Encounter

Introducing EncounterHelena 2.0

2009-08-13T11:16:00.003-06:00

It's been over a year now since we first introduced the Encounter Helena blog. We are excited to unveil the new EncounterHelena 2.0 — a new look and feel over at encounterhelena.org.

WHY THE CHANGE?

With all the momentum Encounter Church has been gaining lately, the amount of news updates and information on the blog has increased two-fold. It's been getting more difficult to find the information you needed.

WHAT'S NEW?

The front page of encounterhelena.org now highlights some of our featured news with a revolving image gallery, our new introduction video, a number of key article teasers, and a series of great pull-down menus to find out everything you need to know about Encounter.

You can still find the blog under the "Latest News" menu link at the top. All the old articles from the very beginning are still there, but now they have the brand new look.

TELL US, TELL THE WORLD

We would love to hear how you like the new site. Just make a comment to on the new site, or on tell the world on Facebook and Twitter (there are new fancy links at the bottom of every article to make this easier). Also, we are still taking the plastic wrap off this thing so if you find any glitches, please let us know.

Oh yeah, if you've been going to this old legacy site at encounterhelena.blogspot.com, please switch over to the new URL at encounterhelena.org today! There will be no new posts at this old blog!

Serving Friends at Memorial Park

2009-08-11T02:00:00.007-06:00

This last Friday, August 7, we had the opportunity to serve our friends from Blue Cross Blue Shield at Memorial Park.

We hosted employees' families by providing and operating a rock wall, two kids inflatable bouncers, as well as a cotton candy and snow cone booth.

The volunteer team of about ten people from Encounter did an awesome job as well as some volunteers from our Helena sponsor church Big Sky Fellowship.

We see it as just another way to share God's love in tangible way by "being the change" in Helena.

What an awesome way to make a difference, demonstrate God's crazy love in action, and engage our culture! We invite you to to Be The Change in Helena and join us in our next project at Encounter Church.

You can also find some great photos of the effort on Facebook here.

EncounterCast 8.8.09: Introducing 36 Parables

2009-08-08T20:37:00.003-06:00

From the Journey Block in Helena's Great Northern Town Center, this week's EncounterCast introduces the new Encounter Discussion series '36 Parables.' Come join us at 6:30pm on August 11 at the Staggering Ox. More here.

New Discussion Series: Introducing '36 Parables' on August 11

2009-08-05T15:25:00.025-06:00

Our Encounter Discussions are about getting out into public spaces and creating a dialogue. The weekly discussion is an intentional way to meet new friends, build relationship, and engage our community. More than that, you'll have some great conversation about life and faith.

ABOUT THE NEW SERIES: 36 PARABLES
Parables make us think. They cause us to engage and ask questions. We can look at these stories and determine how we ourselves are changed by them.

Of the 36 parables that Jesus told, we will examine and discuss five of these which have been adapted into short films depicting real life in a modern setting.

Consider that Jesus told these stories so that we could relate them to our everyday lives. Jesus reveals himself through such common experiences, and we can encounter Him in the most unlikely places.

So join us. Step beyond safe and routine faith. And discover for yourself the deep spiritual truths in these often ordinary stories.

THE FIRST WEEK: FOUND
Have you ever lost something that, perhaps had little value to others, but had great value to you? What things do we value and why? We'll look at the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic value and why it matters.

Our first week, we will start with the short film "Found" which is an adaptation of the Parable of the Lost Coin in Luke 15:8-10. Don't miss this week's discussion at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, August 11 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly short film and discussion response — a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
Each week's discussion stands on it's own. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the 36 Parables short film series here.
Check out the Facebook event here.

Fun Night at Sleeping Giant Lanes Everyone Welcome!

2009-07-28T22:14:00.005-06:00

Yep! That's right people. We're having an Encounter Fun Night on Tuesday, August 4 instead of our usual Encounter Discussion at the Ox. Our motto for the night, as seen in the dandy graphic, is "Have Fun!" And it should be a lot of fun for all ages!

Just show up at Sleeping Giant Lanes about 6:30pm so we can get everyone organized on lanes, and bring $7.50 for shoes and 2 games of bowling. If there are no open lanes available, we'll look at mini-golf. Either way, it will be a lot of fun! Kids are welcome to come and always have a blast.

Oh yeah, we'll also be announcing our next Encounter Discussion series topic and location which is going to be awesome! So if you're hesitating whether to come or not, just come on. Everyone is welcome. It's just a casual get-together and a great opportunity to get to know some peeps.

WHAT: Encounter Fun Night
WHEN: Tuesday, August 4 @ 6:30pm
WHERE: Sleeping Giant Lanes [map/directions]
WHO: Everyone - All Ages
MORE: Bring $7.50 each

If possible, RSVP on Facebook here or contact us here – it's not required, but it helps us to know how many to expect.

Now Is The Time

2009-07-26T19:39:00.004-06:00

When I look at Helena, this is what I see.

Some of us seem desperately lonely. Some of us are heavily burdened. Some of us are extremely busy with work schedules, with kids, or both. Still others of us lament past hurts. We experience damaged lives, broken marriages, and financial hardships.

Now is the time for a change.

Then we look at some of our friends and it is even worse. We have friends whose lives are being destroyed by alcohol or even meth. We want to help, but don't know how — life is difficult enough for us.

Now is the time for a change.

When most places close down by 9pm (if not 5pm downtown), many teens and young adults in Helena can find nothing better to do than to either drink or have sex. There are no cool local hangouts for this generation. We all know that 24-hour Wal-Mart is as good as it gets.

Now is the time for a change.

On our radios, John Mayer sings these words: "now we see everything that's going wrong / with the world and those who lead it / we just feel like we don't have the means / to rise above and beat it / so we keep waiting / waiting on the world to change."

And we embrace those words as our mantra for life. We keep waiting for our worlds to change. We're dissatisfied with the status quo, with the way things are in our lives and with our friends and in our city — but not enough to stop waiting and take action.

Now is the time for a change.

These are the “early moments” of a movement within Helena to see a generation encounter a better life. Let me assure you that God IS moving. He is moving to heal broken families and hurting individuals — not just through Encounter, but through the lives of few individuals across this city.

The question is "Are you still waiting?"

Too often we wait and do nothing, but God Himself is also waiting. He's waiting for you to join Him in His vision for Helena. Will you join Him? Will you join the lone dancer who is living out what God meant us to be?

If you embrace this challenge, I guarantee that your life and the expression of God's crazy love shown through you, will awaken and revitalize your family, your friends, your coworkers and even those complete strangers that come across your path.

Now is the time for a change.

Now is the time for you to fulfill the purpose for which God created for you – you can passionately and actively be involved in something significant, that is greater than yourself.

I challenge you to take a moment to ask God what He is preparing you for. I challenge you to consider how joining the first couple of dancers at Encounter could change the face of Helena.

Specifically, I challenge you to join us this Friday for the Dream Team Introduction (Facebook here). We'll be discussing how to make a difference in Helena as part of the Encounter launch team. Join us.

Now is the time.

EncounterCast 07.24.09: Dare to Dream

2009-07-24T14:46:00.008-06:00

From the campus of Carroll College in the heart of Helena, this week's EncounterCast highlights the new Encounter t-shirts, the Crazy Love Discussion wrap up at the Staggering Ox on Tuesday at 6:30pm, and the upcoming Dream Team Intro Meeting.

Dare to dream about changing the face of Helena through God's crazy love — Come find out more about Encounter Church on Friday, July 31 @ 7pm at the casual and informal Dream Team Intro Meeting.

Dream Team Introduction - July 31

2009-07-24T13:20:00.001-06:00

We're having an Encounter Dream Team Introduction on Friday, July 31 at 7pm and you are invited...

ABOUT THIS GATHERING
We want to learn, discuss, and dream about how Encounter will impact this generation and beyond in Helena. If you have heard about Encounter or seen us online and want to know more about our vision and strategy to impact this generation in Helena, then you should attend.

We will further explore the vision and three essential focuses of Encounter. We will discuss specifically: How can we see lives changed positively in Helena? What are the next steps for Encounter? How can you make a difference on the Launch Team?

ABOUT THE DREAM
We are a people who are passionate about and understand God's vision and strategy for Encounter.

We are not just volunteers, but actively involved in something significant for God - looking to BE the church in Helena, not just attend a church.

We are excited about what God is already doing in our city and eager to celebrate successes and learn from mistakes. We want to tell everyone about this new faith community that exists for this generation and beyond - and we desire for them to encounter Jesus through us.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
If you have been coming to some of the Encounter Discussions or been involved in our Community Service Projects and want to know more about Encounter Church, this is a great opportunity to ask specific questions about what God is doing and the great things He has in store.

If you are already part of the launch team, this will be a great opportunity to put specifics to the dream and vision God has already placed within in us. How we can passionately and actively be involved in something significant, that is greater than ourselves.

If you are tired of a dried out "version of Christianity," if you share a desire to see the people far from God encounter Jesus in a real life-giving way, if you want to explore a creative, innovative, and fresh way of experiencing authentic relationships with others on your same journey of faith, please join us.

Finally, this will be a great opportunity to find out more about Encounter in a less formal and conversational venue. Don't miss out.

UPDATE: Arrive at 6:30pm for free pizza and pop.

WHAT: Encounter Dream Team Introduction
WHO: Those who dare to dream
WHEN: Friday, July 31 @ 7pm
WHERE: Powell Home [map/directions]

If possible, RSVP on Facebook here or contact us here – it's not required, but it helps us plan. Kids are welcome, but there will be no childcare or babysitter.

'Crazy Love' Discussion on July 28: The Crux of the Matter

2009-07-24T08:35:00.000-06:00

This current Encounter Discussions series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

THIS WEEK: THE CRUX OF THE MATTER
Annie Dillard once said, "How we live our days is... how we live our lives." How then will you live this day? What tangible, concrete expression of God’s crazy love are you going to share with a friend, family member, stranger?

Don't miss this week's topic titled "The Crux of the Matter" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, July 28 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here or the Eventbrite event here.
Read more about Crazy Love here from the series introduction.

Encounter Tees Have Arrived!

2009-07-22T18:07:00.007-06:00

We just received our first order of Encounter tees and they look awesome!

If you already ordered one, let's connect and we'll get you your shirt and receive your tax deductible donation.

If you want to order one for our second batch, let me know. They are available in sizes from S to 5X and are pictured here. (Click for a larger view.)

When you order one for at least $25, a significant portion gets donated directly into the Encounter Church fund to help support our "Be The Change" community impact efforts.

Click here to donate with check or money order.

Not Crazy Love, Doesn't Matter

2009-07-21T11:10:00.011-06:00

Just finished Frank Viola's new book, From Eternity to Here: Rediscovering the Ageless Purpose of God.

I was actually contacted by the publisher, I think because we are currently going through Francis Chan's Crazy Love in our Encounter Discussions and Viola's new book was billed as the "followup" to Crazy Love.

While I didn't quite get the connection, I was happy to review Viola's book — after all, he has recently written two other interesting books, Reimaging Church and Pagan Christianity.

IT'S NOT CRAZY LOVE
Let me just say first that I still don't get how From Eternity to Here is the followup. Perhaps it's because it is from the same publisher. Perhaps there are some similar themes in both books. But I would say when you're writing about faith in the same Jesus, you are bound to overlap some themes — or at least you should. So that's about the best connection I could make.

Viola's book focuses primarily on "God's purpose" in three areas: 1) the Bride of Christ, 2) the House of God, and 3) the Family of God and Body of Christ — whereas Chan's Crazy Love focuses on how crazy it is that God loves us, realizing that He does love us anyway, and how we're called to love others with that same kind of crazy love.

Additionally, Viola's writing style is completely different. I have to admit that beginning the book, I found myself wondering if I would make it through. Voila has more of an academic approach, where Chan's style is more conversational.

I guess I am just saying that From Eternity to Here is not Crazy Love. I think it is weird to market it that way.

YOU MUST READ IT ANYWAY
With all that said, Viola's book is definitely worth a read. Contained within the pages of From Eternity to Here, are deep forgotten truths, penetrating rebukes of the status quo, heart-touching Biblical stories and insights, and a long-needed focus on the person of Jesus Christ as the simplicity and centrality of our faith.

More than anything, I found myself weeping more than once as Viola described the character of God and His eternal plan revealed in three different aspects of faith. The message of last chapter alone would be worth the purchase of the entire book. In that chapter, Viola shares his own life experience and journey of faith. And through the process, reveals the epidemic stumbling block that I have observed first-hand in American churches – that Jesus Himself is missing.

He writes, "I strongly believe that the underlying reality of the church is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. Not as a doctrine. Not as a system of belief. Nor as a set of moral teachings. Not as a philosopher or a social activist ... A living person who dwells within our spirits and who can be known."

See the post previous post below for some of the many insights that spoke to me.

The following bloggers are posting a review or Q&A with Frank Viola on his bestselling book From Eternity to Here today, Tuesday, July 21.

You may order the book at a discount at www.frometernitytohere.org – it’s also on audio book. Free discussion guide, sample chapters, interviews, and a free audio of the first chapter are available on that site also.

Here are the bloggers who are participating:

Jay Becker - www.jaybecker.org
Mark D - deadmanstravelog.blogspot.com
Igniting Hearts | Kimber Britner - www.ignitinghearts.blogspot.com
Karyn - tiger-kar.blogspot.com
Barefoot Preacher - thebarefootpreacher.blogspot.com
Every Day Angels - www.weareeverydayangels.com
FaithEngineer - www.faithengineer.com
Kristen Schiffman - dancinginthemargins.typepad.com
CrossPointe: The Church at Bevo - churchatbevo.blogspot.com
Crazy Love for God - crazyloveforgod.blogspot.com
Amazima Ministries - oatsvallteam.blogspot.com
Down to Write Honest - downwritehonest.com
A Beautiful Mess - blnorth1105.blogspot.com
The Blakes on a Mission - www.theblakesthailand.blogspot.com
Words by Jud Kossum - judkossum.blogspot.com
Eric Jaffe - www.ericjaffe.org
Reconnect with God – www.reconnectwithgod.org
2nd Cup of Coffee - 2nd-cup-of-coffee.blogspot.com
Nolan Bobbitt - www.nolanbobbitt.com
Klappyanne - www.xanga.com/klappyanne
Daveingland | Dave Ingland - www.daveingland.com
Randi Jo Rooks - seedsinmyheart.blogspot.com
Ephesians Five - ephesiansonefive.blogspot.com
Michael Bayne - www.michaelbayne.net
Encounter Church Helena Blog | Eric Powell - encounterhelena.org
Thoughts B4 Conviction N2 Action - tsharrison.blogspot.com
Edevotion - e-devotion.blogspot.com
Seeking After - seekingafter.blogspot.com
Borrowed Light - fbcnewlondon.blogspot.com

Impacting Quotes: From Eternity to Here

2009-07-21T10:59:00.004-06:00

Just finished Frank Viola's new book, From Eternity to Here: Rediscovering the Ageless Purpose of God. I've been reading it over the last 3 weeks and discovered a number of gems to glean from. Tell me what you think. What speaks to you?

