Central Assembly Discipleship Ministries 

The Encounter Weekend

What is an Encounter?

The Encounter is a three-day retreat we utilize at Central Assembly as part of our overall vision to “make disciples who make disciples.”   It is one of the steps in our “Road to Maturity” vision.

 The purpose of the Encounter Retreat is to destroy the works of the enemy in the life of each person attending the retreat and remove every stronghold that might limit their success as a believer.  Through the weekend we seek to help restore the person to God’s design,  heal broken relationships, remove barriers to success, and cause the believer to walk in the freedom of total forgiveness.

 A great emphasis is placed upon on understanding the finished work of Jesus Christ through the Cross of Jesus. At the end of an encounter the believer should be sure of his salvation, experience genuine repentance, break chains that bind him to the past, receive deliverance from any oppression, experience emotional (inner) healing, and receive and experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

The Retreat is typically held at least one hour away from Vero Beach in order to be away from work, home and distractions.  It must be a place where people can spend three uninterrupted days together seeking God in a properly prepared spiritual atmosphere.

Who is a good candidate for an Encounter?

Typically, a good candidate for an Encounter Retreat is someone who:

Someone who is not relationally connected to you and is unfamiliar with our church is NOT a good candidate.  The Encounter is not the place to introduce people to Central!

Those who presently attend other churches also are NOT good candidates.  It is not our task to influence or proselytize people from other Christian churches. Just was we don’t encourage you to invite them to your cell, we do not encourage them to come to Encounters.

 The Encounter Retreat is just ONE step in our vision we call “The Road to Maturity.”  To be as effective as possible, we should remember that Encounters are part of the overall process, not the weekend “fit-it” for troubled souls.

 How do I send someone on Encounter?

 In order to go on an Encounter, a candidate must have a Central Cellpastor make application on their behalf. 

Acceptance is not automatic.  Along with space availability, factors such as readiness and a candidates qualifications factor into the acceptance decision. The overall event chemistry and possible relationship conflicts must also be considered by the Encounter team leader. 

Applications must be either made online (form below) or a written application may be given to the Encounter leader.  It’s important that we get all the required information and learn a little bit about the candidate. Have they made a profession of faith? Are they regularly attending your cell? Why do you believe this person is good candidate for the Encounter?

 The Encounter leaders may wish to discuss the application with you and learn more about the candidate. 

 Cell leaders will be notified of acceptance or postponement of the candidate for the upcoming Encounter.