Saturday, December 20, 2008 Being Attentive to God's Moving

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?

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

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

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.

Saturday, December 13, 2008 Another Possible Partner

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

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...

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.

Thursday, December 4, 2008 Just Got The Call...

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

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.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 ARC Assessment Day 2

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.

Monday, December 1, 2008 ARC Assessment Day 1

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!

Friday, November 28, 2008 Come to Atlanta with Us Online

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.

Thursday, November 27, 2008 Making Kingdom Connections

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 don'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.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 What Messes You Up?

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 [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 [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?

Sunday, November 23, 2008 Engaging The Senses

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?

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.

Friday, November 21, 2008 We're Going to Atlanta!

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:

1. The strength and alignment of our marriage. How they feel Andrea and I will stand up against the challenges and struggles as church planters.
   
2. 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.
   
3. 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.

Proposal Meeting Update

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.

Friday, November 7, 2008 More News! Elder Proposal

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

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...

Sunday, October 19, 2008 Steps, Not Programs

Another important aspect of the way Encounter approaches things is through steps, not programs.

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, not as list of items to check off until we have reached a certain point - but discipleship is a process of becoming more and more intimate in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Seeing spiritual maturity as a process to pursue rather than as a goal to achieve allows us, then, to see everything we do as another step in helping someone move further along in their faith relationship with Jesus. Whether they need to investigate faith for the first time, whether they need to address issues in their marriage, whether they need to make some financial decisions in their life — each is an important "step" in the process of following Jesus.

The problem with programs is this. There is the assumption that a program helps you "arrive" somewhere. You are complete. The program is the end in and of itself. In contrast, when we approach growth through "steps," we simply see it as part of the process of leading people in a growing relationship with Jesus.

Next Steps: An Update

Sometimes I feel that things are moving forwards much slower than I would like. The truth is, that God is truly in control. I've been keeping this in mind as I've been examining our next steps with Encounter. Here's where we are and what I'm working on...

PARTNERSHIPS
Pursuing a partnership with ARC (see here and here and here) will first require an established church to sponsor us. I just blogged about a potential partnership with our current church. A lot of our next steps depend on how our church-sponsorship proposal is received. Different responses will mean different next steps. For now, we're just kind of waiting. Once we know where we stand we can step up an intentional effort of sharing more about Encounter and developing a Church Planting Team. I'm actually really excited about being able to share this passion on our hearts!

LEGAL STEPS
I've been looking into the legal actions we need to take to officially establish Encounter as a church in Helena. This will eventually be required for gifts to Encounter to be tax-deductible. We've been reviewing different samples of church constitutions, bylaws, and considering trustees. Church planters friends of mine have encouraged us not to rush into any of those, so I was relieved to find that, unlike other states, Montana does not require them incorporation of a religious non-profit.

PLANNING
Since we've already outlined our mission, strategy, and ministry approach in the prospectus, another step I'm working on involves developing a full launch plan, schedule, and budget. I already have an extensive to-do list for Encounter stuff, but a comprehensive launch plan will keep things moving in the right direction and on track.

Potential Sponsorship Opportunity

I previously mentioned our desire to build some church-planting partnerships. One of the initial partnerships we've pursued is with my current church, where I've been serving as the Pastor of Worship Arts. God's call to plant a new church community here in Helena is a direct outgrowth of my ministry there. And as such, I believe planting a new church is an excellent opportunity to be able to change the lives of some people groups that this church has not been as effective at reaching, mainly non-Christians and the younger generation.

This is why after discussing this passion with the Senior Pastor, we have prepared a proposal for church-sponsorship. The elders (church board) have been looking over the proposal and we will soon get an opportunity to answer any questions they have. Andrea and I ask for your prayers regarding this issue - that the elders would approach this opportunity with wisdom. It is God’s desire to see His people working together to enlarge His Kingdom in Helena.

Regardless of how the proposal is received, moving forward is key. Knowing how, and to what extent our current church plans to partner with us will help us plan the next crucial steps in making Encounter a reality.

Difficult Times: In Other Words, Life :-)

Hey everyone!

The last couple of weeks has been quite eventful so it has been difficult to post, but I thought I'd check in and give you some updates with what has been going on personally and on the church-planting front.

First, we could use your prayers for Andrea's grandmother, Mabel. Having recently found out she has cancer, she was being prepped for surgery and there were complications with the anesthesia causing vessels to burst in her lung. Since that time, she has developed not one, but two serious infections: one airborne and one in her blood. All things considered, it is not looking good.