"The next time you feel condemnation over your past, please remember this one thing: the first person to lay eyes upon the resurrected Lord was a former prostitute."
"The call to Abram contains a profound truth: Involvement in God's building often means leaving the tradition of our forefathers."
"The priesthood of Israel is fully active. The priests are sacrificing animals and slinging blood at the brazen altar. They are marching through the religious program, passing out the bulletin, lighting the candles, ringing the bells, preaching the sermon, and following the litergy. But there's one problem: the ark's not there. God is not there. Does that bother them? Apparently not. They continue on with the ritual."
"The house of God is not a thing. It's not an object. It's not brick and mortar. Nor a metaphor, a doctrine, or a theology. The house of God is a person. It is the Lord Jesus Christ"
"Scattered stones can never make a house, no matter how many of them exist...Thus lone-ranger Christians are of no use in the building of God's house."
"God is not looking for a place to visit. He is looking for a place to dwell."
"Jesus Christ did not die and rise again just to forgive you of your sins. He died in order that His Father could obtain a home."
"What is Babylon? It's the human attempt to reach God by human strength, human wisdom, and human ingenuity."
"The old men who remembered the glory of Solomon's temple were bitterly critical of the new temple... Point: The past work of God often persecutes and devalues the new work of God."
"Jesus Christ didn't come to begin a new religion. He came to begin a new creation."
"Leaving the wilderness may come at an obscenely high price. It is for this reason that many do not leave it."
"We cannot receive the new until we first let go of the old. Old wineskins do not patch well... God has never been in the business of pouring new wine into old wineskins."
"Living by 'right and wrong' is not Christianity. It's old covenant living. And it's very human."
"To Paul's mind, when brothers and sisters in Christ divide from one another, it's like taking a butcher knife to Jesus Christ. It's like tearing off a chunk of flesh from our Lord's own body."
"We Christians are not simply disciples of Jesus. We are not simply believers in the Savior of the world and the Lord of Creation. We are members of Christ."
"I cannot fully know Christ on my own. Neither can you. I must know Him through His body... But in order for us to know Christ through the other members of His body, we have to get close to them."
"It's not a metaphor. Paul never says the church is like His body. No, we are His body."
"The Bible, also weeping, speaks out and says, 'I came to point men and women to Him. I came to testify of Him. I came to make Him known. But they have made a god out of me."
"In so many modern churches, a set of doctrines. a certain theology, a charismatic personality, a set of special works or ministries, is the centrality rather than Christ. Mark it down: The centrality of anything other than Christ is a betrayal..."
"You an I become fully human in community. God's intention was never for a bunch of saved individuals."
"As the body of Christ, the church not only cares for its own, but it also cares for the world that surrounds it. Just as Jesus did while He was on earth."
"One of the Roman emperors... publicly lamented that the pagan temples were loosing customers because 'the Christians not only take care of their own needy, but ours as well."
"I made another discovery. Namely, that Christian doctrine can make a person downright mean... I came to the place where I was compelled to lay down my doctrinal sword, for like Peter, I had been cutting people's ears off."
"Evangelism is an it. The power of God is an it. Eschatology is an it. Christian theology is an it. Christian doctrine is an it. Faith is an it. Apologetics is an it. I made the striking discovery that I don't need an it. I have never needed an it. And I will never need an it. Christian its, no matter how good or true, eventually wear out, run dry, and become tiresome... We do not need things. We need Jesus Christ.
"Everything in scripture—every book, every story, every teaching, every theme, every letter, every verse, all the arrows point to Him."
"Jesus Christ not only reveals the way... He is the Way. Jesus Christ not only reveals the truth... He is the Truth. Jesus Christ is not only the giver of life, He is the Life."

Hey You...Yeah You!

2009-07-21T07:48:00.000-06:00

Now, we both know you've been checking out Encounter for a while.

You've been visiting the website and looking us up on Facebook. But you're still lurking in the background.

You want to find out more about this group of people called Encounter. What motivates us? How do we plan to impact this generation in Helena? Are we a safe place for hurting and imperfect people?

Maybe you've seen us at the YWCA, at the Helena Walking Mall, or Alive@Five. Maybe you've been checking the blog each day from the Montana State Government, or Albertsons, your home Bresnan Service, or even out-of-state.

Maybe you are the guy who has the "Faith is a Journey, Not a Guilt Trip" bumper sticker I saw today. You know who you are.

I'm just saying that now is the time to MAKE A CONNECTION!

Give me a call.
Send me an email.
Chat with me on Facebook.
Direct tweet me on Twitter.
Join us tomorrow for the Dream Team Gathering.

Let's talk and share our dreams for a new faith community in Helena for this generation and beyond.

'Crazy Love' Discussion on July 21: Who Really Lives That Way?

2009-07-20T09:24:00.000-06:00

This current Encounter Discussions series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

THIS WEEK: WHO REALLY LIVES THAT WAY?
What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? What do you want to be known for? What is it that you believe God created you to do here on this earth?

Don't miss this week's topic titled "Who Really Lives That Way?" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, July 21 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here or the Eventbrite event here.
Read more about Crazy Love here from the series introduction.

Dream Team Gathering...What Is It?

2009-07-15T23:01:00.006-06:00

We're having an Encounter Dream Team Gathering this Friday at 7pm and you are invited...

WHAT IS THE DREAM?
We are a people who are passionate about and understand God's vision and strategy for Encounter.

We are not just workers or volunteers, but actively involved in something significant for God - looking to BE the church in Helena, not just attend a church.

We are excited about what God is already doing in our midst and eager to celebrate successes and learn from mistakes. We want to tell everyone about this new faith community that exists for this generation and beyond - and we desire for them to encounter Jesus through us.

WHAT IS A DREAM TEAM GATHERING?
As we begin to form the team of people who will actively launch Encounter Church, we'll to need to gather together to learn, discuss, and work out the vision and DNA of Encounter. Primarily because a church is not an institution as much as it is a people, we as a people will to passionately pursue the same vision, and dream the same dream.

WHO CAN COME?
If you are already part of the launch team, it is important for you to come this Friday - you are the core of this gathering.

If you have been coming to some of our Encounter Discussions or been involved in our Community Service Projects and want to know more about Encounter Church, this is a great opportunity to ask specific questions about what God is doing and the great things He has in store.

Finally, if you have heard about Encounter or seen us online and want to know more about our vision and strategy to impact this generation in Helena, then you too should come.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
At the Dream Team Gathering we will begin with some music and prayer. We will further explain the vision, mission, values, and three essential environments of Encounter. Finally, we will discuss specifically what it means to be part of the Encounter Launch Team, what criteria we are looking for, and where we need to go from here. We will dream about what God has in store for Helena through Encounter Church.

SHOULD I COME?
If you are tired of a dried out "version of Christianity," if you share a desire to see the people far from God encounter Jesus in a real life-giving way, if you want to explore a creative, innovative, and fresh way of experiencing authentic relationships with others on your same journey of faith, please join us.

Finally, if you missed the Encounter Informational Meeting about a month ago, this will be a great opportunity to find out more about Encounter in a less formal and conversational venue.

WHAT: Encounter Dream Team Gathering
WHO: Launch Team and anyone
WHEN: Friday, June 17 @ 7pm
WHERE: Powell Home [map/directions]

If possible, RSVP on Facebook here or contact us here – it's not required, but it helps us plan. Kids are welcome, but there will be no childcare or babysitter.

Making Helena Greener - Be The Change

2009-07-12T22:02:00.011-06:00

The Making Helena Greener project was a huge success!

A group of us landscaped and planted donated flowers at the Helena YWCA home for women this last Friday, July 10. In a sense, we were involved in redeeming the landscape.

It was a lot of hard work, but it was a joy to serve others in a tangible way — with no strings attached. Honestly, I was blown away by all the people that showed up and gave up their time and effort on a Friday night, no less. You guys are awesome!

What an awesome way to make a difference, demonstrate God's crazy love in action, and engage the culture of Helena! We invite you to to Be The Change in Helena and join us in our next project at Encounter Church.

You can also find a bunch of photos of the effort on Facebook here.

'Crazy Love' Discussion on July 14: Profile of the Obsessed

2009-07-10T16:30:00.004-06:00

This current Encounter Discussions series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

THIS WEEK: PROFILE OF THE OBSESSED
The idea of holding back doesn't come from God. Are you obsessed with following Jesus? To what lengths are you willing to go?

Don't miss this week's topic titled "Profile of the Obsessed" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, July 14 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here or the Eventbrite event here.
Read more about Crazy Love here from the series introduction.

EncounterCast 7.10.09: Going Places & Moving Forward

2009-07-10T16:07:00.011-06:00

This week's EncounterCast from the Trolly Block at the Downtown Helena Walking Mall is a reminder that Encounter is going places and moving forward. We've got three things to share this week:

Tonight on Friday, July 10 @ 7pm, we'll be out at the YWCA planting flowers and doing some gardening to Make Helena Greener. It's just one way to "Be The Change" in our community. More here.
Next Tuesday, July 14 @ 6:30pm, the Crazy Love Discussion at the Ox is called "Profile of the Obsessed." We already discussed what it means to be lukewarm for Jesus. Now we'll look at "What does it mean to be obsessed with following Jesus?" More here.
And then finally, we're moving forward with the Encounter launch team. We're meeting next Friday, July 17 @ 7pm for a Dream Team Gathering to discuss more about our vision and DNA. This is for those who are already involved in the launch team, and for those who just want to find out more.

Listen to the Vision!

2009-07-06T13:16:00.007-06:00

At Encounter, our vision is to free people to encounter Jesus.

Connected to the image of Moses' burning bush experience, we want to be something out of the ordinary that catches people's attention so they can hear the voice of God.

We want to remove as many obstacles, distractions, and barriers as we can so that this generation and beyond can have an authentic, life-changing encounter with Jesus.

More specifically, we have found that people tend to like Jesus but not the church. They have been turned off by traditional models of "doing church." Their view of what the Church and what following Jesus is supposed to be has been skewed by many things — but primarily by a lifeless, passionless, empty representation of faith that is judgmental, self-righteous, and downright boring.

In a broad sense, we envision a dangerous church, an assembly, a gathering, a faith community, a group of people, who are drawn together to pursue what it means to boldly follow Jesus beyond Sunday, and in the missional context of real life.

HAVE YOU FELT IT?
And this vision is not just mine or Andrea's, but one planted there by God in each one of us drawn to Encounter. Each of us has sensed the vision, we have then seen it articulated, and now we have begun the process of growth that will see the vision come to life. Like a seed that has been planted, it must now be watered and cared for as it matures into reality.

Have you sensed the vision? Have you felt it gnawing at your soul? Have you been discouraged in the valley as God has been molding you into the shape of the vision? We have too, but we are not satisfied with anything else but an authentic and bold following after Jesus and His vision planted within us!

LISTEN TO THE VISION!
I am going to be bold here and just say it. If you are not connected with a church here in Helena — if you are not living out your faith in a passionate and life-filled way with others in a faith community — you are missing out on something incredible!

You REALLY should come be a part Encounter. If you don't live here in Helena, you should move here. Seriously, we will help you! Seriously, the next six months at Encounter are going to be AMAZING! You should listen to the vision that is stirring in your soul and come be a part of what God is doing in Helena!

So let's get together and talk more over coffee.
Give me a call today!

The Vision Will Be Made Real

2009-07-06T11:56:00.012-06:00

"We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in us, then is the time that Satan comes in with his temptations, and we are apt to say it is no use to go on...

"God gives us the vision, then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every vision will be made real if we will have patience...

"If you have ever had the vision of God, you may try as you like to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never let you.

— Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, July 6

Three Ways to "Be the Change" in Helena this Summer

2009-07-04T22:27:00.002-06:00

I've mentioned before that I am really excited about continuing to impact our community and about being a positive agent of change here in Helena where we live, work, and play. Here are three ways you can "be the change" this Summer through Encounter Church.

1) MAKING HELENA GREENER - July 10 at YWCA
As the Making Helena Greener project, we'll be landscaping and planting donated flowers at the YWCA women's home. We invite you to join us there at 7pm this Friday, July 10. If you can, bring $3 to help cover costs as well as some digging tools, such as shovels and spades. You can RSVP at the Facebook page for this event here and also view a video of the area we'll be planting.

2) SERVING FRIENDS - August 7 at Memorial Park
Then we'll be serving our friends at Blue Cross Blue Shield at Memorial Park on August 7. We have the opportunity to host employees' families by providing and operating a rock wall, kids inflatable, as well as a cotton candy and snow cone booth. While the event lasts from 3-7pm, we will need volunteers from 1:30-8pm for setup, operation, and teardown. You can RSVP at the Facebook page for this event here or else contact us soon to find out more.

3) ENCOUNTER T-SHIRT - Order by July 7
We already announced our new fashionable Encounter t-shirts, but did you know that you can help fund our community service events if you order one for $25 or more. They are available in sizes from S-5XL, so order one today by contacting us ASAP. The order deadline is this Tuesday, July 7.

EncounterCast 6.3.09: Making Helena Greener & More

2009-07-04T12:00:00.004-06:00

This week's EncounterCast is from the Helena YWCA where we will be planting donated flowers as part of the Making Helena Greener community service project. You're invited to come Friday, July 10 @ 7pm and get involved - more details about this and other community service projects are coming soon!

Also, don't forget about this week's Crazy Love Discussion at the Staggering Ox at 6:30pm on July 7. We're discussing the chapter "Your Best Life...Later" and asking "What are you doing in your life right now that requires faith?"

'Crazy Love' Discussion on July 7: Faith - Your Best Life...Later

2009-07-04T11:00:00.002-06:00

This current Encounter Discussions series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

THIS WEEK: FAITH — YOUR BEST LIFE...LATER
What are you doing in your life right now that requires faith? How are you trusting God so completely that you would completely and utterly fail if He did not pull through?

Don't miss this week's topic titled "When You're In Love" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, July 7 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here or the Eventbrite event here.
Read more about Crazy Love here from the series introduction.

"Hell, Yeah!"

2009-06-29T22:36:00.016-06:00

We recently got together and talked about ways we can continue to Engage Culture in Helena. The group had some great ideas and I am really excited about continuing to impact our community and about being a positive agent of change here where we live, work, play, and explore living a life following Jesus.

We've already been involved in Washing Windows at the Helena Walking Mall, and gathering Gift Packages for St. Peter's Hospital O.B. nurses, Broadwater School staff, and the Elkhorn Rehabilitation Center workers.

Two new project we're working on is Making Helena Greener by planting donated flowers at various organizations, and Serving Friends by hosting a rock wall, inflatable, and other booths at Memorial Park. We'll let you know more as the details come together. If you want to get involved, let us know now in our planning stages.

One of our favorite things to do is to extend Simple Acts of Kindness by handing out free Tootsie Pops and other giveaways like bottled water at various community events such as the Vigilante Parade and Alive@Five. It's such a simple way to brighten someone's day and let them know you care — no strings attached.

It's interesting that more than once as we've given free stuff and asked "would you like this free thing?" — we've gotten the response "Hell, yeah." I love that! It means that we're touching people's lives in a simple, yet relevant way.

In a culture that looks at church agendas and organized religion and says "Hell, no!" We're catching people's attention and allowing them to say "Hell, yeah" so they can eventually move forward in a faith journey with Jesus — we're freeing people to Encounter Jesus.

This is just one way to be a burning bush. It's just one way to be something out of the ordinary that captures the attention of a city so that people can hear the voice of God.

And to that I say "Hell, Yeah!"

Support Us By Ordering An Encounter Tee!

2009-06-27T22:24:00.014-06:00

We're going to be ordering Encounter tees this week! If you want one, let me know ASAP. They are available in sizes from S to 5X and will be similar to the image here with the Encounter Church logo and url on the back. (Click on the image for a larger view.)

When you order one for at least $25, anything above the $15 tee-shirt cost gets donated directly into the Encounter Church fund.

Of course, those of us involved in this Summer's community service projects will be able to get them at cost.

Click here to donate with check or money order.

EncounterCast 06.26.09: Love or Obligation?

