concert as church. I don’t begrudge those who find that it draws them closer to God, but it’s not for me.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
No.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time ?
The young man with the spike haircut that reached almost to the ceiling.