On a stretch of Prosperity Church Road in north Charlotte, Stonebridge Church has built a congregation that thinks in terms of blocks and zip codes. Its vision statement reads, "A Bridge of Grace for God's Glory," and the strategy behind it is just as concrete: by 2030, the church aims to pray for and care for one hundred neighborhoods, share the gospel one thousand times, equip a hundred and fifty leaders, and launch ten new local and global works. Stonebridge is a member of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), but its reputation in the area rests less on its denominational label than on its steady presence in the surrounding communities and on the partnerships it has built from those neighborhoods outward, all the way to a residential school in Telangana, India.
Sundays on Prosperity Church Road
Stonebridge gathers for worship at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings, with the later service livestreamed on YouTube through the church's Bridgestream page. The 10:30 service is also available as a podcast on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. The congregation describes Sunday as a place to be reoriented. Pastors describe the gathering as "Tolkien's Rivendell" and a "safe house in the woods," a weekly return to the story of a Creator, Redeemer, and Conquering King. Music is described as "reverent, rooted, congregational, and human," and the liturgy is intentionally drawn from the broader history of the church. Preaching works verse by verse through books of the Bible and shows how every page points to Jesus. Visitors who want to serve on Sundays can join the music, production, scripture reading, prayer, greeting, hospitality, or safety teams by emailing Creative Director Cliff Wright.
What the Church Believes
Stonebridge holds to a confessional Reformed faith summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. Members affirm that the Bible is the written word of God, inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, and the only rule of faith and life. The church teaches the Trinity, one God in three persons, and the full deity and full humanity of Jesus Christ, whose perfect life and sacrificial death restore the relationship between God and those who trust in him. Salvation is described as the work of God alone, grounded in grace rather than foreseen faith. The Holy Spirit is understood to renew the will, draw people to Christ, indwell believers, and empower them to serve. The church teaches a covenant theology in which God shows favor not only to individuals but to their families, and it looks for the bodily return of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, and final judgment. Church government is exercised by elders elected by the congregation (the Session), who work together with regional leaders in a presbytery and with the annual General Assembly.
The Long Story of the Bible
One teaching tool that shapes Stonebridge's witness is called Long Story Short, an eleven-part overview of the biblical narrative: God Made, We Broke, God Chose, God Freed, God Shepherded, We Strayed, Jesus Came, Jesus Died, Jesus Rose, We Follow, and We're Home. Each phrase anchors a key verse and a key idea, moving from creation through the fall, the patriarchs, the exodus, the monarchy, the exile, the incarnation, the cross, the resurrection, the church, and the believer's final home. The framework is used in teaching and is available as a downloadable PDF and as a published book, and it informs how the church talks about everything from counseling to missions.
Stonebridge Kids
Children's ministry at Stonebridge is built around two Sunday hours. Infants through four-year-olds are cared for during both services at 9:00 and 10:30 in classrooms designed to be safe, loving, and happy. Kindergartners through fifth graders worship with their families at 9:00 and then gather for Sunday school at 10:30, where they join a large group for prayer and singing before breaking into small groups led by rotating teacher teams. A separate midweek program runs from September through December and again from January through May for the same K-5 age range. Children are checked in at the kids' entrance, and families can pre-register online before their first visit. The church practices infant baptism as a sign of God's covenant for the children of believing parents, with one parent required to be an official member of Stonebridge. Older students can prepare to become communing members through a spring Communicants Class that culminates in public professions of faith on the first Sunday in June. Kelsey Rodriguez leads the ministry as Director, with Hope Katibah serving as Assistant Director.
SixTwelve Students
Middle and high school students belong to SixTwelve, a ministry built around the verses of 1 John 6:12 and the goal of walking alongside the next generation. The group meets Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:45 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 10:30 in Rooms 201 and 202. Wednesday nights walk through books of the Bible in a series format, while Sunday mornings focus on the foundations of faith or on the attributes of Jesus during his earthly ministry. Andrew Bakarich directs the ministry, with Marleina Riviere as assistant director, and the program's Instagram handle (@sixtwelve_news) keeps families connected between gatherings.
Women's and Men's Ministry
Stonebridge Women, led by Director Laura Bansek, gathers women across seasons of life around the truth that "no matter the season, Christ is our common root." The flagship small group is ABIDE, a community that commits to a Bible reading plan and meets weekly from September through May, currently working through the New Testament and Psalms. Several morning and evening studies are offered in rotation, including verse-by-verse studies of Joshua (Jen Wilkin) and Luke (Lydia Brownback), an eight-week study on contentment, and a four-week study on the practice of solitude led from a member's home. Stonebridge Men focuses on the real-life, adventurous journey toward godly manhood. The ministry offers two structures: Man Cave Modules, which are short, topical studies that meet in various rooms at the church on Monday evenings, Tuesday mornings, and Friday mornings, and Band of Brothers, a smaller ongoing group for men seeking deeper friendship. A yearly retreat brings men to Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain for teaching and encouragement.
