Our History

Between the Fall of 1998 and the Spring of 1999 a ministry was founded on the campus of Liberty University in the form of two step teams—one female, one male. With the focus of gathering Christian men and women together for fellowship and the ability to express their love for the Lord through step, AO (Alpha and Omega) and DFC (Disciples for Christ) performed on campus, at local churches, and did many shows throughout Virginia.

As AO and DFC continued to thrive, a select group of students arrived at Liberty University and showed an interest in adding a new avenue-of-ministry to the group through music. With this, a rap group was created in 2002 to minister alongside the already established step teams.

Over the summer of 2003, God gave a vision to the leadership, though in different places around the country, to expand the scope of the ministry. Through this vision, an urban dance team, a mime team, an outreach team, and a name was adopted to form what is now known as Bridging the Gap Urban Ministries (BTGUM). God led the ministry through good times, bad times, countless service projects, out-of-country mission trips, step and dance competitions, and individual performances for the next 10 years.

It was then in the fall of 2013 that the current leadership began to recognize the change in the culture, understanding that the changes made in 2003 would no longer be effective in 2013. The world around them was changing and they needed to follow suit. From this realization, a new specific purpose to minister internally, a mission to minister externally and an established overall brand for BTG was initiated in order to engage this new culture.

Over the years, BTGUM has seen well over 200 people come and go through this ministry. Some have gone on to greatness as leaders in industries around the world, while others have even passed away. We are truly in awe of how God has continued to sustain us for these 15+ years and we will continue to press towards the mark that the Lord has set before us for as long as He sees fit.