2009-06-26T19:46:00.007-06:00

Here is this week's EncounterCast from Memorial Park where we handed out free give-aways this last Wednesday at Alive@Five.

So what does it mean to pursue love — to have an honest and intimate relationship with Jesus? We'll explore "When You're in Love" this next Tuesday, June 30 at the next Crazy Love Discussion at the Staggering Ox at 6:30pm. Join us!

'Crazy Love' Discussion on June 30: When You're In Love (Love or Obligation?)

2009-06-25T18:40:00.003-06:00

This current Encounter Discussions series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

THIS WEEK: WHEN YOU'RE IN LOVE
Why do so few people genuinely find joy and pleasure in their relationship with God? Why do most people feel they have to either pay God back for all He's done (buy His love)? Or somehow keep making up for all their inadequacies and failures (prove their love)?

Don't miss this week's topic titled "When You're In Love" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, June 30 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here or the Eventbrite event here.
Read more about Crazy Love here from the series introduction.

EncounterCast 6.19.09: Crazy and Sweet!

2009-06-19T22:28:00.006-06:00

This week we're coming from outside Dairy Queen on North Montana Avenue. This installment of the EncounterCast shares a few 'sweet' events coming up this week that you will want to put on your calendar:

Crazy Game Night at the Ox.
Tuesday, June 23 @ 6:30pm.
Read more here.

Sweet Community Service Planning Meeting at Dairy Queen
Thursday, June 25 @ 7:30pm
Read more here.

Have a 'Sweet' Time Planning to Serve our Community

2009-06-19T13:35:00.006-06:00

As the impact of the 7 Days of Servolution in Helena continues to echo through our community, we're getting together to discuss and plan ways we can serve others throughout the Summer.

We already have some great opportunities coming our way, giving us the opportunity to serve needs and make Helena a better place. But we will need some more people.

So bring some services ideas and connections, as well as a friend or two that may be interested in getting involved. Then join us for a 'sweet' time of planning to serve others in the Helena community.

WHEN: Thursday, June 25 @ 7:30pm
WHERE: Dairy Queen, 2850 N. Montana
WHAT: Discuss & Plan Community Service
WHO: You and Your Friends, Everyone Welcome!

View the Facebook event here.

'Crazy' Game Night on June 23: Meet at the Ox

2009-06-19T11:00:00.010-06:00

This current Encounter Discussions series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

THIS WEEK: CRAZY GAME NIGHT AT THE OX
We're taking a break from the usual discussion this week. We're letting our hair down, getting jiggy with it, and having a "crazy" game night social.

This time it'll be right where we've been meeting at the Staggering Ox on Tuesday, June 23 @ 6:30pm.

It'll be an opportunity to meet new people, get to know each other, and get some "game on" with friendly competitions of your favorite board/card games (i.e. Killer Bunnies, Apples to Apples, etc.). If you've been coming, it's a great week to invite a friend.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
If you've wanted to check us out, this is your opportunity to come and just have some fun and interaction. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here or the Eventbrite event here.
Read more about Crazy Love here from the series introduction

EncounterCast 6.12.09: Skate Parks and Leftovers

2009-06-12T16:05:00.008-06:00

Here is this week's EncounterCast from the Helena Skate Park by the YMCA. This week I'm hinting at some great opportunities to serve needs in the Helena community. Join us Tuesday, June 16 at 6:30pm because we're hoping to discuss these opportunities at the next Crazy Love Discussion at the Staggering Ox.

'Crazy Love' Discussion on June 16: Serving Leftovers To A Holy God

2009-06-11T14:38:00.006-06:00

This current Encounter Discussions series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

THIS WEEK: SERVING LEFTOVERS TO A HOLY GOD
Is the idea of a non-fruit-bearing Christian something that we have concocted in order to make Christianity "easier"? Following Christ isn't something we can do halfheartedly – it must be central to everything that we are. Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at the wrong things.

Don't miss this week's topic titled "Serving Leftovers to a Holy God" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, June 16 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here or the Eventbrite event here.
Read more about Crazy Love here from the series introduction.

Crazy Thoughts From Helena's Prayer Vigil

2009-06-10T23:35:00.009-06:00

Last night, Andrea and I gathered with at least 300 others from the Helena community to pray for peace and healing. In response to last weeks' shooting, Helena's faith-community gathered people together at Anchor Park to offer a forum of reflection and healing through a Vigil of Peace.

During the event, we sent positive words to encourage those we know. If you received one of my texts, please be encouraged in this...

Although we are a broken, lukewarm people, although we have pasts that cause us pain, God can make us complete. He wholeheartedly loves us and is changing us – even this very moment – into a people who will love God back and love others with His crazy love.

Pastor Rick mentioned the John Mayer song Waiting for the World to Change

me and all my friends
we're all misunderstood
they say we stand for nothing and
there's no way we ever could

now we see everything that's going wrong
with the world and those who lead it
we just feel like we don't have the means
to rise above and beat it

so we keep waiting
waiting on the world to change

While we understand Mayer's sentiment, we disagree. We believe that it's time to STOP waiting. It's time for us to fulfill the purpose for which God created for us – to take an active role in seeing His kingdom move forward through us.

I challenge you to take a moment to ask God what He is preparing you for – and then let His crazy love shine through you.

EncounterCast 6.8.09: Profile Of The Lukewarm

2009-06-08T14:38:00.008-06:00

We have some great church planting friends over in Indianapolis who are doing amazing things for God in the heart of the city. I have been inspired to follow suit with one of their ideas, a periodic video update that we're calling EncounterCast.

Perhaps this snowy, rainy, 33 degree June day video shoot will make a great first-ever installment...

On Boats And Safety

2009-06-08T13:46:00.006-06:00

Since we've been talking about boats and safety recently, I found the following entry this morning in Oswald Chamber's My Utmost For His Highest. It's quite interesting. He writes...

"If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of his purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get past the harbor into the great depths of God..."

Are we spending all our time in the calm waters? In the safety of the harbor?

Don't get me wrong, Jesus died to bring us peace. He came to give us rest and comfort. But that safety is found in Him alone – not in our retirement plans, not in our job security, nor in our convenient participation of church activities. The safety we seek is granted within and despite the chaos of the raging storm.

I see this daily as I am reminded how crazy it is to launch a new church in a city that already has dozens; when I am reminded that we are in economic hard times; when I am reminded that Helena is not immune to the violence and heartbreak of tragic events like last week's shooting.

While we find peace and fulfillment in Him, may we remember that Jesus didn't die to make us safe. He died to make us dangerous – to the storms, to spiritual apathy, to the evils of this world, and to the status quo.

Perhaps God is moving you right now to sever the lines of complacent safety. Perhaps He's calling you to take an active part in being a positive agent of change in Helena. Contact us – we would love to talk to you about what Encounter is doing and how we plan to conquer these storms through Jesus.

Getting Out Of The Boat

2009-06-06T14:15:00.017-06:00

We are in a boat. We're in the boat of our lives.

For some of us, our boat is going to church, reading our bibles, listening to the message, listening to the music, and trying to be a good person. All these things are our little boat.

They keep us safe.
They keep us afloat.
They keep us from drowning.

It's a good little boat to be in – but isn't there something more?

Our little boat does make us comfortable. It's a nice little boat to be in. We don't make anyone angry. If people ask us about Jesus, we'll tell them. We think "yeah I'm going to heaven. I'm saved. I know how to do the Christian thing." So what's wrong?

Why do we feel like there is more?
Why are we dis-satisfied with the status quo?
Why are we NOT dis-satisfied with the status quo?

A BOAT STORY

In Matthew 14, Jesus was on the shore, praying. The disciples were out in a boat when the winds began to pick up and waves began to crash on the side of the boat. The sky got dark and the storm began to pour down on the disciples. Of course, the disciples began to be afraid for their lives because they thought the boat was going to flip over and they were all going to drown.

One of the disciples looks out onto the water and he sees what he thinks is a ghost walking on the water. And then they hear a familiar voice that says "Take courage, it's me. Do not be afraid"

It was Jesus!

Jesus was walking on water out in the middle of the storm. And then Peter says "Lord if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water"

And Jesus says "Come."

So Peter steps out and he is miraculously able to walk on water and walks toward Jesus. While he soon begins to doubt and begins sinking, Peter calls out for help. Jesus grabs his hand and pulls him up.

Peter never had to leave the comfort of the boat. He could have easily hid with his life jacket on, hid from the storm, and stayed in the boat. But there was one problem.

Jesus wasn't in the boat.
Jesus was out in the middle of the storm.
Peter knew he needed to be with Jesus.

A CHOICE

We too, have a choice to make. We can continue on staying in our boat – with our family, with our friends, with our schools. We can pray to God everyday. We can read our Bibles. We can try to be nice people. But if we do, we never leave our boat. We never say Jesus is worth risking our life for. Jesus is worth drowning for.

Jesus told Peter to come.
And He's telling you to come.
Get out of your comfort zone.
Get out of your boat.

And come walk on water with Him.

NOW IS THE TIME

These are the “early moments” of a movement within Helena to lead a generation into a growing relationship with Christ. Let's get together today. We are currently gathering people who will launch Encounter Church. If you haven't already thought about it, we challenge you to seriously and prayerfully consider being part of the Launch Team.

These notes from the Encounter Informational Meeting and a video by GreaterLess Films called "Boat."

'Crazy Love' Discussion on June 9: Profile Of The Lukewarm

2009-06-05T09:00:00.000-06:00

This current Encounter Discussions series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

THIS WEEK: PROFILE OF THE LUKEWARM
Has your relationship with God actually changed the way you live? Do you see evidence of God's kingdom in your life? Or are you satisfied with being "godly enough" to get yourself to heaven?

Don't miss this week's topic titled "Profile of the Lukewarm" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, June 9 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here or the Eventbrite event here.
Read more about Crazy Love here from the series introduction.

Get Involved: PRAY

2009-06-04T22:00:00.000-06:00

In our recent Informational Meeting, we explained four challenges to personally get involved – to step out of the boat that you are in and take an active role in what Jesus is doing outside the boat to impact this generation and beyond in Helena.

WE CHALLENGE YOU TO PRAY REGULARLY

We challenge you to pray regularly for the work and impact of Encounter Church – for the launch team that we are developing and for the people of this city.

Your prayers are an indispensable part of planting this new church. We already have friends and family all over the world that are part of our intercessory prayer team. We're asking you to join them by committing to pray for us regularly.

When you become a prayer partner, you will begin receiving our Encounter Prayer Updates by email, keeping you updated on Encounter and letting you know our specific prayer requests.

To sign up click here and mark "Encounter Prayer Updates."

Read Get Involved: PRAY
Read Get Involved: SHARE
Read Get Involved: JOIN
Read Get Involved: TELL

Get Involved: SHARE

2009-06-04T21:00:00.000-06:00

In our recent Informational Meeting, we explained four challenges to personally get involved – to step out of the boat that you are in and take an active role in what Jesus is doing outside the boat to impact this generation and beyond in Helena.

WE CHALLENGE YOU TO SHARE FINANCIALLY

Starting a church is never a small endeavor, but we believe God is calling us to this task. In particular, it will take significant funds to create the types of environments we believe will impact this technological, media-driven generation.

While we have already been blessed with a number of financial partners, both churches and individuals, we need to raise at least an additional $1000 per month in one, two, or three year commitments of monthly gifts.

For startup funds, our goal is to raise a minimum of $90,000 for our public launch and grand opening. That includes stuff like technical and a/v equipment, administrative needs, signage, printed materials, kid's ministries, curriculum, and a host of other stuff.

We want to be a burning bush – something out of the ordinary that catches the attention of a city. No matter how large or how small, we dare you to dream with us how your monthly support or one-time gift could impact the lives of many people who are far from God.

To find out how to donate click here.

Read Get Involved: PRAY
Read Get Involved: SHARE
Read Get Involved: JOIN
Read Get Involved: TELL

Get Involved: JOIN

2009-06-04T20:00:00.004-06:00

SERVE | To serve strategically in Planting Team meetings to publicly launch the Encounter worship gatherings

PARTICIPATE | To participate in an Encounter LifeGroup (small group) or discussion

INVEST | To invest your life into those far from God, both personally and through Encounter community impact and awareness events

GIVE | To give financially during your commitment with Encounter

If you have a passion to see those of this generation experience a life changing relationship with Jesus — God may be calling you to join with us in planting Encounter Church and changing the spiritual landscape of Helena.

To contact us click here and we'll talk more over coffee or a meal.

Read Get Involved: PRAY
Read Get Involved: SHARE
Read Get Involved: JOIN
Read Get Involved: TELL

Get Involved: TELL

2009-06-04T19:00:00.000-06:00

You can send your coworker to the website at encounterhelena.org.
You can bring a friend to our Encounter Discussions.
You can pass out some of our awareness cards.
You can give someone our contact info to find out more.

Read Get Involved: PRAY
Read Get Involved: SHARE
Read Get Involved: JOIN
Read Get Involved: TELL

Wanna Start A New Church in Helena?

2009-06-03T09:22:00.008-06:00

Last week, we held our first-ever Encounter Informational Meeting at the Placer Center, downtown in the Helena Walking Mall. The May 28 event was an opportunity to share our strategy to impact this generation and beyond – to invite others to "step out of the boat" and join in with what Jesus is doing in Helena.

A lot of our friends meeting for the Encounter Discussions at the Staggering Ox really stepped up and helped make the Informational Meeting a success – Thank you guys!

Highlights of the evening for me were hearing from others what a church like Encounter in Helena means to them. It was fun to answer Encounter questions from text messages sent during the meeting for Q&A. And finally the door prizes were just plain cool – powerful little red LED flashlights (think burning bush).

THE CHALLENGE
We challenged the nearly 30 people that attended to:

PRAY regularly
SHARE financially
JOIN the launch team
TELL others.

I will be posting what these mean and adding links over the next week. For now, I suggest you check out the "Hot Topics" and "Encounter Links" in the sidebar to the right.

FROM THE MEETING
Our worship is edgy and engaging, our culture is relational and outward focused, and our theology is grounded in the Scriptures. We seek to be a burning bush that captures the attention of a city – something out of the ordinary that draws people in, so that they can hear the voice of God.

FIND OUT MORE
We are following up with people right now. If you missed the meeting and want to know more about Encounter Church and how you can help launch a new church here in Helena, send us an email. We'd love to get together with you and just talk.

View some pre-event photos here.

'Crazy Love' Discussion on June 2: Are We In Love With God or Just His Stuff?

2009-05-29T21:34:00.003-06:00

Creating a dialogue in public spaces is an intentional way to build relationships and engage our community. We've been doing this on Tuesdays at the Staggering Ox through our Encounter Discussions.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
Do we really understand the extent of God's love for us? Are we in love with God or just His stuff? Don't miss this week's topic simply titled "Crazy Love" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, June 2 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here.
No Facebook? Click here.

ABOUT CRAZY LOVE
This current discussion series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

It's crazy that the extent of faith has become simply going to church, singing some songs, and trying not to cuss. The truth is that we long to break free of the status quo.

Life is much more than a religious set of do's and don'ts. Find out more and experience this crazy love and you will never be the same!

Read more here from the series introduction.
Or explore the Crazy Love website here.

Encounter Informational Meeting: A Burning Bush - May 28

2009-05-22T23:00:00.000-06:00

Like a burning bush, something has been set on fire deep within your soul - a passion that longs to be unleashed. Not a lukewarm and watered-down religion, but a calling to take hold of a passionate and life-giving relationship.

Encounter is not a safe, comfortable, and predictable church, but a new community of faith boldly following Jesus. Reject the status quo and ignite your passion for a powerful and authentic faith as we share our strategy to reach this generation and beyond through this new church plant in Helena.

