Sometimes when your friends or family don't understand why you go to church, or why you're into Jesus, don't you wish you could clearly explain this? ...at Encounter we'll never stop trying.
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17 - NLT)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Church Planting Partnerships
As we've recently reviewed the prospectus, we realized that we may have given the impression that Encounter has already secured a church planting partnership. So we've removed the prospectus from the website for now and we're revising it. UPDATE: The revised prospectus has been posted - check it out here: Encounter Prospectus (pdf).
While we are definitely planting Encounter here in Helena, we have not yet secured the partnerships we desire in this endeavor. Therefore, let's talk about why these partnerships are important and what options we're exploring.
WHY WE'RE PURSUING PARTNERSHIPS
There are a number of characteristics that are common in many successful and healthy new church plants. A few of these factors include:
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ESTABLISHED CHURCHES
We desperately need to connect with those of this generation and those who are far from God - there are no churches in Helena that are wholly effective at leading this population into a growing relationship with Jesus.
LifeChurch.tv pastor Craig Groeschel says “to reach people that nobody is reaching, you have to do things that nobody is doing.” Encounter’s goal in our style and strategy is to “do church differently” in order fill the gap that currently exists in Helena.
We want to partner with existing churches, local and beyond, to further the expansion of God’s Kingdom. In such a partnership, a local church can continue reaching the population that it is effective at reaching, while joining with Encounter to reach ALL of Helena. So we will be challenging existing churches to support us primarily through prayer, people, resources, and finances. For further information on how a church can sponsor Encounter, please contact us.
A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH POINT MINISTRIES
If you know our story, the idea behind Encounter first began with God's calling – and then with North Point Ministries as a catalyst to move forward. And while there have been discussions regarding Encounter as strategic partner of North Point Ministries, this partnership may or may
not happen. Regardless, we have been influenced by their mission, strategy, values, and beliefs.
If a strategic partnership with North Point is established we would adopt a number of things from North Point, including the same environments, curriculum, logos, and teacher (Andy Stanley) – but we would remain a separate entity. Additionally, North Point would provide invaluable coaching and financial support. To find out more about how North Point strategically partners with new church plants, see northpointpartners.org.
ASSOCIATION OF RELATED CHURCHES (ARC)
The Association of Related Churches is a church planting network that brings together people and organizations with a passion for planting and growing life-giving churches. They oversee a larger membership of churches which partner with the ARC to financially and personally
support the growth of new ARC church plants.
Since 2000, the ARC has planted 60 life-giving local churches in America in 26 states. Over 120 churches, and growing, have teamed up with the ARC to share resources, develop lifelong ministry relationships and help plant more churches.
ARC is all about planting life-giving churches that grow and reproduce, and then plant life-giving churches themselves. New or potential church planters get started by attending ARC’s Church Planters Roundtable (CPR) especially designed to address the concerns and needs of church planters.
ACTS 29 NETWORK
The Acts 29 Network is a peer-to-peer network seeking to influence and shape the church planting culture through both rock-solid theology and contextualizing the gospel. Network churches possess a very high view of scripture on the one hand, and a total commitment to engage contemporary
culture with the gospel on the other hand, using every effective means of communication. It is their desire to plant 1,000 new churches in the next 20 years.
Like minded denominations, churches, and organizations that partner with Acts 29 provide various resources for church plants such as men, funding, facilities, planting team members, etc. Essentially, assessed and approved church planters are given access to the network community to make a connection and develop relationships with existing partners. Then local churches of the network distribute directly to the church planter that they decide to assist.
OUR MOST IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIPS
Encounter's most important partnerships will be with you – the individuals who will join with us as planting team members, prayer partners, and financial partners. And while sponsor churches and church planting networks will help Encounter with essential prayer, coaching, resources, and funds - you will BE Encounter.
It will be individuals like you who are investing in peoples lives and inviting them to our entry environments. It will be individuals like you who are strategically serving in one or more environments to see others pursuing growing relationships with Jesus. It will be people like you who will make up the LifeGroups where we will "do life together" and experience life change.
