ENCOUNTER NIGHTS
EXPERIENCING GOD AS ONE BIG FAMILY
"The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. . . . Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed."
Acts 5:12,16
ON THIS PAGE:
WHAT TO EXPECT
On first and third Sunday nights, all the house churches in our network come together for a big meeting with two goals in mind: (1) for us to encounter God together, and (2) for God to encounter us together. During this time, we purposefully seek Him, offering our whole hearts to Him in worship, pouring out our prayers with passion, and listening intently to what the Holy Spirit is speaking to us.
Our Encounter Nights are the closest thing we do to a "typical" church service, with worship in a large group, children's ministry, a message, and prayer ministry.
That said, these meetings are different from typical church services in that we don't consider this the "front door" of our church. We haven't put a lot of work into "first impressions." We have no ushers or bulletins. This is a meeting for those who simply want to encounter God together. We enter directly into worship without pretense, trusting that everyone who comes is ready to dive in immediately. Messages are generally not evangelistic but are geared toward strengthening believers. And we tend to spend extended times praying for and ministering to each other.
We start a half-hour early with prayer together (5:30pm). All are welcome during this time--in fact, we encourage it! Typically the time is spent praying either individually or as a group, interspersed with prophetic words and spontaneous worship. As the time for the main meeting draws near, we often gather together at the front of the room to pray for the meeting.
If you come into the room during the prayer meeting, don't feel weird. Join in! Feel free to find your seat and pray there, move around the room, or join any group that may have formed.
At 6:00pm, we will transition into a time of musical worship together. There is freedom to worship Jesus with exuberance or not--just be yourself as you offer your heart to God.
Some people dance, shout, raise their hands, close their eyes, kneel, lay on the floor, pace around the room, etc. All we ask is that your heartfelt worship of Jesus is sensitive to others in the room, not distracting people from the Lord but joining with everyone in unity and love.