Curious? Want to know more? Know someone who might resonate? Please join us for this special Informational Meeting. Come find why Encounter will be unlike any other church in Helena.

WHAT IS AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING?
We are hosting this event to share the vision, mission, and strategy to publicly launch Encounter Church to reach this generation and beyond. We will identify who we plan on reaching as we give a taste of how Encounter will be different and how we're addressing a desperate need in Helena.

We will also explain the opportunities and expectations involved with joining the Encounter Launch Team and other ways you can help. Light food and drink refreshments will be available as you arrive. After the planned presentation, there will be a question and answer time.

WHERE IS THE EVENT?
We are planning to hold the Informational Meeting in the Placer Center Lobby, the historic Placer Hotel in the downtown Helena Walking Mall district (just South of Taco Del Sol). A parking structure is located East the building and should be available at no cost.

PLEASE BRING A FRIEND
So please join us on Thursday, May 28 at 7:00pm. And if you have a friend that you think might resonate with Encounter, we're asking that you not only invite them - come together.

HELP THE HELENA FOOD SHARE
We would also like this event to help the Helena Food Share. So if you are able, please bring at least one non-perishable food item later delivery to the Food Share.

WHAT: Encounter Informational Meeting | Bring a friend
WHEN: Thursday, May 28 @ 7:00pm
WHERE: Placer Center Lobby | 21 N. Last Chance Gulch
REGISTRATION: RSVP not required, but helpful. Click here.

Check out the Facebook event here.
No Facebook? Click here.

'Crazy Love' Discussion on May 26:You Might Not Finish This Discussion

2009-05-22T22:00:00.003-06:00

Creating a dialogue in public spaces is an intentional way to build relationships and engage our community. We've been doing this on Tuesdays at the Staggering Ox through our Encounter Discussions.

ABOUT CRAZY LOVE
This current discussion series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

It's crazy that the extent of faith has become simply going to church, singing some songs, and trying not to cuss. The truth is that we long to break free of the status quo.

Life is much more than a religious set of do's and don'ts. Find out more and experience this crazy love and you will never be the same!

Read more here from the series introduction.
Or explore the Crazy Love website here.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
Don't miss this week's topic "You Might Not Finish This Discussion" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, May 26 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here.
No Facebook? Click here.

New Discussion on May 19: Crazy Love!

2009-05-12T20:30:00.009-06:00

Getting out into public spaces and creating a dialogue – a forum of open and honest communication – is an intentional way to build relationships and engage our community. We've been doing this for over ten weeks now on Tuesdays at the Staggering Ox through our Encounter Discussions.

Our recent They Like Jesus, But Not The Church discussions were both enlightening and impactful. We had some really honest and open dialogue about the common misperceptions emerging generations have about the church and Christians. Our new discussion series from Francis Chan's book Crazy Love takes the next step. It tackles what Jesus really meant about being the church, both as individuals and as a community of faith.

ABOUT CRAZY LOVE
There is a lot of craziness going around. As Chan puts it, the God of the universe created "nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor" and yet He loves us with a "radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love." And what is the extent of our response? We simply go to church, sing some songs, and "try not to cuss." We know deep inside that there has to be more.

The truth is that we long to break free of the status quo. We're too comfortable and we're hungry for more. God's crazy love for us is meant to translate into our crazy love for the world and the people He created. And as we do so, we find that life is much more than a religious set of do's and don'ts. Experience this crazy love and you will never be the same!

Explore the Crazy Love website here.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND
Don't miss our first discussion "Stop Praying" at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, May 19 @ 6:30pm. You're invited to join us for a weekly DVD clip and discussion response – a forum of honest interaction and exploration.

You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the Facebook event here.
No Facebook? Click here.

'Crazy' Meet & Greet Mixer at the Red Atlas

2009-05-09T16:45:00.001-06:00

Want to meet some new people in a fun and casual environment?

Come join us Tuesday evening, May 12 for an opportunity to get to know some great people over food, conversation, and music. We'll meet at 6:30pm at the Red Atlas (in the Staggering Ox).

While the focus will be on casual conversation, we'll take a couple of minutes to introduce our next 'crazy' series of Encounter Discussions that will be starting on May 19.

One hint: It'll be crazy!

View at the Facebook event here

Encounter Church on Google Search

2009-05-09T15:09:00.001-06:00

Encounter Church now officially exists in the world of Google search. Try it here and see. Of course, the map that comes up is to our p.o. box since we are still building our launch team and don't have an official location.

If you have any experience with Encounter, I might encourage you to offer a review on Google under our listing. In the last ten weeks, we've been busy sharing our vision and leading worship around Montana, we've organized and served our community through the Servolution, been having insightful Encounter Discussions at the Staggering Ox, working hard as volunteers in community organizations such as Youth Connections, and recently led music for the National Day of Prayer event at the Montana Capital steps.

We would appreciate any positive impressions you could share on Google that would allow others to connect with us and ultimately a growing faith in Jesus. I would encourage you to keep it short, avoid religious lingo, and be positive.

It's so good to know that Google now knows that we exist. Of course, we're more intent on being a positive agent of change in Helena to help this generation and beyond encounter Jesus.

All Are Invited to a Game Night Social!

2009-04-30T20:49:00.005-06:00

ABOUT THE GAME NIGHT
Everyone is invited this Tuesday, May 5 @ 6:45pm to a social gathering and game night (i.e. Killer Bunnies, Apples to Apples, etc.) Bring a game and a friend, as well as some pop or snacks to share.

It doesn't matter if you have attended the discussions or not, you and your friends are invited. We'll be meeting at the Powell Home on Tuesday, May 5 @ 6:45pm. Email me if you have any questions or comments or visit the Facebook event listing here.

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION
We capped off the They Like Jesus But Not The Church discussion nights last week, so no discussion this week. We're already planning a new series of discussions so stay tuned for more info.

Discussion 6 on April 28: Are Christians Fundamentalists Who Take the Whole Bible Literally?

2009-04-27T13:35:00.005-06:00

Join us this Tuesday, April 28 @ 6:30pm at the Staggering Ox for our sixth discussion night. Come early at 6:00pm if you want to enjoy a sandwich with us before the discussion.

To review, we've been going through six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church. See our previous posts for more.

We are intentionally getting out into a public space – among those with whom we hope to create a dialogue – and using the opportunity to create a forum of open and honest communication and dialogue. You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, feel free to drop by and bring a friend.

This Tuesday, we will take in two DVD segments and discuss "Are Christians Fundamentalists Who Take the Whole Bible Literally?"

Contact us if you want to know more.

Also, we will talk a little more tonight about our new discussion series and will be planning another game night for next Tuesday. W00-hoo!

How to Avoid Social Encounters With Church People

2009-04-20T16:35:00.010-06:00

We've been getting some search engine hits at encounterhelena.org from people trying to find out "How to Avoid Social Encounters With Church People."

I typed it into Google myself and the Encounter Helena blog came up second. Who would have thought?

I'm not surprised, really. One major obstacle to people encountering Jesus is Christians themselves (see They Like Jesus, But Not The Church).

At Encounter, we want to free people to encounter Jesus instead of building walls and creating obstacles. We want to be a "burning bush" — something extraordinary that catches peoples' attention and draws them in — so that they can hear the voice of God.

We believe that in order to reach people that no one is reaching, you have to do something that no one is doing. Yes, it's dangerous. But Jesus didn't die to make us safe, He died to make us dangerous!

So just as we seek to engage our culture by developing real, authentic, and trusting friendships with others — I am pleased that when people are trying to "avoid social encounters with church people" they might find us.

Discussion 5 on April 21: Do Christians Arrogantly Think All Other Religions Are Wrong?

2009-04-20T16:27:00.009-06:00

Join us this Tuesday, April 21 @ 6:30pm at the Staggering Ox for our fifth discussion night. Come early at 6:00pm if you want to enjoy a sandwich with us before the discussion.

To review, we've been going through six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church. See our previous posts for more.

We are intentionally getting out into a public space – among those with whom we hope to create a dialogue – and using the opportunity to create a forum of open and honest communication and dialogue. You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion. So even if you're just curious, feel free to drop by and bring a friend.

This next Tuesday, we will take in two DVD segments and discuss "Do Christians Arrogantly Think All Other Religions Are Wrong?"

Contact us if you want to know more.

Servolution in Helena on CBS News

2009-04-12T19:51:00.011-06:00

On Good Friday, April 10, KXLH aired our interview about Servolution in Helena on the local CBS News. You can find the online CBS article and photos here. While I was originally disappointed with the interview, I have come to realize that the main idea of "Servolution" came across. We are very grateful to KXLH for helping us get the word out.

There were just a couple of details we wanted to clarify:

Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is the originator of the global Servolution.
Encounter Church organized the effort here in Helena, Montana.
We collected donations and assembled gift baskets for the workers and volunteers of Elhorn, St. Peter's Hospital, and Broadwater Elementary. We didn't exactly volunteer at these organizations as mentioned in the report.
I'm also pretty sure I never used the phrase "Pay It Forward" :-)

The 7 Days of Servolution Story In Helena

2009-04-09T19:20:00.014-06:00

Thousands and thousands of people all over the world been reached through Servolution this past week. At Encounter Church, we are proud that we were are part of it, by organizing the effort here in Helena.

CHANGING THE WORLD – ONE PERSON AT A TIME
Whether we handed out free lollipops, delivered gift baskets, or washed storefronts downtown, the response was often the same – disbelief. It was hard for people to grasp that we were serving them for free with no strings attached. At the same time, once people understood and heard about the idea behind Servolution, they were receptive.

SERVOLUTION ON CBS IN HELENA
One business owner was so excited, she called the local TV news. As a result, we were interviewed about the 7 Days of Servolution in Helena today at the walking mall. You can look for the news cast this Good Friday, April 10 at 5:30 and 10:00pm on the CBS News in Helena.

WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS?
While numbers are not the goal of the Servolution in Helena, they certainly do tell a story. We had 21 volunteers participate in Servolution and directly reached a minimum of 212 people, but I suspect we reached many more indirectly – all while sharing God's love through simple acts of kindness.

There were 5 organized efforts. Three gift baskets were delivered to workers and volunteers who serve our community. Downtown, we served our community as windows were washed, trash was cleaned up, and 115 lollipops were given out for free.

All in all, we gave away nearly 800 free items that were donated by Servolution volunteers. What an awesome way to bless individuals in our community! We just want to say thank you to all who donated and served this week.

THE HEART OF JESUS
As you may know, we at Encounter Church want to free people to encounter Jesus. The most important way people can do that is through us as we reflect His heart and passion in our own lives. As my friend David Timms recently wrote, Jesus has a passion for serving others and encouraging them to do the same...

In the middle of that first Holy Week – as the cross loomed – Jesus gathered His disciples together, took up a towel and basin, and washed their feet. Then he urged them to do likewise, not just for each other but for the blistered, bruised, deformed, and dirty feet of the world. They would serve the broken and the beaten, the disillusioned and the defeated, the hurt and the humbled, not to demonstrate obedience but to define their life’s vocation and purpose.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS
View a slideshow of Servolution photos here.

Discussion 4 on April 14: Is The Church Homophobic?

2009-04-08T17:45:00.005-06:00

Join us this Tuesday, April 14 @ 6:30pm at the Staggering Ox for our fourth discussion night – and probably our most controversial. Come early if you want to enjoy a sandwich with us before the discussion.

To review, we've been going through six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church. See our previous posts for more.

Too often, the responses Christians communicate to others actually end dialogue and close our opportunity to learn from each other. Our ultimate goal here is to create a forum of open and honest communication and dialogue.

Again, we're pretty excited about getting out of our homes and out into the public – among those with whom we hope to create a dialogue. This next Tuesday, we will take in two DVD segments and discuss "Is The Church Homophobic?"

So even if you're just curious, feel free to drop by and bring a friend. You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion.

Contact us if you want to know more.

Servolution Details Available!

2009-03-27T23:21:00.006-06:00

More details are now available about what we're doing for the 7 DAYS OF SERVOLUTION IN HELENA!

Here is the website:
7days.encounterhelena.org

SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE
Thursday, April 2 — To start the week, we will deliver gift baskets to show appreciation to volunteers/workers that serve the Helena community. [Facebook event here]

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY
Tuesday, April 7 — During the week, we help make the walking mall more attractive for everyone in Helena by washing storefront windows. [Facebook event here]

For more information on how you can donate items and get involved, read the website details here. [Facebook event here]

Make sure you are a part of the Servolution this April 3-9. Join with us now!

Join Us For Another Game Night

2009-03-27T22:10:00.007-06:00

ABOUT THE GAME NIGHT
There will be no They like Jesus Discussion this fourth week on March 24. Instead, everyone is invited to this social gathering and game night (i.e. Killer Bunnies, Apples to Apples). Bring a game and a friend, as well as some pop or snacks to share.

It doesn't matter if you are in the group or not, you are invited. We'll be meeting at the Powell Home on Tuesday, March 31 @ 6:45pm. Email me if you have any questions or comments or visit the Facebook event listing here.

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION
Resuming Tuesday April 14, the discussion group to explore why people who like Jesus, don't connect with church.

On discussion nights at the Staggering Ox, we're viewing DVD clips and discussing relevant topics from Zondervan's They Like Jesus, But Not The Church.

While responding to six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church, we'll seek to express the heart of Encounter Church with clarity, boldness, and compassion.

Invite some friends to the discussion by sending them to theylikejesus.encounterhelena.org

Join The Servolution!

2009-03-23T18:13:00.008-06:00

This April 3-9, Encounter Church will be taking part in 7 Days of Servolution, a week devoted to sharing God’s love and changing lives through simple acts of kindness.

We’re encouraging groups and individuals throughout Helena to take on this challenge and get creative with grass-roots efforts to serve our community.

There are four things you can do to get involved right now:

GET THE WORD OUT. Let everyone know about 7 Days of Servolution and encourage them to get involved. You can tell them to visit 7days.encounterhelena.org and that we're inviting everyone to share simple acts of kindness each day from April 3 to April 9.
DISTRIBUTE FLYERS. You can download and duplicate the flyers and resources from the website and distribute them all over Helena.
GET PERSONALLY INVOLVED. We challenge you to take the opportunity to personally share at least one simple act of kindness as an individual in each of the seven days.
JOIN IN A GATHERED EFFORT. To start the week on April 2, we will "serve those who serve" by delivering gift baskets to the volunteers/workers of an organizations that serve the Helena community. During the week on April 7, we will gather to "serve our community" by making the walking mall more attractive for everyone in Helena and washing storefront windows. We need people and donations so click here for more.

To get the full details on the 7 Days of Servolution in Helena, visit the website at 7days.encounterhelena.org.

JOIN THE SERVOLUTION!

Discussion 3 on March 24: Does The Church Restrict And Oppress Women?

2009-03-21T13:45:00.004-06:00

Join us this Tuesday, March 24 @ 6:30pm at the Staggering Ox for our third discussion night. Come early if you want to enjoy a sandwich with us before the discussion.

To catch you up, we're going through six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church – guided by Zondervan's They Like Jesus, But Not The Church. Over the next weeks we'll seek to express the heart of Encounter Church with clarity, boldness, and compassion. See our previous posts for more.

Too often, the responses we Christians communicate to others actually end dialogue and close our opportunity to learn from each other. Our ultimate goal here is to create a forum of open and honest communication and dialogue.

Again, we're pretty excited about getting out of our homes and out into the public – among those with whom we hope to create a dialogue. This next Tuesday, we will take in two DVD segments and discuss "Does the Church Restrict and Oppress Women?"

