Future Steps for Encounter

We have been looking for some time now at how we can better fulfill our mission as the Encounter Community. There are 3 important steps that we are taking to start this process that you should know about.

First, we have created an Encounter Directional Team that will really help us to move forward in 2011 and beyond. They will provide direction and leadership to Encounter on a team level, engaged in prayer and conversation on behalf of Encounter.

Secondly, it has been decided to move to the 100 auditorium, or what was formally called the “Mini.” In our survey several weeks ago, the majority of people were in vocal support of moving spaces, recognizing that if community is one of the values of Encounter, then we really need to be in a space that provides for that in greater ways.

Thirdly, after meeting with several different groups of people, from those who attended the meeting last week, to many other leaders at Branch, to several other churches that have either Saturday or Sunday evening services, we have decided to move Encounter to Sunday evenings at 5:30pm.

After hearing everyone's voice and spending the week in prayer, we met as a team yesterday to make a final decision and we all really felt that God was leading us in the direction of change. We believe it will help us in our mission to make more and better disciples of Jesus. Is it the magic pill? No, there are no shortcuts in building relationships with our neighbors and introducing them to Jesus. But we want to do what we can to aid in what the Spirit is doing in people’s lives.

We have several reasons for making this decision and if you were in the meeting then you were able to see the list we made, but I just want to mention a few of them here:

First, our mission as Christ-followers is to be among our friends who don’t know Jesus. If our unchurched friends are hanging out with each other Saturday nights on a regular basis, it might be better for our mission to be among them, giving ourselves space to speak about Jesus to them. This is better accomplished if we aren’t taken away from them each weekend on Saturday evenings to attend Encounter. We might even persuade them to attend with us on Sunday after spending time with them on Saturday.

Second, as leaders of Encounter, we want to use our time together to equip each person here to be the most faithful follower of Christ that they can. And even in the best of circumstances with our most faithful attenders, attendance is still often intermittent. There are just so many activities, trips, and events that happen on Saturday night that it makes it nearly impossible for most people to make it every week.

We know that this will be a challenge since many of us have adjusted our schedule over the years. But we hope and pray that if this is your church family that you will continue to worship with us. Our goal is not to lose anyone and we pray that even if this creates some conflict with you that you would be willing to just try it out, for say 1-3 months.

Now, when will these changes take place? They will both take place on November 28, so please do not come on a Sunday night for Encounter until that date. In addition, as we make that move, we want to mention that the core distinctives of Encounter are not going anywhere. Our upcoming Christmas series will be going through the text of Luke 1-2 and we will begin 2011 looking at the extremely practical letters of John, 1,2, and 3 John to see how we can, as John says, live as children of God.

Please be in prayer with us over the next several weeks as we make this transition. May it help us in bringing more and better followers of Christ into the Kingdom of God.