Life Groups and Adult Classes
Life Groups are Stonebridge's front line for community. Each group is intentionally small - usually ten to thirteen people - and meets at least twice a month in homes around the area, gathering around Bible study, a recent sermon, or a season of life. Most groups run from September through May, many offer childcare, and groups are designed to be the first place members turn when a need arises. For those wanting to grow further, Sunday-morning Grow Classes meet at 10:30 in Room 206 on a wide range of topics in Christian living and theology. Discover is the required on-ramp to membership, walking newcomers through the church's beliefs, values, and vision. Explore is a seven-week class for those who are new to faith, returning to God, or building a spiritual foundation, and Connect is a five-week workshop that helps members find their place in the church's mission. Discipleship also happens through Journey Groups, in-depth groups that use the Life on Life Missional Discipleship curriculum.
Marriage Ministry: HoldFast
Stonebridge offers a marriage ministry called HoldFast, built around the re|engage curriculum developed by Watermark Community Church in Dallas. The program meets on Tuesday evenings, beginning with a large-group teaching time before couples break into small groups of four to five couples led by shepherd couples who have completed the program themselves. Children's programming is provided during the evening with structured activities and devotions. HoldFast is designed for married couples, including those who are separated and considering reconciliation, and the small-group time has become a space where couples share honestly about struggles and grow together over twelve weeks.
Care Ministries
A network of confidential care ministries surrounds the congregation. Stephen Ministry pairs trained lay caregivers with individuals facing difficulties such as grief, illness, or transition. Jubilee is a monthly gathering for parents of children with special needs that meets in the Cafe during the 10:30 service. A Memory Care Support Group meets on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Cafe for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's or dementia. DivorceCare is a thirteen-week video-based program offered seasonally, and Healing Journey is a confidential small-group ministry for women processing personal brokenness and growth, limited to ten to twelve women per group and facilitated by trained lay leaders. A Meals Ministry, coordinated by Katie Mathes, delivers food to families during illness, recovery, or bereavement, and a Prayer Request inbox at prayer@stonebridge.org gathers requests that the staff and prayer team lift up regularly. The Care ministry also points members to outside resources, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Joni and Friends, the Barnabas Center, Sure Hope Counseling, and Woven for couples and family counseling.
Bridge to India
In 2010, Stonebridge responded to a long-standing call to mission by partnering with Harvest Ministries to build the Vijayalaxmi Memorial StoneBridge School (VMSS) in Telangana, India. The school began with 143 students in grades one through five and has grown into a co-educational residential campus that today houses 230 residential children and 50 day students, offering a Christian, English-speaking education that would otherwise be out of reach for the surrounding villages. Through Bridge to India (BTI), sponsors are matched with individual students as "godparents," committing to give $70 a month for the duration of the child's schooling, to write letters three times a year, and to maintain a relationship that the ministry considers central to a child's development. Eighty-seven percent of sponsorship funds go directly to the child's education and well-being. A Bridge to India College fund now supports VMSS alumni as they move on to junior college and university. Mission trips from Charlotte visit the school, and more than a hundred sponsors have traveled to meet their godchildren in person. The ministry is led by Tiffany Griggs, with Nicole Germer handling finance and Kristin Mayhone overseeing operations.
Charlotte Telugu Christian Community
Stonebridge is also home to the Charlotte Telugu Christian Community (CTCC), a separate ministry that began in 2015 and shares the church's building. CTCC gathers on the third Saturday of every month at 6:00 p.m. for worship in Telugu and also meets on Friday evenings for Bible study in member homes. The community exists to bring the gospel to Telugu-speaking residents of the greater Charlotte area and supports missionaries working among Telugu-speaking people groups. Moshe Devarapalli serves as the CTCC ministry lead, and the community can be reached at ctccnc.org.
City Impact
Locally, Stonebridge sends volunteers and financial support to a long list of partner ministries across Charlotte. UrbanPromise Charlotte works with children and youth at its Camp Love north location through homework help, reading buddies, and tutoring. Champion House of Care operates a food pantry at its north Charlotte campus. The Queen City Pregnancy Resource Center and UCity Women's Center serve women facing unplanned pregnancies. True Vine Ministries, led by Pastor Kennard Martin, serves a weekly meal and worship gathering in First Ward Park downtown every Wednesday, rain or shine. Young Lives (the Young Life ministry for teen parents) meets monthly at the church on Thursday evenings. Zealous Empowering Nurture maintains the Garden For The Community, a 1.8-acre garden and mobile market that addresses food insecurity in the area. Beyond these primary partners, members also serve with Alongside Families, Camino (including the WearHouse thrift store and the Food Farmacy), Caterpillar Ministries, Charlotte Rescue Mission, Faith CME Church food pantry, FORCLT, Present Age Ministries, and Restoration Market.