So even if you're just curious, feel free to drop by and bring a friend. You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion.

Contact us if you want to know more.

The Servolution is Live in Helena

2009-03-19T22:25:00.014-06:00

Here it is. The new 7 DAYS OF SERVOLUTION IN HELENA website is live!

7days.encounterhelena.org

These 7 Days of Servolution in Helena an effort of individuals and groups partnering together and reaching out to our community through simple acts of kindness for the soul purpose of expressing the love of God.

Make sure you are a part of the Servolution this April 3-9. Join with us now!

Join Us For '7 Days Of Servolution' In Helena!

2009-03-18T21:31:00.023-06:00

As a young church plant, it seems difficult to be able to make a significant impact in our community. We don't yet have a large base of people to mobilize. We don't yet have a sufficient financial backing.

At the same time, engaging culture is an essential part of who Encounter is and who we want to be. Our weekly discussion group has suggested that we be positive agents of change within our city and community.

With this in mind, I've been perplexed about how to serve Helena right now ... until this afternoon when I visited the 7 Days of Servolution website. 7 Days of Servolution is a coordinated effort to join with individuals all over the nation and the world to share God's love and change lives through simple acts of kindness.

Go and check out the website now, then come back and continue reading.

The idea is to choose one day between April 3 and April 9 to organize a service project for your community (the week before Easter). The website lists many ways churches and individuals can get involved – for all sizes of groups and all budgets.

A 7 DAYS OF SERVOLUTION IN HELENA
Let's make these 7 Days of Servolution in Helena an effort of individuals that represent many churches. It's about partnering together and reaching out to our community through simple acts of kindness for the soul purpose of expressing the love of God to people in our community. You can participate regardless of what church you may attend.

We invite you to participate in at least one of two ways:

Personally Share One Act Of Kindness Each Day

Let's make this effort true to it's name by taking a full 7 days to serve our community. We challenge you to take the opportunity to practice at least one simple act of kindness as an individual in each of the seven days.

One idea is to purchase a coffee for the person behind you at the coffee shop. Be creative! There are virtually millions of things we can do. Imagine if our neighbors all over Helena noticed a difference That one single week from April 3-9!
Join Together For One Gathered Effort With Others

Let's join together for a single, gathered effort to share God's love through a coordinated simple act of kindness. We are meeting together to brainstorm and plan what exactly we will do and when. We will then post the details here.

If you would like to join us for the brainstorming and planning meeting at 6:30pm on Friday, March 20, click here for more.

JESUS CAME TO SERVE, NOT TO "SELL" THE FAITH
Since the focus of this effort is on showing God's love through service, our goal is not necessarily to promote specific churches or to evangelize people. Just as Jesus came to serve, not be served — we, too, will be sharing the heart of Jesus by our actions through simple acts of kindness alone. Instead, let's focus our efforts on inviting everyone you know to get involved — regardless of whether they are from your church or are even a follower of Jesus.

Make sure you are a part of the Servolution this April 3-9 as we share God's love through simple acts of kindness so that lives can be changed through the power of Christ.

JOIN US NOW!

Discussion 2 on March 17: Is The Church Negative, Judgemental, and Political?

2009-03-12T23:20:00.008-06:00

Join us this Tuesday, March 17 @ 6:30pm at the Staggering Ox for our second discussion night. We'll have a little St. Patrick's Day celebration of our own. :-)

To catch you up, we're going through six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church – guided by Zondervan's They Like Jesus, But Not The Church. Over the next weeks we'll seek to express the heart of Encounter Church with clarity, boldness, and compassion. See our previous posts for more.

Too often, the responses we Christians communicate to others actually end dialogue and close our opportunity to learn from each other. Our ultimate goal here is to create a forum of open and honest communication and dialogue.

Again, we're pretty excited about getting out of our homes and out into the public – among those with whom we hope to create a dialogue. This next Tuesday, we will take in two DVD segments and discuss "Is The Church Negative, Judgemental, and Political?"

So even if you're just curious, feel free to drop by and bring a friend. You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion.

Contact us if you want to know more.

Who Will Launch Encounter Church?

2009-03-12T22:49:00.009-06:00

This last week, myself, Andrea, and other church planters here in Montana had a strategic round table to discuss some steps of the church planting journey. It got me thinking about about our current phase as we seek to develop the Encounter Church Planting Team.

Originally we were calling this the "Core Group," but as we've discussed this term with individuals and fellow church planters, I begun to see this term as counter-productive to the healthy establishment of a faith community. That's why I've gone back and changed the terminology in a couple of our recent posts here and here.

Here is a clearer explanation of who will launch Encounter Church and how these teams overlap and fit together.

THE CHURCH PLANTING TEAM
The Church Planting Team are those people that will form, serve in, and launch a new church plant. They will gather for Planting Team Meetings to explore, discuss, and determine foundational systems of Encounter Church in the context of our vision, mission, and core values. Involvement in the Encounter Planting Team involves four essential expectations.

To serve strategically in Planting Team meetings to publicly launch the Encounter worship gatherings

To participate in an Encounter LifeGroup (small group) or discussion

To invest your life into those far from God, both personally and through Encounter community impact and awareness events

To give financially during your commitment with Encounter

THE LAUNCH TEAM
Individuals from the Church Planting Team and others will then move forward as a Launch Team with specific strategies toward the public launch of the worship gatherings, small groups, and outward focus environments. The primary purpose of the Launch Team is to strategically serve in at least one ministry team for worship & technical, setup & breakdown, kids & students, groups, or community impact.

THE EXTENDED CHURCH PLANTING TEAM
Our Extended Church Planting Team are those other friends and family here in Helena, throughout the country, and around the world who are helping to launch Encounter Church. They include the following...

Individuals, sponsor churches, and coaches from our church planting network.

Our growing intercessory prayer team. Those people who have become prayer partners and are praying regularly when they receive our regular email prayer updates. To sign up, click here.

Individual financial partners who have chosen to support us and the Encounter launch through one-time or monthly gifts. To find out how to help us financially, click here.

Other individuals who are telling everyone they know of these crazy people they know who are starting a church for this generation in Helena. Let people know about Encounter by sending them to the website here at encounterhelena.org or passing them our email or cell phone number. If you contact us, we'll even get you some of our new Encounter Church awareness cards.

YOU CAN BE PART OF THE TEAM
These are the “early moments” of a movement within Helena to lead a generation into a growing relationship with Christ. If you haven't already thought about it, we challenge you to seriously consider being part of our team.

You may feel led to join one of our teams on an ongoing basis or you can choose a specific time frame like 12 or 24 months. If you resonate with our vision and feel that God is calling you to getting involved with Encounter Church, please let us know by contacting us today.

Discussion 1 on March 10: The Danger Of The Christian Bubble

2009-03-06T22:06:00.007-07:00

Join us this Tuesday, March 10 @ 6:30pm at the Staggering Ox for our first discussion night.

There will be live music going on as we try to take in two DVD segments and discuss "The Danger of the Christian Bubble." Yes, I know - don't ask me how well this is going to work. At the same time, we're pretty excited about getting out of our secluded homes and out into the public arena – among those with whom we hope to create a dialogue.

To catch you up, we're going through six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church – guided by Zondervan's They Like Jesus, But Not The Church. Over the next weeks we'll seek to express the heart of Encounter Church with clarity, boldness, and compassion. See our previous posts for more.

Too often, the responses we Christians communicate to others actually end dialogue and close our opportunity to learn from each other. Our ultimate goal here is to create a forum of open and honest communication and dialogue.

So even if you're just curious, feel free to drop by and bring a friend. You don't have to attend every session to get something out of the discussion.

Contact us if you want to know more.

The Church of Tomorrow?

2009-03-06T21:11:00.007-07:00

When I hear people refer to this generation as "the church of tomorrow," my heart breaks. Not because there is no hope for this generation, but quite the opposite. Seeing this generation as the upcoming generation means that we are tragically clinging to the past.

Dan Kimball is correct in the assertion that those in this generation are the primary shapers and influencers in our culture. He writes in They Like Jesus, But Not The Church, "Musicians writing the songs that influence people at a national and global level are primarily in their twenties. The creativity and innovation of people in their twenties and thirties are used in the marketplace and in the music world, but are they given a place to help shape the church?"

Truth be told, this generation is "the church of today," not tomorrow! Unfortunately, the hearts and minds of many in this generation are being squelched because they don't conform to traditional structures of organized religion. The thought patterns and life experience of this generation are like no other generation in history.

From Craig Groeschel and a recent series over at the Swerve blog, let's highlight some important observations about this generation:

Our world is smaller and our perspective is broader.
Because of technology, The lines between global and local has been blurred.

We have a wider definition of "friends."
Today a friend can be someone you may not have ever met before they clicked on your Facebook page and asked to be your friend.

We're more experiential.
Instead of accumulating possessions like previous generations, our generation is into accumulating experiences.

We have been under-challenged.
Many in this generation have been given much, yet we’ve been challenged little. We have more potential than most realize.

Our world is gray.
Many of us in this generation have been told that truth is relative, but deep down we believe and are searching for absolute truths.

We’re searching for a cause.
This generation is looking for something, often anything, worthwhile to live for. When we find a cause, we'll go to extreme measures to make a difference.

We are conversational.
But before we listen to you, we want to know if you’re listening to us. This generation builds trust slowly. If you’ll get to know us, we will listen to you.

We want to be loved.
This generation craves intimacy in relationships. We want to know and be known. We are hungry for acceptance and affirmation and respond well to sincere Christian love.

If you’re quick to judge, don’t bother trying to connect.
Unfortunately, too many Christians are turned off or intimidated by the young, tech savvy, tattooed, and pierced young adults.

This generation doesn’t want to hear about what you believe.
We want to see your beliefs in actions. As strange as it may seem, we are drawn to faith that feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, heals the sick, and loves the outcasts—all in the name of Christ, the King. If you’re daring enough to live like Jesus, we might join you. And then one day, we might believe what you believe.

Care to add to this list? Click on the word "comments" below...

Join Us For A Game Night Social

2009-02-25T22:04:00.007-07:00

Getting ready to launch our Guided Discussion Group in two weeks, we're starting off with a Game Night Social to break the ice.

Join us this Tuesday, March 3 to meet others, play some games (i.e. Killer Bunnies, Apples to Apples, etc.), and have some refreshments.

We'll be meeting at the Powell Home at 6:45pm. Feel free to bring some soda or munchies to share. Email me if you have any questions or comments.

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION GROUP
We invited you to the discussion group here. Basically, we'll be viewing DVD clips and discussing relevant topics from Zondervan's They Like Jesus, But Not The Church. While responding to six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church, we'll seek to express the heart of Encounter Church with clarity, boldness, and compassion.

Here are some more details:

The discussion group will consist of six guided discussions throughout March and April.
We'll have three Game Night Socials. One at the beginning (March 3), one in the middle March 24), and one at the end (May 5).
We'll take one week off during Spring Break on April 7.
~~We've been discussing meeting at the Lewis & Clark Library or other public place. We'll discuss and finalize at the Powell Home on March 3, the first Game Night Social.~~
We're meeting at the Staggering Ox on Tuesdays at 6:30. Arrive at 6pm to share a meal together.
Be sure and invite some friends. You can send them to theylikejesus.encounterhelena.org

5 Most Asked Questions

2009-02-24T21:37:00.015-07:00

As we've been sharing with people our heart for this generation and how we're planting Encounter here in Helena, we get a number of different questions. Here are some of the most common ones.

#1 WHEN DO YOU GUYS MEET FOR WORSHIP?
It takes a lot of planning, preparation, and work to plant a church. We are currently looking at two public launch dates - the earliest is October 2009. But for us, the weekly worship event is only a part of who we are. Before we launch our public worship events, we have even more important work developing our Church Planting Team and meeting the needs of our community.

In the months leading to our public launch, we will be holding regular small groups for spiritual growth, planting team meetings to cast vision and develop leadership, informational meetings for those who want to find out more, and community impact events to serve our community and create awareness.

In fact, if you want to see what we're all about, we want to invite you to a great small group study study in March. Click here to find out more.

#2 DO YOU HAVE A BUILDING? / WHERE ARE YOU MEETING?
Looking forward to our public launch, we will begin looking for meeting locations in April and May 2009. But we plan on being portable from the beginning so that we can focus our efforts on people and relationships.

But just because we do not have a building does not mean we will not meet together. Our small group and planting team meetings are already being held in various locations throughout Helena. Some meeting will be in homes, but we also want to meet in some public spaces like the library. We feel that it is important to have a presence out in the community we serve.

#3 IS ENCOUNTER ONLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?
We are creating a faith-community that is welcome to young and old, believers and nonbelievers alike. Our intentional strategy, though, is to design our gatherings and events for a younger audience. That's because we believe that experiential, relevant, and technologically-enabled gatherings are more likely to reach a younger generation AND also reach older adults. But the reverse is not true. When we design our services for an older audience, the younger crowd will not show up.

#4 WHAT IS THE CHURCH PLANTING TEAM?
Instead of forming what some call a Core Group, we have chosen to plant and launch Encounter with a Church Planting Team. The Church Planting Team are those people that form, serve in, and launch a new church plant. While involvement in the Planting Team can be defined for a short-term or long-term commitment, it involves four essential expectations.

To serve strategically within the church plant (including Planting Team meetings)
To participate in a small group or discussion
To invest your life into others both personally and through community impact events
To give financially during your commitment with Encounter.

Contact us to talk more about getting involved in the Church Planting Team.

#5 HOW CAN I HELP ENCOUNTER?
There are many ways you can help us reach this generation in Helena. In a recent post, we outline five key ways you can actively help us in planting and supporting Encounter.

You can become a prayer partner.
Your church can sponsor Encounter in various capacities.
You can financially help us with a one-time gift or ongoing monthly support.
You can join us as a member of the Church Planting Team. (Yep. Maybe even move here!)
You can spread the word about Encounter.

These are just a few of the most common ways, if you've thought of another be sure to contact us and let us know.

Five Different Ways To "Dive In" With Encounter Church

2009-02-22T14:21:00.031-07:00

In all our communications, I don't think we've ever listed in one place all the different ways you can "dive in" and help us reach this generation.

So here goes. Here are five ways you can be a part of what God is doing in Helena.

#1 PRAY: BE A PRAYER PARTNER
We have people all over the world as part of our intercessory prayer team praying for Encounter Church. We feel that prayer is indispensable in planting a new church and we would love to have you as a prayer partner, to receive our Encounter Prayer Update, and commit to pray for us regularly. Our goals is to gather at least 200 prayer partners before we launch. To sign up click here and mark "Encounter Prayer Updates."

#2 SPONSOR: BE A SPONSOR CHURCH
Perhaps God is leading your church to get involved in supporting a church plant through monthly support, a one-time gift, ministry resources, or organized prayer support. Truth is, when existing churches sponsor other church plants they get blessed. Many sponsor churches experience a positive, re-energizing transformation. Contact me personally to talk more about the possibilities of sponsoring Encounter Church.

#3 SHARE: SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY
Starting a church is never a small endeavor, but we believe God is calling us to this task. In particular, it will take significant funds to create the types of environments we believe will impact this technological, media-driven generation. Will you dare to dream with us how your monthly support or one-time gift could impact the lives of many people who are far from God? Please help us reach our pre-launch goal of at least 100 financial partners.

A method for online donations will be implemented soon, but for now your tax deductible gifts can be sent to the Encounter Fund at our sponsor church:

Convergence Ministries
3020 South Avenue West
Missoula, MT 59804

You can make checks payable to "Convergence Ministries" and you must include the words "AA Strategy-Encounter" in the memo. Also let us know if your donation is a one-time or monthly gift.

