Elders and Pastors
Ben Durbin
Lead Pastor/Elder
Ben is married to Becky and they have four daughters. Ben helped start The Bridge in 2006 and has been serving as the lead pastor since 2011. Ben's primary responsibilities include oversight of preaching, leadership development, and vision.
Seth Durbin
Bonne Terre Pastor
Seth is married to Amanda, and they have four daughters. Seth has been serving and leading at The Bridge since its founding in 2006. Seth is the pastor of our Bonne Terre congregation.
Stan Jackson
Market Place Elder
Stan is married to Christina, and they have two children. Stan is a Marketplace Elder and has been serving as an Elder at The Bridge since 2010.
Derek Cook
Youth Pastor/Elder
Derek is married to Jessica and they have two children. Derek and Jessica have been attending and serving The Bridge since 2014 as the Youth Pastor.
Tatar (Aaron) Brewer
Operations Manager/Elder
Aaron joined us on staff in 2024, and helps organize the day-to-day operations of the church and staff. He is married to Jennifer, and they have been faithfully serving the church.
David Miller
Market Place Elder
David is married to Amy and they have three children. David and Amy have been attending and serving The Bridge since 2013. David helps with our youth ministry and shepherds our community.
Randy Thebeau
Elder
Randy is married to Sarah, and they have two children. Randy has been at The Bridge since 2012. Randy helps out between Leadington and our Bonne Terre campuses.
Staff and Deacons
Derek and Natalie Kauffmann
Community Group Deacon & BK Director
Derek is married to Natalie and they have three beautiful daughters. Derek is head over all the Community Groups for both campuses and works with our pastors to get the right curriculum for our small groups. Natalie has been serving in various capacities at The Bridge since 2009, and in 2021 began serving as our Bridge Kids Director.
Nick Fulton
Worship Director
Nick has been attending the Bridge since 2011 and enjoys serving on the worship team. Mid 2024, he came on staff to be our worship director for both the Leadington campus and the Bonne Terre campus.
Jared & Catherine Miller
Tech & Office Assistant
Jared is married to Catherine and has three kids. They have been at The Bridge since 2021. Normally seen playing the drums on Sunday morning, Jared makes sure our tech and media are up and running for every service. Catherine joined the staff in mid-2023 and assists every ministry department. She keeps everyone on track and ensures that events and planning proceed smoothly. She loves being organized and serving her church.
Tony Petrie
Deacon
Tony is married to Heather, and has been at The Bridge since 2012. He teaches a variety of classes at the Bridge and handles our marriage counseling.