Andrea left early this week to drive down to Escondido (San Diego area) to help where she can. That means things have been pretty busy for me as Mr. Mom here around the house. So we ask you to be in prayer for all of us. Thanks.

More posts to come...

Saturday, October 4, 2008 Relationships: Our Strategy...Unpacked

At Encounter, we want people to become followers of Jesus who are in a growing relationship with Him. Then it begs the question "How are we going to do this?" Or perhaps "What do we want people to do?"

That, in a nutshell, is the essence of strategy and we've stated ours as "creating irresistible environments where people are encouraged and equipped in three vital relationships: to Encounter God, Experience Community, and Engage Culture."

We can ask ourselves, what demonstrates a growing relationship with Jesus Christ? At Encounter, we believe the answer to that question is found in Jesus' words in Matthew 22 when He was asked "What is the greatest commandment?"

Jesus replied, "‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

It sounds simple, but Jesus is basically saying that loving God and loving your neighbor is what everything comes down to. Everything that has been written in the scriptures is summed up in these two statements. "Loving God" and "loving others" is evidence of a growing relationship with Jesus.

We've defined "loving God" as developing an intimacy with Him. We divided "loving our neighbor" into those inside the faith and those outside the faith. So part of what we want to do at encounter is to create environments where people can pursue these three vital relationships.

Read more about our vision and values here.

Growing Faith: Our Mission...Unpacked

The mission of Encounter is "to see people moving forward toward a growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

It helps answer the question, "What do we want people to become?" It sounds simple, but is it? Well, yes and no.

It IS simple in that it is easy to say, it's easy to remember. But it is not so easy to live. That is because, if you've heard Andy Stanley, a great vision is easy and simple to remember - but it is really incomplete. There is more to understand than simply "leading people in growing relationships with Jesus." So let me unpack a part of what it means.

IT'S NOT ABOUT US
We must first admit that it is not through our effort alone that others enter into or grow in their relationship with Christ. One cannot ignore or underestimate the power and work of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we serve a role, but it is ultimately an extension of God's work through us that bears fruit.

If you look at 1 Corinthians 6:19, we understand that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. That means that our bodies (as believers) are the place of God's presence on earth. More importantly, God relates to people through us. When people ask "Where is God in the midst of this crisis, in the midst of my journey?" The answer is that God is here, through us (as believers).

All this to say that we play an important role in the work that God has in this world. When we are wholly abandoned and submitted to Him, we are able to carry out His purpose for our life and to help lead another in a growing relationship with Jesus.

MOVING FORWARD
I've had a couple comments about how often we use this phrase when we describe what we're about. The questions that come sound something like this... Is this just about discipleship? What about evangelism? What about sharing the gospel? What about repentance, what about the power of the the shed blood of Christ?

First, leading people in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ involves all those things. It involves what we want people to become. 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, not as list of items to check off until we have reached a certain point - but discipleship is a process of becoming more and more intimate with Jesus Christ.

WHAT ABOUT THE GOSPEL?
Our mission really comes from Jesus' parting words from Matthew 28, "Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Basically, as we go through life, we are to relationally connect with people in such a way that it encourages them to follow Jesus.

And don't miss that key point ... we are to "relationally connect" with people. That's part of what we call invest and invite. In order to lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus, we need to "invest" our lives in theirs. As we invest and develop trust relationships with others, we demonstrate our true concern for them. And this ultimately gives us the opportunity to effectively "speak" into their lives.

Whether it involves a discussion about the gospel, about repentance, about the blood of Christ, or about simply inviting them to a worship service, when we develop trust relationship with someone, it gives us the opportunity to help lead them in a growing relationship of Jesus Christ.

Read more about our vision and values here.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 ARC Church Planting Roundtable Update

Thought I would let you know how the ARC Church Planters Roundtable went last week. Here are some reflections...

• Colorado Springs is beautiful, even in the rain.
• New Life Church is pretty awesome - great place for the roundtable.
• Met Ross Parsley and Brady Boyd, New Life's new senior pastor. Boyd will be a great spiritual leader for the New Life family.
• Met about 50 people who have a true passion for church planting.
• Billy Hornsby introduced ARC as an organization dedicated to planting churches that look like Jesus - churches through which people can "encounter Jesus." No joke! Billy used the word "encounter" a number of times. Churches need to reflect the personality and attributes of Jesus - Did Billy read our Encounter Prospectus??!!!
• I really resonate with ARC's passion — to plant life-giving churches.
• Billy shared eight characteristics of life-giving churches:

1. Empowering Leadership - Leadership empowers believers to follow God's plan.
2. Gift-Oriented Ministry - Help believers identify and integrate their gifts.
3. Passionate Spirituality - Faith lived out with commitment, fire, and enthusiasm.
4. Functional Structures - Structures must help fulfill the purpose of the church. Cut the fluff.
5. Inspiring Worship - Excellent worship that inspires people.
6. Holistic Small Groups - Encourage groups where people can find intimate community, practical help, and intensive spiritual interaction.
7. Need-oriented Evangelism - Address the questions and concerns of non-Christians.
8. Loving Relationships - Form strong and genuine trust relationships.