#4 JOIN: BE A PART OF OUR CHURCH PLANTING TEAM
Much needs to be done in the months before our public launch and we need people to join with us in Helena as part of our Church Planting Team. Your involvement as part of this team will involve four essential expectations...

SERVE | To serve strategically in Planting Team meetings to publicly launch the Encounter worship gatherings

PARTICIPATE | To participate in an Encounter LifeGroup (small group) or discussion

INVEST | To invest your life into those far from God, both personally and through Encounter community impact and awareness events

GIVE | To give financially during your commitment with Encounter (see #3)

If you have a passion to see those of this generation experience a life changing relationship with Jesus – God may be calling you to join with us in planting Encounter Church and changing the spiritual landscape of Helena. Let's talk about some of the short-term and long-term commitment options.

#5 TELL: TELL EVERYONE ABOUT ENCOUNTER CHURCH
We know that while some of you live near us, others live half-way across the country. All of you, regardless of your involvement are part of our Extended Planting Team. As you read our blog and prayer updates, you are still part of what we're doing here.

We ask that you tell everyone you know of these crazy people you know who are starting a church for this generation in Helena – for those 20s and 30s who haven't found church to be relevant and essential to their lives. Direct others to our website here at encounterhelena.org, pass them our cell phone number, or even contact us and we'll get you some of our new Encounter Church awareness cards.

These are the “early moments” of a movement within Helena to lead a generation into a growing relationship with Christ. If you haven't already thought about it, we challenge you to seriously consider "diving in" to this church planting journey with us. If you feel that God is calling you to getting involved with Encounter Church, please let us know by contacting us today.

Read the updated "Four Ways to Get Involved" here.

Thoughts And Reflections From Andrea

2009-02-21T22:27:00.003-07:00

I asked my church planting partner to share her thoughts and reflections about our follow-up Church Planters Training this weekend. These are Andrea's notes for each day...

THURSDAY
It all began Thursday evening when church planting couples (including us) shared their visions and plans for planting churches in Butte, Townsend, and Helena. It was awesome to hear about how God is moving in these communities. It is great to see the heart of the church planters to make a difference in their community and to see lives changed for Jesus. It was a reminder that God is definitely at work in the world and in Montana.

Looking back, Eric and I spent many frustrating hours on our presentation together. Near the end of that preparation, we we're reminded to listen to God's voice and trust in His power to help us put together this master plan for Encounter. The outcome was an awesome presentation that inspired and encouraged those at the retreat.

FRIDAY
Friday was a time of gleaning valuable insight about church planting both from teaching sessions and conversations with other church planters throughout the state. We discussed the importance of using our time wisely; allotting time for building relationships, taking a sabbath, and actually doing ministry.

We also explored ways to plan message series to make the most of our time and to allow others to be involved in the process. The ultimate goal being to communicate a clear message that will result in life-transformation.

Another powerful discussion was about the the importance of differentiating between a church OF small groups and a church WITH small groups. We were also able to share inspiring church planting experiences with one another and share our challenges.

SATURDAY
As a the retreat came to a close, Eric and I led a time of worship with the other church planters. A time of prayer followed giving us the opportunity to pray for one another and the challenges we were facing. It was great to get to know the other church planters. We've already begun the process of developing friendships and helping one another.

Encounter Logo and Cards

2009-02-15T21:30:00.004-07:00

For the past two weeks, I've been working on some awareness cards which led to a logo for Encounter Church. Let me know what you think...

AWARENESS CARD

ENCOUNTER LOGO

Thanks to Brian for all your help and advice leading to the design of the cards and logo.

You Are Invited!

2009-02-11T21:51:00.004-07:00

In the next month of March as we seek to develop partnerships with churches across Montana, we are not quite ready to begin hosting Informational Meetings or Planting Team Meetings. However, we've had many people ask us how they can get involved and find out more of what Encounter is about.

With that in mind, we are planning a six-week guided discussion group (aka small group) to explore why people who like Jesus, don't connect with church. It will be an opportunity for spiritual growth like many small groups, but it will also allow those who have an interest in possibly joining Encounter's Planting Team to learn more about how our vision, mission, strategy, and values play out in the real world with real issues.

We hope to express the heart of Encounter Church with clarity, boldness, and compassion as we discuss and respond to six of the most common objections and misunderstandings emerging generations have about the church.

THEY LIKE JESUS BUT NOT THE CHURCH
To generate discussion and examine our own responses, we will encounter the firsthand thoughts and feelings of those who find Jesus attractive but don’t care for organized religion. From the Zondervan DVD and participant guide to They Like Jesus But Not The Church, we'll explore some of these questions about the church...

Isn’t the church just organized religion that is politically motivated? Is the church homophobic? Does it take the entire Bible literally? Does the church repress women? Is it judgmental and negative? Does it arrogantly think all other religions are wrong?

YOU ARE INVITED!
So the invitation is out. If you are at all captivated by the vision we've communicated for Encounter Church, if you want to explore how a faith community can welcome people in a non-judgmental atmosphere, if you want to discuss how Jesus would respond in these situations - we invite you to join us. We invite you to invite your friends.

Let us know today if you are interested in attending or if you want more details.

Conversations With This Generation

2009-02-11T20:49:00.009-07:00

We've had some connections with this generation in the past few weeks. In our conversations, they've expressed excitement at what God is doing with Encounter.

They're concerned about their friends who won't go to a church because they don't fit in or feel that the atmosphere is cold and judgmental.

They want a church in Helena that won't judge them by what they wear, how they look, and what their past is like - no matter how many piercings or tattoos they may have.

They're praying for a church for "all those people who don't want the dried out version of Christianity or don't feel comfortable with most other churches."

Our strategy is derived from Jesus' call for us to love God and love others - and so we intend to encourage and equip people to pursue three vital relationships: to ENCOUNTER GOD (to love God), to EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY (to love fellow believers), and to ENGAGE CULTURE (to love others).

As we continue to meet with people and share the vision of Encounter, our challenge is to ask those with a heart for the disconnected to join us in creating the culture of our faith community. A few people with a vision is great. But many people with the same vision who are making it happen becomes a church.

If you really want to see Encounter become a reality, we challenge you to step up and help make it happen. Contact us to find out more.

Are You Ready To Be Dangerous?

2009-02-03T13:30:00.019-07:00

Preparing one of my last weeks of worship at Hannaford, I am looking over Matthew 21:12-17.

In the passage, Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out all the people who were buying and selling there. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves for sacrifice. He said to them, "My temple will be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves."

Basically, Jesus was dangerous.

It was only after the distractions and obstacles were removed that Jesus could begin healing people. It is only then that they could encounter the fullness of the divine Christ. It was as if the temple had finally been freed to be what God meant for it to be.

I believe Jesus has called His church to be dangerous.

A dangerous church will take an uncivilized approach. A dangerous church will possesses a divine boldness. A dangerous church will demonstrate a risk-taking faith — and without faith it is impossible to please God.

Encounter will be a dangerous church.

Our goals are reconciliation, strength, and life — there is safety and comfort for those who are broken. But those who are religious, those who worship tradition at the expense of worshiping God, those who are frozen in their cautiousness — they will be disturbed.

When was the last time you had an uncivilized experience with God? When was the last time you took a faith-risk? When was the last time you took a bold stand for Christ? Isn't it time to become dangerous?

Jesus didn't save us make us comfortable, He died and resurrected to make us dangerous!

Won't you join us? Our vision is to free people to encounter Jesus — to remove the distractions and barriers in the way of people moving forward in their faith. And we're not afraid to overturn tables and upset the status quo.

Are you ready to be dangerous?

If you are, let us know. Leave a comment. Become a partner in prayer for Encounter Church. Answer that small voice that's nudging you to become a part of what we're doing to impact this generation in Helena.

Staying Attentive to God's Leading

2009-01-24T15:49:00.010-07:00

Several weeks ago we wrote about being attentive to God's leading. It seems that you can analyze and evaluate information, seek Godly counsel, and consider all the pros and cons - but after all is done, we need to be attentive to what God's Spirit is speaking into our lives. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25)

After much prayer and consideration, we've decided to partner with the other network we've been discussing. You know them as the Montana SBC. We have recognized that God was moving us in a certain direction to plant a relevant church in Helena for this generation, while at the same time moving the Montana SBC to do the same through their "AA Strategy."

We can't ignore that our paths crossed and we feel that the Spirit was leading us to this decision.

ARC'S CRUCIAL ROLE
ARC is an incredible church planting organization and has been an important step in this process and we wouldn't be in this place without them. Attending the ARC Church Planter Assessment helped us evaluate ourselves and gave us a professional opinion as to our suitability as church planters.

We are so grateful they approved us as ARC church planters and were willing for financially partner with us as well. We hope to nurture the relationships we've formed through ARC and will still partner with the organization in a different capacity.

MORE ABOUT OUR PARTNER SUPPORT
There are comparable funds and resources available through the Montana SBC. In contrast to ARC, none of the funds from the Montana SBC will need to be paid back - regardless of whether we succeed or fail. Of course, we feel the only way we will fail is if we pursue this passion in our own strength and power, without God.

We are already forming some sponsorship relationships with churches here in Helena and Montana and will also receive assistance with fund raising a portion of our salary and startup costs through other churches in the SBC network. We are already praying that God will open those doors wide open. Like ARC, another portion of funds will come from our own fund raising and Encounter's Planting Team.

PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS & SUCCESSFUL MODELS
The relationships we've already formed within the Montana SBC have already been a blessing both on personal and administrative level. While the whole process through the SBC is a bit more fuzzy than ARC's straight forward plan, they do have proven success with our model. Here are some great churches affiliated with the SBC network:

Sandals Church - Riverside, CA
The Flood - San Diego, CA
C3 Church - Clayton, NC
Mosaic - Los Angeles, CA

OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH MONTANA SBC
One thing we were concerned about is the kind of oversight that the Montana SBC would have over us. We don't want such oversight and traditions to be a barrier to the vision God has given us to reach those who have been turned off by church. We've made it pretty clear that we are seeking to plant a relevant, engaging, missional church here in Helena.

We've gone over a number "hot-button issues" to see where we stand, but for the most part the SBC allows churches to be autonomous within the network. In addition, we are in theological alignment with the Montana SBC and are impressed by the SBC emphasis on global missions; probably the best organization for missions in the world.

NON-DENOMINATIONAL APPROACH
We've carefully examined the implications of this partnership, and feel that we can still pursue a non-denominational approach while still aligning ourselves with the Montana SBC. We maintain that the un-churched are more open to attending a church that appears to not have the "baggage" and institutionalism associated with many denominations.

While Encounter is partnering with the SBC denomination, is in alignment with their theology, missions emphasis, and cooperative program, we will focus on the heart of Jesus in our teaching and practice. As Paul expressed it, we will be about "preaching Christ and Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2) rather than building denominational walls.

WHAT'S NEXT?
One of our first training experiences with the Montana SBC was the Church Planters Boot Camp we attended last weekend. We are planning some more training near the end of February to follow up. As we move into March, we will be visiting potential sponsor churches and forming valuable relationships, and learning more.

Hannaford Transition News

2009-01-24T15:00:00.014-07:00

About two weeks ago, my pastor and I discussed more about Hannaford's ability to support our calling to launch Encounter - And on Sunday, January 18, announced the timeline for my transition from the Hannaford Worship Ministry. Our last day leading worship at Hannaford will be Sunday, March 1 and will be preceded by a "sending out" service.

We are very excited and also just a little saddened. As I said last Sunday, Andrea and I have been greatly blessed by the friendships we formed here at Hannaford. And while we are excited about this great vision He has called us to, we will cherish these next weeks of worship we will share together.

As another church planter friend expressed it, "Moses has to leave his homeland to get to where the Lord had him to go"

We ask that you pray for a blessed sending out and commissioning service that will allow our family at Hannaford to support us and the mission of Encounter in prayer.

HANNAFORD WORSHIP MINISTRY
The night before the announcement, we gathered about 25 of Hannaford's Worship Ministry together to facilitate an informal time for fellowship, prayer, and Q&A. Our goals were to discuss any concerns and questions to help ensure a smooth transition while confirming Hannaford's commitment to excellence and hearfelt worship. Please pray for our ability to facilitate a smooth transition for Hannaford with such a short timeline.

THE COMING MONTHS
I was explaining to a friend recently that there is a lot of work to do before we launch. We've been working hard on financial backing and network support - and that work will continue. We have been quiet about this calling for months out of respect for Hannaford's leadership, but now we have the freedom to share the vision of Encounter with others.

During the next few months, we will be praying to meet others that share our passion to see the unchurched in Helena begin a growing relationship with Jesus. We'll be praying for God to bring people our way to join Encounter's Planting Team.

BE A PART OF WHAT GOD IS DOING
We thank God for challenging Andrea and I with this vision, but now we also pray for others to come along side us and become a part of what God is doing for this generation in Helena. There is much to be done, there are many workers needed, much prayer required, and there will be funds required. Please pray whether God is calling you to this vision as well...and if so let us know here.

Where Does Our Vision Come From?

2009-01-21T21:41:00.007-07:00

The vision of Encounter is to "free people to encounter Jesus."

It is derived from Moses’ encounter with God through the burning bush in Exodus 3. Those far from God are living their lives apart from His will and purpose.

In the Exodus account, Moses was tending his sheep when the Lord "appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.'"

Much like Moses, we are presented with potential "encounters" with God that will lead to a transformed life through a growing relationship with Jesus. But we are often too burdened and distracted to recognize and respond. Part of what Encounter Church is about is freeing people from those burdens and distractions and allowing them to take that next step.

No matter where someone is spiritually - skeptic, new believer, returning to the faith, growing believer - we want them to be moving forward in their faith relationship with Jesus Christ. That's because we see discipleship not as a goal to achieve, but as a process of becoming more and more intimate with Jesus Christ.

Read more about our vision and values here.

Vision and Values Revisited

2009-01-21T21:08:00.017-07:00

Andrea and I just spent a few days this weekend with other church planters doing some basic training. We used the opportunity to revisit our vision, mission and core values. We also examined our timeline and the important mileposts we need to achieve as we work toward launch.

As we discussed various aspects of what it takes to develop a vibrant and transformative community of believers, we were reminded that there is a lot of work before us. In fact, we're both overwhelmed and excited!

At the same time, we recognize that it's been a long time since we've first strategized with North Point Ministries. This is a great time to develop a vision and express our mission in our own words - to personalize the same mission and strategy we've been communicating but in a way that directly reflects our hearts.

ENCOUNTER'S VISION:
Freeing people to Encounter Jesus Christ

ENCOUNTER'S MISSION:
Leading people intro a growing relationship with Jesus

ENCOUNTER'S STRATEGY:
By creating environments where people are encouraged and equipped to:

Encounter God - Growing faith through intimacy with Jesus
Experience Community - Developing authentic relationships by doing life together
Engage Culture - Transforming people by investing in trust relationships

ENCOUNTER'S CORE VALUES:

Authentic — We will be real and transparent in our life struggles and successes in order to remove barriers in our personal relationships with Jesus and others.
Relational — We believe life transformation happens best in the context of personal relationships.
Relevant — We will speak into people’s lives with the true relevance of Christ in ways that they can experience God through "touchstones" in their life experience and culture.
Creative — We know there is life in the creative actions of our God and want people to experience that life as a result of all we creatively do through Jesus.
Intentional — We believe that when we are purposeful and focused in our actions, we stand a much better chance of being able to accomplish significant things.
Excellent — We will do the very best that we can with what God has given us because excellence honors God and inspires people.