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 seriously about it, we challenge you to consider being one of our most important partners. You can partner with us in prayer, you can partner with us financially, or you can partner with us as a planting team member of Encounter. If you feel that God is calling you to any of these, please let us know by contacting us now.
While we are definitely planting Encounter here in Helena, we have not yet secured the partnerships we desire in this endeavor. Therefore, let's talk about why these partnerships are important and what options we're exploring.
WHY WE'RE PURSUING PARTNERSHIPS
There are a number of characteristics that are common in many successful and healthy new church plants. A few of these factors include:
Launching with multiple staff members- Launching with the church planters working full-time in ministry, and
- Launching with support from a sponsoring church, denomination, or church planting network.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ESTABLISHED CHURCHES
We desperately need to connect with those of this generation and those who are far from God - there are no churches in Helena that are wholly effective at leading this population into a growing relationship with Jesus.
LifeChurch.tv pastor Craig Groeschel says “to reach people that nobody is reaching, you have to do things that nobody is doing.” Encounter’s goal in our style and strategy is to “do church differently” in order fill the gap that currently exists in Helena.
We want to partner with existing churches, local and beyond, to further the expansion of God’s Kingdom. In such a partnership, a local church can continue reaching the population that it is effective at reaching, while joining with Encounter to reach ALL of Helena. So we will be challenging existing churches to support us primarily through prayer, people, resources, and finances. For further information on how a church can sponsor Encounter, please contact us.
A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH POINT MINISTRIES
If you know our story, the idea behind Encounter first began with God's calling – and then with North Point Ministries as a catalyst to move forward. And while there have been discussions regarding Encounter as strategic partner of North Point Ministries, this partnership may or may
not happen. Regardless, we have been influenced by their mission, strategy, values, and beliefs.If a strategic partnership with North Point is established we would adopt a number of things from North Point, including the same environments, curriculum, logos, and teacher (Andy Stanley) – but we would remain a separate entity. Additionally, North Point would provide invaluable coaching and financial support. To find out more about how North Point strategically partners with new church plants, see northpointpartners.org.
ASSOCIATION OF RELATED CHURCHES (ARC)
The Association of Related Churches is a church planting network that brings together people and organizations with a passion for planting and growing life-giving churches. They oversee a larger membership of churches which partner with the ARC to financially and personally
support the growth of new ARC church plants.Since 2000, the ARC has planted 60 life-giving local churches in America in 26 states. Over 120 churches, and growing, have teamed up with the ARC to share resources, develop lifelong ministry relationships and help plant more churches.
ARC is all about planting life-giving churches that grow and reproduce, and then plant life-giving churches themselves. New or potential church planters get started by attending ARC’s Church Planters Roundtable (CPR) especially designed to address the concerns and needs of church planters.
ACTS 29 NETWORK
The Acts 29 Network is a peer-to-peer network seeking to influence and shape the church planting culture through both rock-solid theology and contextualizing the gospel. Network churches possess a very high view of scripture on the one hand, and a total commitment to engage contemporary
culture with the gospel on the other hand, using every effective means of communication. It is their desire to plant 1,000 new churches in the next 20 years.Like minded denominations, churches, and organizations that partner with Acts 29 provide various resources for church plants such as men, funding, facilities, planting team members, etc. Essentially, assessed and approved church planters are given access to the network community to make a connection and develop relationships with existing partners. Then local churches of the network distribute directly to the church planter that they decide to assist.
OUR MOST IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIPS
Encounter's most important partnerships will be with you – the individuals who will join with us as planting team members, prayer partners, and financial partners. And while sponsor churches and church planting networks will help Encounter with essential prayer, coaching, resources, and funds - you will BE Encounter.
It will be individuals like you who are investing in peoples lives and inviting them to our entry environments. It will be individuals like you who are strategically serving in one or more environments to see others pursuing growing relationships with Jesus. It will be people like you who will make up the LifeGroups where we will "do life together" and experience life change.