I feel challenged by our next steps with ARC. A lot more was shared at the roundtable, including all the different ways they help and come alongside church planters. If you want to know more, just contact us and we'll talk. But here are the basic facts:

1. To continue, we must submit an application - if approved, we must attend a church planter assessment in Atlanta, Georgia. The cost of the assessment is small, but the travel expenses will be difficult. I estimate it will cost nearly $2,100 to travel and stay there for the assessment. Of course, it could be cheaper if we could stay with someone, find some transportation there, or receive a donation of frequent flier miles.
2. We must also secure a "sponsor" church to come alongside us. This sponsor church must believe in our vision enough to vouch for us financially. That means that although ARC will match all the funds we raise dollar-for-dollar (up to $30,000) - if the church plant falls through, the "sponsor" church will repay ARC for all funds provided.

We would like to pursue this partnership with ARC, but we're going to need some help. For now, we're praying for God's direction and working in this situation. If God is moving you to help with any of this, please let us know.

Sunday, September 7, 2008 Steps Toward Partnership

Because of your help, we are going to Colorado Springs this week to attend the ARC Church Planters Roundtable (CPR) at New Life Church.

I mentioned the Association of Related Churches (ARC) before as one possible Encounter partner. ARC comes highly recommended by several people I've talked to recently as well as Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv (see his post here).

Just to let you know, ARC seeks to provide encouragement and coaching that includes close mentoring relationships and financial resources for new church planters. There are four components in everything they do - and those four components are what interested us in ARC.

1. They Believe in a Big Start – They want to help us build up to a big start. They coach planters how to build a team, raise funds, develop a worship team and children's ministry, and open our doors with excellence and momentum. If we can start strong, we have a greater chance of growing strong.
2. They are Focused on Reaching the Unchurched — They are focused on finding ways to cross the cultural wall and reach the lost. ARC is all about helping build churches that are culturally relevant with passionate worship, practical Bible-based teaching and dynamic family ministries.
3. They Build Friendships and Do Life Together — They believe friendships and relationships are critical for being successful in life and ministry. As ARC churches expand around the country, there is a group of people that can help us, coach us, and be there for us as we plant Encounter in Helena.
4. They Offer a Network of Practical Resources — ARC offers help on many levels including conferences & seminars, the ARC Intranet (resources for sermon series ideas, outlines, PowerPoint and media), Bible training, internships, missions opportunities, and much more.

This week, we'll be learning more about ARC, and they will be learning more about us. If it is God's will, we may be joining with them to plant Encounter as a life-giving church community in Helena. Please pray for our travel and for the kids as they stay here in Helena.

Making Kingdom Connections Through Facebook

Interestingly enough, Facebook has been a great help in making connections with other church planters.

I've been talking with one guy planting a church community in Tennessee. They've got great momentum and, like Encounter, their church community is one focused on the unchurched in their area. Their launch date is approaching quick on Sunday, October 5, so I would encourage you to throw some Kingdom prayers their way.

Another connection I made is with a planter in New York. They are running a coffee house to reach those far from God by creating a natural community place to build relationships. They later plan to build on the relationships they've established through the coffee house, by launching a second location (church community) in the area. Awesome!

Finally, I talked with a guy with some experience planting a church in Washington. He contacted me just to offer whatever help he could and prayed for us over the phone this last week. It's truly a blessing to see some of the ways God is connecting the vision for Encounter around the country and throughout His Kingdom.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 What It's All About

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)

Monday, August 25, 2008 Church Planting Partnerships

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.

These indicators alone convince us that Encounter needs to launch with the help of one or more sponsors. Here's what we're currently exploring...

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 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 Investing in Relationships

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.

And one thing to remember 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 connect with Encounter. 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.

Investing in others' lives 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 LifeGroups

We want everyone to end up in a LifeGroup for spiritual growth, discipleship, accountability, and encouragement. 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 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.