Who We Are

Beliefs, Values & Mission

We believe in living a surrendered life for Christ with a passion to share the Gospel and a heart for the House of God.

Our beliefs and values play an integral part of who we are as individuals and together as the body of Christ. With our vision being to create the largest soul-saving effort in Bridgeport, CT our beliefs and values are at the heart of this house and flow into every aspect of how we operate.
What We Believe

Our Values

Jesus is the Center

At the center of all we do as a church, Jesus is the main focus. From every service to every outreach, to every time we serve in any way shape or form, all we do as a church body, Jesus must be the center of it and be glorified in it. Jesus is the center of the church.
Colossians 3:17, Ephesians 1:22-23

Love for one another

As a church we deeply value and strive to exemplify the love Jesus showed us. In everything we do, we desire it to be done in love and for love in the spirit of John 13:34. As He loved us, we love one another. Love is the commandment of the church.
John 13:34, John 15:12, 17, 17:21, Lev 19:18, Lev 19:34, Rom 12:10, 1 Cor 13:4-7, Gal 5:13-14, Eph 5:2, Col 1:4, 1 Thess 3:12, 4:9-10, 2 Thess 1:3, Heb 13:1, James 2:8, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 Peter 3:8, 1 John 4:7-11

Community

We value the community of believers and believe that it is within community that we find both growth and discover who we are in God. In the spirit of Acts 2:42 we encourage community not just in our gatherings but outside of the four walls of the church. Community is a key component for every person to fulfill their longing for belonging and to be a part of something bigger than themselves. As a community, diverse people from varying backgrounds, demographics and racial ethnicities can gather around one uniting factor, Jesus. Community is the fabric of the church.
Acts 2:42, 1 Thess 5:14, Matthew 18:20, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 12:25-57, 1 Peter 3:8, Romans 12:9-10, Hebrews 12:14

Fellowship of Believers

In the spirit of Acts 2:42, the fellowship of believers and the breaking of bread with one another is of exceeding value. Before our service times we create space for fellowship and food each week as we endeavor to cultivate true bonds of unity. Beyond our services and events, we want deep and meaningful fellowship among believers in our congregation to be formed and built. It is in fellowship that we are able to deeply know, love and grow with one another. Without meaningful fellowship we are just a social gathering. Yet within hospitable fellowship one to another, we grow deeply and intimately with one another exemplifying the Gospel command to love one another as Christ has loved us. Fellowship is the glue of the church.
Acts 20:7, 1 Cor 11:20-26, 1 John 1:7

Servant Leadership

We value serving in the local church and being a part of the greater vision of the house. Each community member is challenged to be selfless in their commitment to the Gospel and to serve in some capacity in their local church. As Jesus served the 12, we to serve the body. It is each community members commitment to serving that allows for others to come and connect with the gospel message. Servant leadership is the strength of the church.
Matthew 20:25-28, Philippians 2:5-9, John 13:2-17

Hospitable Hearts

We value hospitable hearts that create a welcoming environment to all strangers and seekers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We embrace every soul that comes through our doors regardless of their financial status, racial background or any other distinguishing characteristic, we value them all. We desire for every person to feel at home no matter who they are or where they are at in their journey with Jesus. At City Wide, strangers are simply family you haven’t met yet. Hospitality is the hallmark of the church.
Hebrews 13:2, Judges 13:15, Matt 25:35, Acts 16:15, Romans 12:13, 1 Tim 3:2, 1 Tim 5:10, Titus 1:8, 1 Peter 4:9, Matt 22:2

Unity of the church

We value the local church as the only thing Jesus left to meet the needs of a dying world in need of Him. We value not only our direct church community, but also all expressions of the local church that align with biblical standards and the unity of the body. The local church is the hands and feet of Jesus that will reveal the manifold wisdom of God to this world. Nothing else will take the place of the local church as the primary agent of change in the earth empowered by the Holy Spirit and releasing the Kingdom of God wherever it goes. Unity is the catalyst of the church.
Psa. 133:1 (ESVi), John 17:21, 1 Cor 12:21 (ESVi)