We would love to hear your comments. Leave one by clicking on the word "comments" below.

What's Happening With Encounter

2009-01-15T16:46:00.016-07:00

I thought this word cloud is a cool representation that artistically reflects what's happening with Encounter right now. It is created by a handy tool called Wordle that generates a word cloud from the content of a specific web address. I entered the URL for the Encounter Helena Blog and this is what I got!

We are really excited about what God is doing behind the scenes for Encounter. What I can tell you is that we are attending another Church Planting Training and Boot Camp this weekend. Things are also progressing at Hannaford.

Stay posted for some big announcements soon!

UPDATE: I received an email from Bill who mentioned that perhaps God or Jesus should be big in the word cloud instead of the word "church." Yeah, I'd like that too.

You know the whole thing is generated by the words on this blog so we must be using the word "church" a lot. It makes sense because we are planting a church for those who don't connect with traditional church. (Hey, I just used the word "church" four more times...or is that five.)

Anyway, if you have any comments or thoughts on the word cloud, be sure to leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" below this post.

2009 Is Here - Are You Ready?

2009-01-01T01:01:00.008-07:00

As another year comes to a close, we can't help but look back. For some of us, 2008 was a difficult and challenging year. Some of us experienced setbacks and even life-changing tragedies.

For others of us, 2008 was a stellar year. Some of our dreams came true - those we hoped for and some that we didn't even expect. Most likely, however, 2008 was a mixture of blessings and challenges.

HOW 2008 BEGAN FOR US
For us, we started 2008 in an atmosphere of uncertainty and burden. God had laid on our heart a passion which we had not seen pursued. A passion for the disconnected and un-churched of our generation. I saw young adults in their 20s and 30s that were disengaged in the life Christ had for them - and I began the year with a burden on my heart to do something about it.

AN UNCOMFORTABLE JOURNEY
I've said before that God places within us the ability to see “broken things” in areas that we are passionate about. God is not calling us to complain or fret over these “broken things,” but to let them serve as fuel for action based on His leading.

We acknowledged this burden and earnestly sought God's desire in prayer for many months. I can honestly say that it was an uncomfortable journey. After all, we were at a pretty comfortable place in life. We had been greatly blessed serving in worship ministry at a growing church in Helena. We had made many friends and really just begun to build this ministry.

Through all of this, God was speaking a deeper passion into our lives - the vision and desire to connect people with Jesus. Specifically what we call “this generation” and “those who are far from God.” We desperately resonate with those who are not familiar with or who do not connect with traditional church models - who see traditional church as lacking or irrelevant at best, and repelling at worst. And we want to be able to help the true, authentic Jesus become real in their lives.

As I said before, God was calling us to an uncomfortable place. We asked why He had thrown us this "curve ball" asking us to embrace a journey seemingly full of risk. Rick Warren says that “neither past nor future generations can serve God’s purpose in this generation.” What we’ve realized is that God has been preparing us for such a time as this. He's given us not a new vision, but a broader one encouraging others to worship God not just with song, but with their whole lives.

DISAPPOINTMENT AND ENCOURAGEMENT
Our catalyst for planting a new church in Helena developed out of talks to form a strategic partnership with North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. While talks looked encouraging, we eventually came to an impassible wall - our leading to reach young adults in Helena, Montana. Had we been led to plant in a larger metro area somewhere else, we very well may be planting as a strategic partner with North Point.

But the need for a high-impact, relevant, and missional faith community in Helena overshadowed the ease of partnering with North Point. Our burden was clear and so as one door closed, we began to look for other open doors of partnership to plant Encounter Church, Helena.

While investigating church planting networks, we also presented our heart to our home church in hopes of partnering with them to reach an overlooked and un-reached group in a way that Hannaford has never attempted. We are still hopeful Hannaford will choose to act upon their spoken to desire to reach all of Helena in and effective and relevant way.

We also attended the ARC Church Planter Round Table to find our more about our compatibility with their initiative to plant 2000 churches. We were then invited to their select ARC Church Planter Assessment - resulting in ARC's recommendation of Andrea and I as church planters with their respected organization - a great encouragement.

Finally, we began talks with another church planting 'network' - one with experience and ties here in Montana. I can say that Andrea and I have discerned God's Spirit moving in this relationship bringing their vision to plant high-impact churches in Montana together with our vision to build a relevant, missional faith community in Helena.

THIS IS THE YEAR
This new year brings in a whole new emphasis for Encounter Church. These first months will solidify our partnering relationships and we will begin to communicate God's vision for Encounter specifically with individuals. We will begin to build our Church Planting and Launch Teams. And by the end of the year, God will have prepared us to launch out into our community to touch lives like Helena has never seen.

We know that God has already begun to work in the hearts of those who also desire to see this generation grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. There are those who will be taking their first steps in exploring faith, those who will be finding out who Jesus is, and also those who will be making a deeper commitment.

Our challenge to you is this. Imagine what God will do in 2009. Imagine how He will move and change you. He may even make you uncomfortable this year and ask you to step out of your comfort zone. And I am challenging you to be ready...to recognize that going out on a limb with Jesus is really the best place to be.

As Mark Batterson says, "Jesus didn't die to make us safe. He died to make us dangerous." Are you ready?

Let us know if you want to get together and find out more about Encounter Church will impact Helena and how you can be involved as a prayer partner or a part of our Church Planting Team.

Being Attentive to God's Moving

2008-12-20T20:34:00.013-07:00

In addition to ARC, I mentioned in a previous post about another established "network" of churches in Montana that has been seeking to partner with us in planting a high-impact church like the one we've outlined in our prospectus.

We had a follow-up meeting in Butte with a few other leaders in this network. During a deeper conversation, we discussed the expectations on both sides, and explored how such a partnership might work. We see it as a great benefit to partner with a network that knows and understands Montana culture, but also had a large infrastructure throughout the country to support us and our vision with resources and funds.

I have to tell you that Andrea and I are really excited about this opportunity, but It is a difficult decision that we must consider carefully. If we join this Montana network, we would not partner with ARC financially but could still draw from the other resources and the relationships we've already formed with other ARC church planters.

We can't ignore how God has set upon our hearts to plant a missional, outward-focused, and relevant church community in Helena - while at the same time, He's led this network of churches to plant the same kind of churches in Montana's biggest cities. And then He's allowed our paths to cross. We must always be attentive to God's moving in our lives and circumstances. This is why we've pursued this opportunity in addition to the other partnerships that have emerged.

We ask that you pray for our wisdom in this decision of partnership. We want to be able to clearly hear and heed God's guidance as we consider which network partnership will allow Encounter to effectively seek out God's vision for us.

What Does It Mean to be Missional?

2008-12-20T20:07:00.007-07:00

I've mentioned a few times that part of the core DNA of Encounter is being missional. But sometimes there is some confusion about what "missional" means. To be missional is much more than just to evangelize.

I came across the following in Dan Kimball's book, They Like Jesus But Not The Church. As I think of being missional as a church community, I feel these characteristics best describe our desire and approach to impact Helena.

Being missional means that the church sees itself as being missionaries, rather than having a missions department, and that we see ourselves as missionaries right where we live.
Being missional means that we see ourselves as representatives of Jesus "sent" into our community, and that the church aligns everything it does with the mission of God.
Being missional means we see the church not as a place we go only on Sunday, but as something we are throughout the week.
Being missional means that we understand we don't "bring Jesus" to people but that we realize that Jesus is active in culture and we join Him in what He is doing.
Being missional means that we are very much in the world and engaged in culture but are not conforming to the world.
Being missional means we serve our community, and that we build relationships with the people in them, rather than seeing them as evangelistic targets.
Being missional means being all the more dependent on Jesus and the Spirit through prayer, the Scriptures, and each other in community.

I'd love to hear which of these resonate with you and why. Please enter your responses by clicking on the "comments" below this post.

What's The Link? Looking at Hannaford Sponsorship and ARC

2008-12-20T19:28:00.015-07:00

We still have a few more considerations before we can move forward with ARC. First, ARC requires us to secure a "sponsor" church to come alongside us. We've asked Hannaford to be our "sponsor" church through ARC. In this case, a sponsor church is expected to believe in our vision enough to vouch for us both spiritually AND financially.

The sponsor church must really be sensitive to where God is moving and trust that He will complete what He begins. Although ARC will match all the funds we raise dollar-for-dollar (up to $30,000), if the church plant fails,the "sponsor" church will commit to repay the funds that have been provided through ARC. Even if the church plant is successful, these fund must be reimbursed from the new ministry.

With that said, we submitted a proposal to Hannaford in September - and then I had an opportunity in early November to meet once with the elders to explain our passion and how Hannaford can be a part of reaching this un-reached group. Their response was cautious, but we are still waiting to hear more.

Hananford is a great church home for many, but like many churches in Helena it has been largely ineffective at reaching the unchurched and dechurched of this generation. For Hannaford itself to be effective in reaching this generation, there is a good chance it would need to abandon it's core. A specific, targeted approach is required to reach this generation and it would be difficult and possibly unwise for Hannaford to make the required changes.

This is why I have asked Hananford's leadership to partner with us so that we can work together to expand God's kingdom in this way. We are currently preparing a list of specific ways Hannaford can help launch this new ministry of Encounter and are praying they will see the benefit of sponsoring us through ARC.

Our Heart For This Generation

2008-12-20T18:55:00.015-07:00

Andrea and I feel called to launch a new community of believers, specifically focused on reaching the unconnected of this generation. That especially refers to those unchurched and dechurched in their 20's and 30's who haven't found church to be relevant and essential to their lives.

So while we are creating a faith-community that is welcome to young and old, believers and nonbelievers alike, we will design our gatherings and events for a younger audience. Experiential, relevant, and technologically-enabled gatherings are more likely to reach a younger generation AND also reach older adults. But the reverse is not true. When we design our services for an older audience, the younger crowd will not show up.

These are environments where people can be excited about bringing their friends; where people will experience something so different, unique, and life-giving that they want to come back, whether they believe the teaching or not.

These will be environments where people can experience God through "touchstones" in their life experience and culture; environments where things are done with excellence and where people will encounter a creative God as a result of everything we do. This is our passion and the embodiment of both our vision and strategy for Encounter.

A great example of our approach is embodied here at Ridge Church in Charlotte, NC.

Another Possible Partner

2008-12-13T15:40:00.013-07:00

As one of our new church planting friends expressed it, we are beginning to burst through the doors that God is opening. Before our trip to Atlanta last week, we also had a meeting with another network of churches right here in Montana.

This network of churches is looking to plant new high-impact churches that are life-giving, missional, and relevant to this generation. And they are focusing on the seven largest cities (Helena is one) where 65% of our population lives.

In the next 24-26 months, they want to see a significant spiritual impact by planting a new church in each city. Here are some of the characteristics of the churches they will be planting:

Strong lead planter with planting team
Large launch: 150-200+
Utilizes media, music, and technology
Multiplication built into the DNA
Above average funding
Above average expectations

A local network and partnership intentionally focused on reaching the unchurched and dechurched of this generation could be a great benefit. This is an established network in this area that understands the culture of Montana.

In this network however, these new high-impact churches will be the front-runners of their existing churches in these cities. We would be blazing new ground without the benefit of sharing in the experience of churches that have already been successful with this type of approach (like we would with ARC). Right now, we need to learn more and we need to learn soon.

Even More About ARC

2008-12-13T15:35:00.002-07:00

Some other great benefits of partnering with ARC is the networking they can facilitate, both in forming relationships with mentors and other like-minded planters, but also networking for the physical resources we need such as sound systems, children's materials, administration tools, and more.

I mentioned before that ARC has above a 90% success rate in planting churches, where the average church plant survival rate is somewhere in the 60% range. They have now planted 75 churches around the country (see here), and these churches are dedicated to bringing the life-giving message of Jesus to the the unchurched and dechurched in an effective and relevant way.

Two great examples of ARC churches are Seacoast Church and Church of the Highlands who both made Outreach Magazine's Top 100 Fastest Growing Churches in America (see here). In style and approach, these are excellent examples of what Encounter strives to be for this generation in Helena.

What Happened with ARC...

2008-12-13T15:27:00.004-07:00

Just wanted to recap the ARC Assessment we attended in Atlanta on December 1 & 2. It was an intense and wonderfully rewarding experience. You can read all about it our previous posts here.

WHAT HAPPENED
In short, we met about 11 other church planting couples from across the country and participated in a number of private interviews and group activities designed to assess our suitability for church planting. All the while, an impressive team of ARC Assessors watched and evaluated our every move. The pace was quick and intensive. The feedback, networking, friendships formed, and encouragement received was immeasurable.

HOW ARC HELPS
Our hope for the assessment was that ARC would agree to partner with us to help us during our path of church planting, and to also help us with funds. ARC can match the funds we raise for the launch of Encounter church dollar-for-dollar. That's awesome because it means that each dollar that someone gives toward our launch is effectively "doubled." In addition, ARC will make sure we meet our budget during our first year after launch as a new ARC church.

THE RESULTS
ARC notifies it's prospective church planting couples within 48 hours of the assessment. The result of the assessment is usually one of three responses:

Recommended for ARC church planting
Conditionally recommended for ARC church planting (pending experience, etc.)
Not recommended for ARC church planting at this time

We got our call from ARC's Michael W. Smith (no relation to the artist) on December 4 and it was a big "yes." ARC recommended us for church planting and has agreed to partner with Encounter Church. It was awesome news!

THANK YOU
We want to send a great big thank you to all who have been praying for us and to those who helped us get through this ARC Assessment process in Atlanta. We never could have done it without your encouragements and without the funds and donations that came in. God has moved through you in a great way.

HELENA WILL BE CHANGED
This is just the beginning steps of a birthing process - a long process of seeing a new faith community in Helena with a specific vision to reach those who don't like, those who have been turned off, and those who just haven't connected with the more traditional approaches to church.

This is an opportunity to see those in this generation and more, go further in their relationship with Jesus. Whether it is exploring faith for the first time, or even if it mean recommitting to Jesus in a deeper way than ever before, we can know that Helena will be changed.

Just Got The Call...

2008-12-04T13:20:00.006-07:00

Just got the call. It's official, ARC wants to partner with us to plant Encounter church here in Helena. God has great things in store!

ARC Assessment Reflections

2008-12-04T00:30:00.016-07:00

We arrived back home today, met with the kids, and headed out to Hannaford to help with some tech aspects of the Christmas production there. In addition to that, a dear friend's battle with cancer is getting more intense - and so have our prayers for him. It seems like there hasn't been a moment to breath since we flew into Helena this afternoon.

As I sit here tonight, I can't help but look back over the last few days in Georgia at the ARC Assessment. What an amazing experience of growth and encouragement! In addition to the obvious purpose of pursuing ARC's help to partner with Encounter, we've come back with so much more.

WE'VE BEEN HUMBLED
We spent nearly two days with 11 other couples who are on a similar journey. They are each taking the biggest risk of their lives, giving their all, and seeking to follow God and His specific plan for them. Each couple is stepping out in faith to see significant growth in God's Kingdom in their specific community. One plant is a downtown, urban church. One is already holding a worship gathering in a bar. Another is seeing people of different classes and races truly know Jesus for the first time - all in a community wrought with racism.

After hearing these stories, I am humbled to know a God that can start such exciting and bold endeavors. I also know that He will continue to radically supply the strength and provision to help these faith communities grow so that Jesus will be made famous through them.

Finally, I just feel blessed to have met, struggled, and discussed our passions with each couple. All day long in different airports and at home, I have already been connecting with these new friends, encouraging them, and in return being encouraged by them.