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 seriously about it, we challenge you to consider being one of our most important partners. You can partner with us in prayer, you can partner with us financially, or you can partner with us as a planting team member of Encounter. If you feel that God is calling you to any of these, please let us know by contacting us now.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Essential Number 4: Strategic Service
As we look forward to what Encounter will be like, I can identify at least four things that will be essential to making our mission a reality. If we really want to lead people into growing relationships with Christ, everyone must be focused and committed to our Entry Environments, Life Groups, an Invest & Invite Culture, and Strategic Service. Let's discuss essential number 4, an Strategic Service.
INTENTIONAL STRATEGIC SERVICE
Strategic service occurs when we intentionally serve in a place that moves the church closer to fulfilling its mission.
Our strategy is very specific: to create environments where people are encouraged and equipped to pursue growing faith through intimacy with Jesus (Encounter God), authentic relationships by doing life together (Experience Community), and trust relationships that lead to transformation (Engage Culture).
One of the best ways to connect and grow is to serve others, but it's not enough to simply serve. Our impact relies upon a coordinated, strategic effort of service with other gifted members of the body of Christ. That is why we need every person to serve in at least one of our ministry environments.
At first, you may be asked to serve in areas of need. It is important to understand that as Encounter grows and as God adds new gifted individuals to our community, we will eventually find a place that best fits our individual mix of gifts.
INTENTIONAL STRATEGIC SERVICE
Strategic service occurs when we intentionally serve in a place that moves the church closer to fulfilling its mission.Our strategy is very specific: to create environments where people are encouraged and equipped to pursue growing faith through intimacy with Jesus (Encounter God), authentic relationships by doing life together (Experience Community), and trust relationships that lead to transformation (Engage Culture).
One of the best ways to connect and grow is to serve others, but it's not enough to simply serve. Our impact relies upon a coordinated, strategic effort of service with other gifted members of the body of Christ. That is why we need every person to serve in at least one of our ministry environments.
At first, you may be asked to serve in areas of need. It is important to understand that as Encounter grows and as God adds new gifted individuals to our community, we will eventually find a place that best fits our individual mix of gifts.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Essential Number 3: Invest & Invite Culture
As we look forward to what Encounter will be like, I can identify at least four things that will be essential to making our mission a reality. If we really want to lead people into growing relationships with Christ, everyone must be focused and committed to our Entry Environments, LifeGroups, an Invest & Invite Culture, and Strategic Service. Let's discuss essential number 3, an Invest & Invite Culture.
INVEST & INVITE CULTURE
Everyone at Encounter must be committed to investing in relationships with people who are far from God. It is only in this way that we can Engage Culture resulting in transformed lives. As Jesus invested His life into those around Him, we must invest our lives into those around us. We must serve them, befriend them, accept them, and when we speak of our faith, we'll speak from the overflow of our heart. One thing about investments is that there is rarely an immediate pay-off. Investing takes time. It took Jesus three years to convince the twelve.
After such an investment, it is much easier and effective to invite people to an Encounter environment. Then it is more natural to resurface the subject later providing opportunities to share your journey with Jesus. Being with other believers at the right kind of event has a way of opening people up or pricking their interest in spiritual things. We all know people whose picture of Christianity is so distorted that they need to see the real thing before they can hear you.
Invest & Invite is a both a community culture and a personal strategy. It means genuinely caring for people outside the church and then being bold enough to risk the relationship by inviting them to go deeper. It takes energy and effort to build and invest in a relationship. It takes equal compassion and courage to leverage that relationship for the sake of eternity.
INVEST & INVITE CULTURE
Everyone at Encounter must be committed to investing in relationships with people who are far from God. It is only in this way that we can Engage Culture resulting in transformed lives. As Jesus invested His life into those around Him, we must invest our lives into those around us. We must serve them, befriend them, accept them, and when we speak of our faith, we'll speak from the overflow of our heart. One thing about investments is that there is rarely an immediate pay-off. Investing takes time. It took Jesus three years to convince the twelve.After such an investment, it is much easier and effective to invite people to an Encounter environment. Then it is more natural to resurface the subject later providing opportunities to share your journey with Jesus. Being with other believers at the right kind of event has a way of opening people up or pricking their interest in spiritual things. We all know people whose picture of Christianity is so distorted that they need to see the real thing before they can hear you.
