Bridge builders are concerned with building. Building to perfection. Building with purpose. Building with precision. They build bridges to get to the other side. They are destination obsessed. So they build. They are so gap averse that the very existence of the nothingness that separates the place “here” from the place “there” is anathema to their souls. They become consumed with bringing together heretofore-divided places and peoples and opportunities. They are peddlers of hope! 

Of a hope that cannot be realized without a coming together of two sides.

Of a hope that transcends the nothingness of the demonic chasm which separates side from side and person from person and nation from nation and race from race and man from woman and clappers from meditators and blue colors from white collars and democrats from republicans and liberals from conservatives and progressives from traditionalists and even Starbucks from Coffee Bean!

Fate Hagood, Lead Pastor, Metropolitan Church of Christ

Of a hope that says whatever stands between us is only real because of the myths we believe in order to assuage our impoverished prejudices and because of the lies we romance and massage because of our uncomfortableness with the fact that our  presuppositions are only alive because we are more comfortable believing we are better off divided than we are unified.

So I say, peddle on hope givers;

  • Be like Abraham in Romans 4:18, In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”
  • Be encouraged like Paul who said in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
  • Be like Peter in 1Pet. 3:15, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
  • Consider the hope that is in you, “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).  

So here we stand as one peddlers of hope and bridge builders.  Here we stand believing in the hope that is in Jesus Christ!  Let us then build to perfection. Let us build with purpose. Let us build with precision.  Let us build bridges to get to the other side.  For yes, we ARE destination obsessed. We will build, and we will build BRIDGES…  TOGETHER…  The other side, well its just on the other side. 

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Who is Rudy?

I’m from L.A., with parents from Birmingham, Alabama. Aye, I’m “West Coast Alabama,” y’all! My lovely wife, Osharye, and I have seven crazy kids (yes, count ’em) and ten adorable grandkids. Our kids taught us what life is all about.

I’m grateful and honored to be a Pastor, a College Professor, a Trustee, and a Writer. I’m a two-time graduate of Hope International University (HIU) and a graduate of Southwestern Christian College (SwCC). I currently serve at Pepperdine University, Reunion Church, The Christian Standard Magazine, Hope International University, and Kentucky Christian University.

As an ordained Pastor, I am passionate about unity in the body of Christ, discipleship, and bridging concepts and people. I’m committed to the work of unity because Jesus prayed we might be one in John 17. Now, I do tend to speak with a passion and conviction. Personally, my reward in this existence, is seeing myself and others move one step forward as a result of each encounter, each endeavor.

I have over 20 years of experience in the social work field where I developed a passion for helping people help themselves. Although my favorite sport is baseball, I received a basketball scholarship to Florida A&M University. My favorite food changes each week, and I’ve read over 70 Star Wars books, which might just make me a Jedi. May the Force be with you. My favorite quote is: “Every man who stands to proclaim the Word should speak with something of the bold authority of the Word itself,” by A.W. Tozer.

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