John Emmert  describes The Bridge as "eight kids who've come together strictly to share Jesus Christ through music. Our music is telling young people about the Lord and that's all we need. That makes us happy." He started playing drums during his first year in college in Oregon and began singing to tell the story of Jesus so it would be meaningful to other young people.

John was raised in church but didn't have a personal experience with Christ until his mid 20's when he decided "to get serious with the Lord."  Leaving Salem, Oregon with his wife Carol he moved to Greensboro, North Carolina because, he said, "We feel like we're supposed to be here and this is where God wants us to be." The other musicians in the group were Barbara Dorn of Phoenix, Arizona, Skip and Lucky Anderson, guitarists, Charles Angel, keyboardist, Allen Brewer, bass and Buddy Grant, sound technician all from Greensboro.

The group ministered approximately 200 times per year, mostly on the east coast, with a west coast tour about once per year. They made several trips into Canada and three trips to Mexico with a complete repertoire in Spanish. John says "the highlight of our ministry was the many trips we made to Forts Jackson and Bragg Army bases to minister to soldiers who were headed to Vietnam. Sometimes we played in large field houses to large audiences and other times in small chapels to small groups. It was, no doubt, the final gospel message many of them ever heard. Much of the ministry was personal prayer with these men as they prepared for an uncertain future."

Between 1973 and 1981 The Bridge put almost one million miles on their 1953 GM touring bus. About half their concerts took place in churches, the remainder at music festivals, coffee houses, colleges and public schools "when we can get in," John says. They ministered in three or four public schools each month.

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