Discipleship is nothing more and nothing less than how Jesus defines it above. Each of us are called to deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow Christ. Exactly how that gets worked out in our lives is unique to the individual, but the common goal for us is clear: To follow Christ in mind, body, and soul.
The purpose of Encounters Ministry, then, is to help each person become these humble, faithful, and obedient followers of Jesus Christ. And since God calls ALL of us to be disciples, we want see every single person at FC involved in an Encounters group, growing through the power of His Word, His Spirit, and His community. In this way, Encounters is much more than just a place to hang. It’s a community of faith in which God uses His Word, His Spirit, and His people to transform people.
At Encounters, we value the Scriptures, relationships, learning, and success. This means:
- We strive to do things according to the Word and Spirit of God;
- We care about creating a vibrant and active community of faith through love, hope, and faith;
- We seek to constantly grow, mature, and develop; and
- We want to expand into more groups by training and equipping facilitators.
These values (which are listed in order of priority) provide guidelines for how we do what we do in Encounters. They inform every decision, every choice that we make in the ministry.
At its heart, Encounters is about the transformation that takes place when we meet with the living God. That’s why we call it Encounters because we meet with, or encounter, God through His Word, through His Spirit, and through His community. May every encounter we have with our Lord change us to become people who deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow Him for all eternity!