FIRE

Multiplying Resilient Disciples

Encounter Henley Welcomes Preacher: Daniel Clisby In this episode, Daniel Clisby kicks off our brand-new sermon series on Encounter Church's five core values, starting with a message close to his heart: Multiplying Resilient Disciples. Drawing from his own painfully relatable battles with university procrastination and shifting gravel, Daniel unpacks the Apostle Paul’s radical, upside-down framework in Romans 5: rejoicing in our trials. Discover why suffering isn’t something to flee or muscle through on our own, but rather our ultimate spiritual training ground—one where the Holy Spirit serves as our spotter and the church community acts as our recovery spa. If you are ready to stop trying to control your way out of hardship and start yielding to true spiritual endurance, this message is for you. Key Takeaways From This Episode * The Spectrum of Coping: Why both avoiding reality (the "numbing" route) and aggressively fighting it (the "hustle" route) are worldly pursuits destined to fail. * Paul’s 3-Step Program (Romans 5): How suffering builds endurance, endurance develops character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. * The Holy Spirit as Our Spotter: You don’t have to push through life’s heavy weights in your own power. * Doing Life Together: The vital role of Resilient Disciple Groups (RDGs) in sharing burdens and breaking the habit of hiding our pain. Scripture References * Romans 5:3-5 (Rejoicing in problems and trials) * Matthew 6:26-27 (Anxiety and trusting the Father) * Jeremiah 29:11 (God's plans for hope and a future) * Hebrews 12:1-2 (Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the perfecter of our faith)

FIRE

Encounter Henley Welcomes Pastor: Ashlee Littleford In this episode, Pastor Ashlee Littleford shares a hilarious yet convicting story about trying to move a heavy trailer by hand—and how that "trailer moment" serves as the perfect metaphor for the way we often try to live the Christian life. When we rely on human effort, we might make a little progress on flat ground. But the moment we hit the "incline" of real-life stress, grief, or temptation, willpower fails. In this episode, we dive into: * The "Trailer" Trap: Why we choose to "unhitch" from God’s power and attempt to move life’s heavy burdens on our own. * Competency vs. Dependency: How even mature believers can shift from relying on the Holy Spirit to relying on their own experience and intellect. * The Theology of Pentecost: Why the wind, fire, and languages in Acts 2 aren’t just ancient history—they are the blueprint for God relocating His presence from a temple of stone into the hearts of His people. * Practical Steps to "Hook Up" to Power: A guide for transitioning from self-reliance to a life of yielding to the Holy Spirit. Are you running on fumes, living on the memory of God’s power rather than the current reality of it? Stop pushing the trailer and turn the engine on. Discover how to stop striving and start catching the wind of the Spirit. Key Takeaways from the "Henley Homework": * Stop Trying, Start Yielding: Learn the daily practice of surrendering your schedule, anxieties, and relationships to God before the day even begins. * Treat the Temple with Honor: Understand what it means to care for your life—your physical, mental, and spiritual self—as the actual dwelling place of the Creator. * Clean House: Identify the bitterness, addiction, or unforgiveness that is "grieving" the Spirit, and learn why repentance is an act of honor, not just duty

Lock In

Encounter Henley Welcomes Preacher: Josh Petrie "Am I meant for more than this?" It’s the question that drives every cinematic superhero from Tony Stark to Peter Parker, but as Josh Petrie explores in this challenging message, it is also the deepest question of the human heart. Drawing a line from the silver screen to the Great Commission, Josh examines the weight of conviction—that deciding moment where we choose to let our old selves die to become something new. Sharing his own journey of joining Encounter Church in 2019 with "no intention of staying," Josh illustrates how a single choice to move from spectator to participant changed his life’s trajectory. He challenges us to stop "domesticating" Jesus by treating church as a Sunday box to be checked. Instead, he calls for a community of Monday Invaders—people who carry the presence of Jesus into their workplaces, hallways, and the mess of real-life relationships. Key Takeaways * Conviction vs. Convenience: Why staying the same is often harder than choosing the transformation God calls us to. * The Handover: Understanding the Great Commission as Jesus passing the baton of His ministry to us. * Go vs. Attend: Trading the "Sunday spectator" lifestyle for a "Monday invader" identity. * Raised, Not Created: Why discipleship isn't a theology degree, but a season of being raised within a messy, authentic community. * The "Plus-One" Culture: Dealing with the heartbreak of the "no" and the persistent call to keep investing in others.

Greater Vision

Encounter Henley Welcomes Lead Pastor: Tim Littleford Are you feeling surrounded by "armies" of sickness, debt, or stress? It is easy to let what is visible dictate our reality, but as Pastor Tim Littleford explores in this powerful message, what is visible is often an incomplete picture. Drawing from the story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings, Tim challenges us to trade our "Enlightenment hangovers"—the tendency to separate the rational from the spiritual—for Greater Vision. We learn that the same Spirit that opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to see chariots of fire is available to us today. As Encounter Church enters its third year, this episode is a call to move beyond "Supernatural Sundays" and let the reality of God’s unseen kingdom invade our Mondays. Discover how personal knowledge of God provides a confidence that doesn't just fight or flee, but faces every challenge with prayer. Key Takeaways * Visible vs. Real: Understand why the physical world is factual, but the spiritual realm is the ultimate reality. * The Elisha Confidence: How to develop a "fifth" survival mechanism: facing down danger with prayer. * The Enlightenment Trap: Why Western Christians struggle to talk about faith as "knowledge" rather than just "opinion." * Personal Knowledge: Moving from "watching the game" to "getting on the court" with the Holy Spirit. * God’s Vision for You: Why God’s dream for your life is 10x greater than any plan you could craft for yourself.

Believing Thomas

Encounter Henley Welcomes Pastor: Ashlee Littleford This week, Pastor Ashlee Littleford explores the tension between intellectual defense mechanisms and deep-seated heartbreak. Drawing from her own background in mathematics and coding, Ashlee challenges the idea that doubt is a moral failure. Instead, she looks at the story of "Doubting Thomas" to show that Jesus doesn't meet our skepticism with a physics lecture—He meets it with His wounds. In this episode, we discuss: * Why "weaponizing" ourselves with facts often keeps us barricaded in our own corners. * The psychological reality of cynicism as a defense mechanism against emotional overload. * The staggering statistics on why people leave the church when they experience doubt. * Why Jesus retained His scars in His resurrected body specifically to comfort the doubter. * How to move from seeking evidence to experiencing an encounter. Whether you’re holding up a shield of intellectualism or faking a certainty you don’t feel, this message is an invitation to drop the walls and bring the "absolute mess of your story" to a Savior who isn't afraid of your questions. Scripture Reference: John 20:24-29 "Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.'"