Invest & Invite is a both a community culture and a personal strategy. It means genuinely caring for people outside the church and then being bold enough to risk the relationship by inviting them to go deeper. It takes energy and effort to build and invest in a relationship. It takes equal compassion and courage to leverage that relationship for the sake of eternity.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Essential Number 2: LifeGroups
As we look forward to what Encounter will be be like, I can identify at least four things that will be essential to making our mission a reality. If we really want to lead people into growing relationships with Christ, everyone must be focused and committed to our Entry Environments, LifeGroups, an Invest & Invite Culture, and Strategic Service. Let's discuss essential number 2, LifeGroups.
LIFEGROUPS
As we move people from the "entry" environments, then through transitional "connection" environments, we want everyone to end up in the "growth"environment of LifeGroups. We believe that the best place for people to experience life change is in the small group context.
These groups consist of six to eight individuals or five to six couples who meet regularly for Bible study and prayer and commit to accountability, friendship and support. They are a safe place to ask tough questions and build lasting friendships in an environment of commitment and strength and security. They are also a great place to grow in our relationship with Jesus and community with others.
LIFEGROUPS
As we move people from the "entry" environments, then through transitional "connection" environments, we want everyone to end up in the "growth"environment of LifeGroups. We believe that the best place for people to experience life change is in the small group context.These groups consist of six to eight individuals or five to six couples who meet regularly for Bible study and prayer and commit to accountability, friendship and support. They are a safe place to ask tough questions and build lasting friendships in an environment of commitment and strength and security. They are also a great place to grow in our relationship with Jesus and community with others.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Essential Number 1: Entry Environments
As we look forward to what Encounter will be like, I can identify at least four things that will be essential to making our mission a reality. If we really want to lead people into growing relationships with Christ, everyone must be focused and committed to our Entry Environments, LifeGroups, an Invest & Invite Culture, and Strategic Service. Let's discuss essential number 1, the Entry Environment.
ENTRY ENVIRONMENTS
In our homes, the foyer is the "entry" place that serves as the welcome area for guests and new friends. It's the first step and it's often the only chance to make guests feel comfortable enough to return.
The gathered worship service will be our primary entry environment. This environment must be one where believers can be excited about bringing their un-churched friends. Therefore, it must be an irresistible environment where excellence is experienced with everything we do. From the physical environment to the look and feel, music, video, sound, lights, and hospitality - all must be done in such a way that it honors God and is appealing and enjoyable.
Believers will definitely be challenged spiritually, but the un-churched will experience something so different and unique that they want to come back, whether they believe the teaching or not. Encounter will create all our entry environments where things are done with excellence and where adults, teens, and kids experience a creative God as a result of what we do.
ENTRY ENVIRONMENTS
In our homes, the foyer is the "entry" place that serves as the welcome area for guests and new friends. It's the first step and it's often the only chance to make guests feel comfortable enough to return.The gathered worship service will be our primary entry environment. This environment must be one where believers can be excited about bringing their un-churched friends. Therefore, it must be an irresistible environment where excellence is experienced with everything we do. From the physical environment to the look and feel, music, video, sound, lights, and hospitality - all must be done in such a way that it honors God and is appealing and enjoyable.
Believers will definitely be challenged spiritually, but the un-churched will experience something so different and unique that they want to come back, whether they believe the teaching or not. Encounter will create all our entry environments where things are done with excellence and where adults, teens, and kids experience a creative God as a result of what we do.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
A Different Spirit
I recently had the opportunity to hear Steve Berger, a lead pastor from Leipers Fork, Tennesee. He talked about how churches and pastors need to have guts in the 21st century and I immediately saw the correlation for us at Encounter.Referring to Caleb in Numbers 14, God says "He has a different spirit; he follows me passionately." But this is important, because God continues to repeat it up to 6 times.
Caleb followed God fully, passionately. He had a different spirit about him.
In Numbers 13-14, it is the account of the Israelites coming upon the promised land. But as we know, most of the leaders sent in to survey the promised land while it was still inhabited by its native peoples - they were discouraged and convinced they couldn't take the land.
But God promised the land. And Caleb knew this. He quieted the people and reminded them, "we are well able to take the land." He believed God. Unlike the other leaders, he had a different spirit about him.
