“Clear lots of ground for your tents!
Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!
Use plenty of rope,
drive the tent pegs deep.
You’re going to need lots of elbow room
for your growing family.
You’re going to take over whole nations;
you’re going to resettle abandoned cities.
Don’t be afraid—you’re not going to be embarrassed.
Don’t hold back—you’re not going to come up short.”
Isaiah 54:2-4 (MSG)
The Heart:
“Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!”
We believe this is an invitation from the Lord for all of us in this season. At Encounter Church, our vision has been to provide a place where people can Encounter God, Experience Family and Enlarge the Kingdom, and we have seen this vision starting to come to life. We believe that these sparks are just the beginning, and we are pregnant with expectation. Our vision is growing, our family is expanding, and now it is time to make room for the prophetic promises and dreams God has given this house.
Family, we are inviting you to dream big with us. What is your heart for our house?
Imagine all the possibilities with us! What could our next chapter look like?
- We are a healing house —- Prayer ministries, worship services, community wide revival services
- We are an equipping center —- Bible schools, ministry training, multiple classrooms
- We are community focused —- outreach opportunities, community service and more
- Costs associated with selling our current building
- Cost for the new building
- Renovation costs for the new building (sanctuary, classrooms, offices, café, etc)
- Furnishings for the new space (chairs, offices, classroom furniture, café, etc)
- Audio/Visual Systems (speakers, cords, cameras, lighting, etc)
These are just a few of the words we’ve received, but they are not all-encompassing. As part of this family (and the body of Christ) God has gifted each of you with passion and ability for the work of enlarging the kingdom. What kind of space would support your ministry? “Think big!”
The House:
Moving requires resources. In Luke 14:28-30, Jesus teaches that a wise person counts the cost of construction before beginning the building project. We are praying and believing that God already has a perfectly designed building to fulfill the visions He’s given Encounter Church. While we don’t have a projected timeline or a building in mind, we believe it’s time to invest in this promise by beginning a designated fund to provide for the move when it comes. As you know, moving can be expensive, especially when dealing with commercial properties. The following is a partial list of needs that we can foresee:
The Plan:
The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give…then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” Exodus 25:1, 8
On February 14, 2021, Valentine’s Day, we will collect our first “Heart for the House” offering toward the new building. After this offering, you can continue to place designated offerings in the Joash chest (2 Chronicles 24:8-10) in the sanctuary or online as the Holy Spirit leads you. There will be no high pressure sales or pledge drives, but we will provide periodic updates about the fund and the plans until we see the promise of the Lord fulfilled.
More than anything, we invite you to partner with us in prayer and seeking the Lord’s vision and timing for this next chapter. We believe He’s calling us to big things, and we can only accomplish these things as a family.
Bringing the message of hope to the world,
Pastor Ken Woolf