Global Impact
Stonebridge supports missionaries and ministries across five continents. Local campus partners include Brent Campbell with InterVarsity, the Campus Outreach ministries at Davidson College and UNC Charlotte, Ellen Coble with International Campus Connections, the Charlotte Eagles soccer ministry, Andrew and Amanda Goyzueta and Juan Rodriguez with Reformed University Fellowship, Andrew Holbrook with Impact Partners, Steve and Julie Jessen with the Carolinas Mission to North America, Chris and Wendy Mucci with Athletes in Action, Kennard and Temika Martin with True Vine Ministries, and David Yoran with West Charlotte Church. Globally, the church partners with the Bachmans in Germany (Greater Europe Mission), the Benfields in the Philippines (CMC), the Cains in Japan (Mission to the World), Kristi Craven with MTW Japan, the Hurries in South Africa (MTW), the Perrys with Trans World Radio, the Sinks with SERGE, additional MTW workers in the Middle East and Japan, and teams with SIM, ELIC, and Access Partners. Brent Jones leads the City and Global Impact strategy as Executive Director, with Tiffany Griggs serving as Director of Global Impact and Andy Raveloarinivo and Nandri Raveloarinivo providing pastoral and administrative support.
Disaster Relief
Following the devastation in western North Carolina from Hurricane Helene, the church built a three-part response plan of prayer, relief, and rebuild. Monthly volunteer trips have been coordinated by the diaconate and the Disaster Relief Team, and a Disaster Relief Fund accepts designated financial gifts through the church's giving page. The church also connects members to established disaster response organizations for the longer-term rebuilding phase.
LifeBridge
LifeBridge is Stonebridge's pro-life ministry. The team gathers for ten minutes of prayer on the third Sunday of each month at 10:10 a.m., organizes LoveLife prayer walks, supports local pregnancy resource centers, hosts baby showers for expectant moms, and partners with Alongside Families, Equal Rights Institute, and the city's pregnancy resource centers. The LifeBridge team emphasizes both prayer and practical service for women and men facing pregnancy decisions.
Stonebridge Preschool
The Stonebridge Preschool, directed by Shannon Lehmer, has been part of the church's ministry for many years and is open to all families regardless of church membership. The preschool offers classes for children ages two through five, with options for two-, three-, and four-day weeks depending on age and program. Classes meet Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and each classroom has a lead teacher and a co-teacher. The philosophy emphasizes purposeful play, multi-sensory learning, daily outdoor time, weekly chapel led by the director, music class with a dedicated teacher, and an understanding that parents are the primary educators of their children. Registration begins each February, with current students and church members given priority before opening to the public.
Leadership and Governance
Stonebridge is co-led by Pastors Kevin Burrell and Soon Pak, with Daniel Ellingburg serving as Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Thomas Fromke and Andy Raveloarinivo serving as pastoral interns. The Session is composed of eleven elders: Matt Baker, Kevin Burrell, Daniel Ellingburg, Jack Faircloth, Jerold Griggs, Brent Jones, Jeff Levinson, Keith Lewis, Scott Mathes, Soon Pak, and Bobby Scott. Eight deacons (Moshe Devarapalli, Sam Galphin, Nathanael Levinson, Johnny Lowe, Kyle Mathes, Andrew Shepard, Bob Ward, and Dan Wells) handle congregational mercy and service, and three commissioned deaconesses (Julie Andrews, Sarah Baker, and Pauline Wickens) support the work of care to families in distress. Kristin Mayhone serves as Executive Director of the church, coordinating the ministry staff.
Everyday Evangelism and Giving
The church runs an Everyday Evangelism initiative that shares video testimonies of members whose lives were changed through ordinary relationships - a college student introduced to Bible study by American missionaries, a Marine whose priorities shifted when he became a father, a stay-at-home mom who found Christ through the steady witness of neighbors. The goal is to equip members to see their workplaces, neighborhoods, and routines as places where the gospel can be shared in word and deed. Stonebridge supports its ministries financially through in-person giving at services, online giving through Church Center, text-to-give at 833-313-9182, mailed checks, and gifts of stock. A separate giving page supports Bridge to India, including the Sponsorship Fund and the Campus Fund.