The others had a spirit of minimizing themselves and maximizing the enemy. They minimized their trust in God and maximized the challenge before them.
This directly relates to the challenge and risk set before us at Encounter. We need to believe in what God has placed before us - a city and region of people far from God who desperately need a growing relationship with Jesus.
Sure there is risk - there must be. Because God wants to put us in the position where if we don't rely on Him, we're going to fail. We must believe in the dream He has set before us - a church community where people will encounter Jesus Christ through intimacy with God, community with believers, and influence with outsiders. A community where people are led into growing, thriving, living relationships with Jesus.
So are you ready to believe God? Are you up to a challenge where, apart from relying on God, you will fail? Do you have a different spirit like Caleb? If so, contact us to find out how you can get involved...
Friday, July 25, 2008
Why Another Church in Helena?
One question you may have about Encounter is "Why another church in Helena?" You may have noticed that there are already a lot of churches here - it's as though there is a church on every corner - we don't seem to need another church.
THE REALITY
The reality is that while 50 percent of people in Helena claim to have any church affiliation, only 10 percent are members of an evangelical church. At best, there is at least another 50 percent that do not - they don't even attend church.
More importantly, we can see there is a massive shortfall of people who are in a growing relationship with Jesus, regardless of the number of churches in Helena. People's lives and souls are being sacrificed because many churches are desperately trying to keep and satisfy a handful of church-goers who are comfortable with these statistics. We are not comfortable with this.
THIS GENERATION
That is why we are willing to create a community that is specifically designed to reach out to those who are far from God - especially a younger generation that has been dis-enfranchised from our faith communities - especially those who have "tried" traditional church and found it lacking or irrelevant to their lives. We are specifically looking to connect with the largely un-reached or under-reached group between the ages of 25 and 44 (nearly 26 percent of Helena according to Census 2000).
EXCELLENCE
We want to create a community that values environments where
the un-churched will experience something so different, unique, and life-giving that they want to come back, whether they believe the teaching or not; environments where things are done with excellence and where adults, teens, and kids encounter a creative God as a result of what we do through Christ.
INVEST & INVITE
We also want to create a community that is ready to invest their lives in others in order to invite them to these environments where that can begin a growing relationship with Jesus. This core DNA of Encounter (what we're about, our essence) speaks to the purpose for which we are created and saved - to encounter a life-giving relationship with Christ and to invite others to experience the same.
IS THIS YOU?
If this sounds like the kind of community of Christ-followers that you could be involved with - or if you want to find out more, please don't hesitate to contact us.
THE REALITY
The reality is that while 50 percent of people in Helena claim to have any church affiliation, only 10 percent are members of an evangelical church. At best, there is at least another 50 percent that do not - they don't even attend church.More importantly, we can see there is a massive shortfall of people who are in a growing relationship with Jesus, regardless of the number of churches in Helena. People's lives and souls are being sacrificed because many churches are desperately trying to keep and satisfy a handful of church-goers who are comfortable with these statistics. We are not comfortable with this.
THIS GENERATION
That is why we are willing to create a community that is specifically designed to reach out to those who are far from God - especially a younger generation that has been dis-enfranchised from our faith communities - especially those who have "tried" traditional church and found it lacking or irrelevant to their lives. We are specifically looking to connect with the largely un-reached or under-reached group between the ages of 25 and 44 (nearly 26 percent of Helena according to Census 2000).
EXCELLENCE
We want to create a community that values environments where
the un-churched will experience something so different, unique, and life-giving that they want to come back, whether they believe the teaching or not; environments where things are done with excellence and where adults, teens, and kids encounter a creative God as a result of what we do through Christ.INVEST & INVITE
We also want to create a community that is ready to invest their lives in others in order to invite them to these environments where that can begin a growing relationship with Jesus. This core DNA of Encounter (what we're about, our essence) speaks to the purpose for which we are created and saved - to encounter a life-giving relationship with Christ and to invite others to experience the same.IS THIS YOU?
If this sounds like the kind of community of Christ-followers that you could be involved with - or if you want to find out more, please don't hesitate to contact us.