Diversity

We value the diversity of the church believing that every race, ethnicity and people of all backgrounds add value to the community as we each unite around the message of the Gospel. Our diversity is a strength to our community as it creates an atmosphere where anyone can envision themselves being planted into for the purpose of growth in Christ. Diversity is the depth of the church.
Matthew 28:18-20, James 2:1-26, 1 Cor 12:12-30, Colossians 3:11, Revelations 7:9-10

Passion for People

We exist to reach people with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. The high calling of the great commission drives our passion for people. At City Wide we realize that people attending our services is the continued evidence that the Lord has entrusted us with the call to win souls. People are the passion of the church.
Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47-48, Acts 1:8

Interdependence

In a culture and society that is steeped in independent spirits, the church of Jesus Christ is countercultural in that we are called into intimate interdependence within the body of Christ. As a church we place a high value on carrying one another’s burdens, standing with and for one another and supporting one another inside and outside the church. An interdependent church reflects a trinitarian God and elevates us beyond the systems and thinking of this world.  Interdependence is the transcendence of the church.
Gal. 6:2, Gal. 5:13 (ESVi), 1 Th. 5:14 (ESVi), 1 Pet. 2:24 (ESVi), Eph. 4:2 (ESVi)

Vision, Mission & Purpose

Vision

To create the largest soul saving effort Bridgeport has ever seen.

Mission

To lead individuals to salvation in Christ and into the fellowship of believers. To equip and disciple them so they may be released to fulfill God’s purpose for their life. To release them to repeat this process in the lives of others through City Wide Church.

Purpose

City Wide Church is dedicated to making an immediate and dramatic impact on the Greater Bridgeport Community - first the city, then the state, then on to the nation. We will not promote a spiritual experience but rather the everyday Christian life that strengthens and moves us. Beyond Sunday Christianity, we desire for people to have a vibrant relationship with God, experiencing him daily.

Our Pastors

Luis & Yesenia Burgos

Senior Pastors of City Wide Church

Our Senior Pastors Luis Burgos and Yesenia Burgos have a heart to see the city of Bridgeport transformed for Jesus. Their hearts are set on reaching the lost and building up the body of Christ through a church that is multi-ethnic and multi-generational, one whose reach goes beyond our four walls and spreads like a wildfire throughout our city.

Our History

Where We Started

City Wide Church, formerly known as God’s Victorious Army Church (GVA), was founded in 1984 by Felix Burgos. He and his wife, Awilda Burgos, began hosting weekly prayer meetings in his home. About 25 individuals joined him with the same hunger for God, and was appointed as the leader and Pastor shortly after.

After Felix Burgos’ passing in 2008, his son, Luis Burgos, was called to pastor the church and thus changed the name from GVA to City Wide Church, as it is known today.

Where We Are Now

In 2020, the Lord began to stir in the heart of Pastor Luis to invite Pastors Leonard and Mary Green, of Amazing Grace Church in Bridgeport, to integrate congregations and merge ministries. Through prayer and many confirmations, City Wide and Amazing Grace Church became one in February of 2021, expanding our resources and extending our reach within the city.

In 2022, City Wide birthed a new ministry that reflected its former roots by adding City Wide Español, led by Pastor Marie Perez. The ministry is an integral part of our church culture, allowing the Spanish-speaking community to receive the same experience as those who attend our English services. The ministry meets every Sunday for worship service and Tuesdays for prayer nights, worship, and Bible study.

The City of Bridgeport, Connecticut is an urban, and culturally diverse area with a large population made up of approximately 148,654 individuals, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Bridgeport is a city like no other; every neighborhood, building, and person has its own unique story of how it came to be. Bridgeport has a large demographic of Latinos and African Americans, which plays a big part in livening up our city and creating close-knit communities. These very neighborhoods, communities, and people within our city are part of the vision God has given to City Wide Church; we believe that we can reach these souls and lead them to Jesus by showing them compassion and the love of Jesus. Our heart is to disciple and equip them with God’s word to impact their friends, families and loved ones with the Gospel.

Service Times
Sunday Worship
English Service: 9 & 10:45 AM
Spanish Service: 12:45 PM
Midweek Worship
English - Wednesday: 7 PM
Spanish - Tuesday: 6:30 PM
Quick Links
City Wide Español
Stay Connected
(203) 338 - 0781[email protected]857 Howard Avenue
Bridgeport CT 06605

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