WE'VE BEEN MENTORED
Another blessing we've come away with from the ARC Assessment is meeting the individuals of the assessment team itself. The team was comprised of pastors, planters, and ARC associates that were all there for one purpose - to see new life-giving churches come to life. We were blessed with words of wisdom, encouragement, and challenges all designed to make us more "successful" in fulfilling God's vision through Encounter.

WE'VE BEEN CHALLENGED
Finally, Andrea and I were challenged. In participating in the exercises and in our private discussions with the ARC counselors, we were able to identify some key growth areas we need to work on. We were inspired by the vision of the other couples and realize that we, too, need to be able to clearly communicate Encounter's vision. We have realized that Andrea and I make a great ministry team, and should not be ashamed of, nor shy away from that blessing. We were challenged to clearly define the "win." But most of all, we realized that what we've been saying is really actually true: relationship and growing faith are the key to pursuing God's dream.

FINAL REFLECTIONS
ARC is dedicated to seeing new life-giving churches planted. Every new church plant presented at the ARC Assessment was determined to reach the unchurched and the dechurched of this generation - which tells me several truths: 1) those are the types of dynamic and relevant churches that ARC plants, and 2) that is what is missing in many of our cities and towns across America.

I thank God for challenging Andrea and I with this vision, but now we also pray for others to come along side us and become a part of what God is doing in Helena. There is much to be done, there are many needed, and there will be funds required. Please pray whether God is calling you to this vision as well...and if so tell us.

ARC Assessment Day 2

2008-12-02T20:01:00.002-07:00

Day two of the ARC assessment was intense, challenging, encouraging, and insightful. One thing I can say...we are exhausted!

THE ASSESSMENT
The day began early with a devotional by pastor Chuck Angel, who hosted most of the day's activities. Angel encouraged us church planters to be as skilled in encouraging and building our relationships as we are in building a church, vision, and structure. Focusing only on the latter can be lonely. And we are most vulnerable when we are lonely.

Throughout the day then, we participated in mostly group simulations and exercises in which each individual planter's character qualities and job tasks were being observed by the ARC Assessment Team.

One exercise was an analysis of a church planting scenario. A potential scenario was presented and the attending church planters were divided into groups to determine the positives and negatives, as well as the pros and cons of the situation.

Another challenge was to create a comprehensive church plant proposal in a short amount of time. Divided into groups again, we were to choose a city from a preselected list, research demographics, develop a vision, strategy, ministry approach, and financial needs. Each group was then required to make the proposal in front of the panel of 15 ARC Assessors who played the role of potential partners and investors.

Comprised of pastors, pastors' spouses, church planters, counselors, and marketplace leaders experienced with church planting and ARC churches, the assessment team uses a predetermined grid of standards by which to record and measure their observations.

Each church planting couple had one more private interview to discuss the passion, vision, and strategy of their church plant. And then finally, there was a special time in which the ARC assessors prayed over each of the church planters for encouragement and God's blessing.

As I said, the day's events were exhausting. Not so much because of the time, but because of the effort and concentration put forth for each of the activities and assessments.

WHAT NOW?
As hoped, Andrea and I were able to identify some of our unique strengths and also some weaknesses. The key now is to build upon our strengths and to intentionally complement our and/or improve our weaknesses.

We will now be looking for the panel to meet together to discuss, evaluate, and collate their observations and impressions from the two days and pre-assessment tests, and then to return one of three assessments:

Recommended for ARC church planting.
Conditionally recommended for ARC church planting
or not recommended for ARC church planting at this time.

The Assessment Team was very clear that ARC's determination does not necessarily reflect God's calling for us to plant a church, but merely whether we are a "fit" for the ARC life-giving model and methodology of church planting.

GOD'S VISION
Andrea and I are assured of God's direction in planting Encounter here in Helena, whether ARC decides to officially partner with us or not. While we feel Encounter may be a good "fit" as a life-giving ARC church, ARC may not. And so that will move us on to our next step in securing the partnership that God has already prepared for this church plant.

Helena needs a faith community like Encounter - a faith community with a vision to engage this generation into a growing relationship with Jesus through an invest and invite culture, authentic small group opportunities, and excellent and irresistible worship gatherings.

ARC Assessment Day 1

2008-12-01T22:19:00.002-07:00

Today was the first day of our ARC Assessment. Earlier in the afternoon, we participated in an individual couple interview answering personal questions about our marriage, life experiences, and ministry.

Later in the evening, we gathered with 12-14 other candidate couples. After an initial mixer and then dinner together, each couple was given ten minutes to share their story and vision for a church plant.

It was amazing to hear from the different couples and hear how God has led them down this path of church planting. There were some amazing stories. I wish I could share some right now, but I feel the need to keep some of the discussion confidential.

Each couple's sharing was also followed by an open Q&A time when ARC assessors asked direct questions regarding the couple's vision and life experiences. They had some very good and very difficult questions. Good stuff!

All I can say right now is wow! What an amazing group of people. It will be interesting to see how the day plays out tomorrow as we share more, break into groups, answer more interview assessment questions.

Until then, please keep praying for us!

Come to Atlanta with Us Online

2008-11-28T10:30:00.001-07:00

While we are traveling and in Atlanta, we want you to journey with us. We can do that through the wonders of modern (or should I say postmodern) technology such as Blogger, Twitter, and Facebook.

BLOGGER
We'll be blogging each day and you can read our thoughts on both our personal blog at eSomething and here at the Encounter Helena blog. Be sure to check them out ... or even better, subscribe via email.

TWITTER
We will also be "twittering." If you don't know what that is, we can send text and photo updates from moment to moment on Twitter. And these updates are also posted in the "Twitter" section of our blogs (just added in the sidebar). Be sure to check them out over the next four days to stay in touch.

FACEBOOK
If you are a Facebook enthusiast, you can also find us there too. The blogs and twitters all come through our Facebook pages at Eric C Powell and Encounter Church Helena.

As an aside, you may have noticed that I've added my Profile, a Twitter section, and Facebook links to the blog here at Encounter Helena.

Making Kingdom Connections

2008-11-27T11:57:00.009-07:00

WHOSE KINGDOM?
I talked before about the importance for Encounter to make Kingdom connections and partnerships. It reminds me of a conversation I had with someone about Kingdom-mindedness several weeks back. You know, having a stronger desire to see God's Kingdom move forward than our own kingdoms.

My conclusion from this conversation? There is no room for being territorial in the Kingdom of God. It's either God or you - one must subside. Even in my own thought process, I've been reminded that you can't have both. This week has been a great reminder of that truth.

NETWORK CONNECTIONS
Andrea and I met with a couple of guys from an established 'network' of churches here in Montana. It turns out that they are looking to plant a church like Encounter right here in Helena. They recognize that Helena needs a faith community that connects the unconnected of this generation with Jesus and the life He brings.

In our conversation, we began to discuss how a partnership might work and agreed to continue our talks. This is another example of how God has been opening doors for His vision through Encounter.

OVERWHELMED...
This brings me to my point. One church in Helena from this network has heard of our 'need' to get to Atlanta for the ARC Assessment. I was humbled and Andrea was overwhelmed almost to tears when the elders of this church (who doesn't really even know us) presented a check to help us with our remaining needs.

This one church community is not looking at Encounter as competition. They are not worried that Encounter may steal people as a core group. They just want to see people enter into a growing relationship with Jesus ...

... and that is what it means to be Kingdom-minded.

What Messes You Up?

2008-11-26T23:17:00.004-07:00

Recently, I've coming across some thoughts that have absolutely messed me up! Here are some I felt focused more on the vision God has given us for Encounter. I've posted more quotes over on my eSomething blog here.

CRAIG GROESCHEL [Swerve]
I believe one of the biggest ministry challenges in our day is small vision. Without intentional effort, most people tend to think small, play it safe, and avoid risks. Is God honored by the size of your vision?

To reach people that nobody else is reaching, you have to do things that nobody else is doing.

MARK BATTERSON [Evolutional]
Most people are bored with their faith. And as Soren Kierkegaard said, boredom is the root of evil. You cannot live by faith and be bored simultaneously

FRANCIS CHAN in Crazy Love
Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy. Something is wrong when our lives make sense to other believers.

Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.

TROY KENNEDY [NewWorship]
Is my heart broken for the things that break Jesus' heart? Does my heart rejoice over the things that Jesus rejoices over?

BILL HYBELS in Axioms
Passion always leads.

PERRY NOBLE [blog]
We need to accept people where they are. Meet them where the are. And take them to a place where they can meet Jesus.

A disciple isn’t someone who knows a lot of information. It’s someone who says, ‘Jesus, I will follow you.’

People ask me how I hear the voice of God. How do you not hear the voice of the Lord? ... Where there is no expectation, there is seldom any revelation.

Share with us: What messes you up?

Engaging The Senses

2008-11-23T16:33:00.001-07:00

I think how we express the message of life matters. Especially new life and second chances. What does it look like to be a new creation?

I love the creativity of expression in the use of lighting, sound, and color to engage the senses in this video. It speaks volumes more than simply saying "we are a new creation." What do you think?

What Do You Think?

2008-11-23T15:02:00.002-07:00

I came across this Franciscan Prayer (repeated by Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv) . It addresses a range of concerns in relatively few words. At the same time, I found it resonates the passions of my heart. These values of authentic truth, invested relationship, compassionate love, new life, and growing faith must be the foundation of a faith community. What do you think?

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

We're Going to Atlanta!

2008-11-21T23:50:00.008-07:00

PRE-ASSESSMENT TESTING
Andrea and I spent most of the day a few Sundays ago completing assessment tests. We prepared a spiritual gifts assessment, DISC and LEAD personality profiles, and some other things for the ARC church planter assessment on December 1-2. Then, we sent out the entire package via FedEx this week.

It was no suprise that my top spiritual gifts results included Worship Leading, Administration, and Leadership. But not all the tests were as straightforward. We're just praying for accurate results so that the assessors can help us correctly identify our weak areas. :-)

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We have been humbled by the response to our prayers for help getting to Atlanta. After we paid the initial Assessment fee, we had 5 different people/organizations step forward with enough combined help to cover all the expenses for the trip. We are so grateful to God, our prayer partners, and those who were able to help.

MORE ABOUT THE ARC ASSESSMENT
We thought you might want to know more about the ARC Assessment itself so that you would be better equipped to pray. Basically, ARC will be assessing us in three areas:

The strength and alignment of our marriage. How they feel Andrea and I will stand up against the challenges and struggles as church planters.
Our possible strengths as church planters. How do our strengths and weaknesses line up with what they have found to be successful church planting situations.
Our "fit" with ARC's vision as an organization. Are we the type of church planters they want to partner with? Is our vision a "fit"?

The ARC assessment is specifically focused on determining planters that ARC will provide financial help with start up funds and post-launch needs. At the Assessment in Atlanta, there will be those who are recommended and those who are not.

In their assessment invitation, ARC was clear in their intention to help church planters whether or not they invest financially. They wrote...

"Whether or not you are recommended to be an ARC sponsored church plant is not a conclusion about whether or not you are called. Nor does it diminish our desire to work and fellowship together."

GOD IS OPENING DOORS
Finally, we have seen the Lord opening new doors of opportunity as it comes to support, partners, and sponsorships. While I do not quite feel at liberty to go into detail yet, please be praying for His continued blessing as we seek to launch this new ministry in Helena to bring more people into His kingdom.

Will You Be An Encounter Prayer Partner?

2008-11-21T23:44:00.008-07:00

We would like to officially ask you to be a prayer partner of Encounter Church. What that basically means is that we will keep informing you of the progress of this church plant in Helena and we will continue to let you know of our prayer concerns via email.

As a prayer partner, you will be one of our intercessors of prayer. You see, planting a church is a big deal. Satan does not want us to succeed. Surrounding ourselves with prayer partners who will commit to consistently pray for us and God's vision for Encounter is a vital and essential need.

If you feel God's leading, we have placed a new link in the sidebar as a way for you to sign up as a prayer partner, to receive Encounter news emails, and to show interest in helping in the launch team - just click the "Be A Prayer Partner" graphic to the right and follow the instructions (or click here).

SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG
Whether you become a prayer partner or not, we would like to see more of you subscribed to the Encounter Helena Blog here. Yes, it's a different subscription than being a prayer partner, but is also on the sidebar. We'll be posting more information about the formation of this church plant as well as some foundational approaches and spiritual thoughts. (You can subscribe here.)

Proposal Meeting Update

2008-11-21T23:20:00.001-07:00

On Monday, November 10, I was privileged to answer questions from the Hannaford Elder Board regarding our church plant proposal. We believe that this church plant is an opportunity to reach people they're not reaching, and to be a part of leading unsaved young people into growing relationships with Jesus. In addition to general congregational encouragement and prayer support, we're praying that Hannaford will partner with us as an ARC Sponsor Church.

Statistics show that new faith communities are six times more effective at bringing unchurched people into growing relationships with Jesus than established churches. We know that if God does want this partnership, He will help Hannaford step out of it's comfort zone and partner with us as a way of removing some of the barriers to reaching those who are turned off by traditional approaches to church.

More News! Elder Proposal

2008-11-07T22:18:00.005-07:00

It has been an interesting and inspiring week in the Powell world of ministry and church planting. Having recently met for prayer and encouragement with other church planters and leaders here in Helena, I am sure that God is moving His people to help our community to encounter the love and grace of Jesus like never before.

GOD IS MOVING
This week I was privileged to begin working with Hannaford to move them forward in their new efforts to better connect with young adults attending there. It is exciting to see that God's people all over Helena are recognizing the need to engage all age groups.

ELDER PROPOSAL
With everything else, I am also preparing to finally answer questions from the Hannaford elders about our Encounter church plant proposal I submitted nearly two months ago. I am very excited and nervous to be able to share my full passion with the elders and I am praying that the Spirit gives me the words to effectively communicate God's vision for Encounter. My heart breaks for those young people in Helena that do not know Jesus and who have been turned off by traditional approaches of church.

PRAY THIS WEEKEND
Please be praying this weekend that God's Spirit is already working in the hearts of the elders to see beyond what man can do, and to have faith in what God can and is already starting to do through us and Encounter.

Exciting News! ARC Assessment

2008-11-07T20:51:00.012-07:00

We recently received some encouraging and exciting news ... ARC has invited us to be assessed as church planters (read more about ARC here and here and here and here).

This is a great opportunity that could open matching funds for every dollar we raise for the Encounter church plant. It will also help Encounter meet our budget within the first year after our initial launch.

In addition, statistics show that while church plants only have a 68% chance of surviving through the fourth year, ARC church plants have over a 90% survival rate. That's one of the reasons we feel that partnering with ARC is a great opportunity to help get this church plant off the ground.

CAN YOU HELP?
When we first got the invitation, Andrea and were doubtful we would be able to gather the needed funds to travel to Atlanta, Georgia by December 1. But after making our need public, we've had several people step out to help - covering over half the cost of airfare.

While there is still more to raise, we are having faith that God will provide the rest of the funds before we go. Out of that faith, we have confirmed with ARC and will be completing the necessary pre-assessment applications and evaluations as soon as they arrive in the mail this weekend.

We know that things are difficult for many these days, so we are not asking for any one person to "sponsor" our entire assessment. But if we can gather another $400, we can fly to Atlanta and avoiding the hazardous driving in winter weather.

God's plan includes the efforts of more than one person, that is why we feel compelled to encourage each of you to get involved. So in addition to your prayers for God's work through Encounter, if you feel led to help sponsor our church planting assessment through ARC, please let us know as soon as possible.

Stay tuned. There is more to come...