Encounter Church
Encounter Church is a multi-site Protestant nonprofit operating worship locations in Grand Rapids and Kentwood, Michigan, plus Encounter Nepal in Kathmandu, serving families, youth, and young adults through weekly services, ministries, community groups, and benevolence-funded counseling referrals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids (Fulton Heights), United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Encounter Church does
Encounter Church is a multi-site Protestant Christian nonprofit headquartered in Kentwood, Michigan, operating two physical campuses in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area (Kentwood, established 2013 at a former fitness center; Fulton Heights, launched September 2021 in a historic 1950s building) plus Encounter Nepal, an international church plant in Kathmandu led by pastors Satya and Prasha Maharjan. The organization delivers weekly worship experiences, biblical teaching, Kids! Ministry (birth through 5th grade), YOUTH ministry (6th-12th grade, spanning 18 schools), After Hours young adults ministry (18-29), and small community groups, with services also streamed online via YouTube and distributed as podcast/audio content on Spotify and SoundCloud. Encounter Church maintains a sizable volunteer infrastructure (e.g., 102 adult and 26 student leaders in Kids! Ministry alone).
The underlying technology stack is built on the Nucleus church management platform, which powers the church's website, event registrations, group management, online giving, and the Church Center portal. Distribution is hybrid: in-person Sunday worship at 10:00 a.m. across physical locations, online livestream and on-demand media, and a multi-channel social presence (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) plus a weekly email newsletter. Marketing and outreach are community-led, relying on relational ministry, the 'One' commitment model, and a capital campaign (NEXT YES) that secured $2,295,640 in commitments against a $1.5M goal to fund facility improvements across Kentwood, Fulton Heights, and Nepal.
Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary contributions, with three primary streams: recurring tithes and offerings collected via online and in-person giving, multi-year capital campaign pledges for facility improvements (with options including monthly commitments, stock donations, and gifts-in-kind), and a benevolence fund that subsidizes up to 75% of the first six counseling visits for qualifying individuals through a network of 15+ partner counseling organizations. The organization is governed by a Lead Team with Dirk VanEyk serving as Lead Pastor and is supported by 19 employees plus a large volunteer base.
Encounter Church firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Encounter Church
- Legal name
- Encounter Church
- Website
- https://encounterchurch.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Encounter Church is a multi-site Protestant nonprofit operating worship locations in Grand Rapids and Kentwood, Michigan, plus Encounter Nepal in Kathmandu, serving families, youth, and young adults through weekly services, ministries, community groups, and benevolence-funded counseling referrals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Encounter Church industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)
Keywords
Where Encounter Church is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids (Fulton Heights)
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Encounter Church business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Tithes and Offerings: The primary revenue stream is voluntary tithes and offerings from congregation members, collected during weekly worship experiences and through an online giving platform.
- Capital Campaign Contributions: The NEXT YES capital campaign raises funds above and beyond regular giving to fund facility improvements at Kentwood, Fulton Heights, and Encounter Nepal. Contributions are solicited over a two-year period with creative giving options including monthly commitments, stock donations, and gifts-in-kind.
- Benevolence Fund: Encounter Church maintains a benevolence fund to reduce barriers for people to access counseling services, covering up to 75% of the cost of first six counseling visits for qualifying individuals.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Encounter Church product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Encounter Church operates a multi-site Protestant Christian ministry delivering in-person Sunday worship experiences at its Grand Rapids (Fulton Heights), Kentwood, and Kathmandu (Nepal) campuses, complemented by online streaming, age-segmented programs (Kids!, YOUTH, After Hours young adults), small-group community groups, pastoral counseling referrals with a benevolence fund, and the NEXT YES capital campaign funding facility upgrades across locations.
Product overview
Encounter Church is a multi-location Christian church organization with physical locations in Grand Rapids, Kentwood (Michigan), and Kathmandu, Nepal. The organization offers in-person worship experiences, online streaming, children's ministry (Kids!), youth ministry, young adults ministry (After Hours), groups, guest experience hospitality, and outreach programs. The church also distributes sermon media through YouTube, Spotify, and podcast platforms. Encounter Church operates the NEXT YES campaign as a major fundraising initiative for facility improvements across its locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- After Hours: Young adults ministry for ages 18-29 in the Grand Rapids metro
Products and services
- Sunday Worship Experience (Multi-Site) In-person weekly worship services held simultaneously on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. across Encounter Church's three locations (Grand Rapids/Fulton Heights, Kentwood), featuring live band worship, biblical preaching, and integrated Kids and Youth programming, open to all including first-time visitors.
- Online Worship Experience
Quantifiable outcome
- 8.5% average monthly increase in attendance even while under construction
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Encounter Church
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Encounter Church technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Encounter Church partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Elevate StudiocoreArchitecture and design firm specialized in churches. Consulted in fall 2024 to develop a master plan for facility improvements. Conducted in-person interviews and questionnaires with dozens of volunteers, staff, and Lead Team to develop a design master plan addressing near-term ministry barriers and positioning Encounter for continued growth.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelinecoreNational crisis hotline referenced as a resource for individuals struggling or in crisis. Encounter Church directs people in crisis to contact 988 or use Lifeline Chat. Church maintains benevolence funds to reduce counseling access barriers.
- 3rdchairminorRecommended counseling organization for middle and high school students, college students, and young adults. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Arbor CircleminorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Centennial Park Counseling (Dr. Randall Herrema, PsyD)minorRecommended counseling practice. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- The Family Therapy PlaceminorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- The Fountain Hill CenterminorRecommended counseling organization with contacts Blake Kooi and Amy Van Gunst. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Integrative Health ConsultantsminorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- The Journey Christian CounselingminorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Passionate Life Counseling (Rachel Duhon)minorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Pine RestminorRecommended counseling and mental health organization. Also referenced for postpartum support. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Psychology AssociatesminorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Rachel Holland / GR TherapyminorRecommended therapist at Grand Rapids Therapy Group. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Restorative Counseling CenterminorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Second Story Counseling (Allison Studer, LMSW)minorRecommended counseling organization in Hudsonville. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Tanya M Brooks / Empowerment CounselingminorRecommended counselor. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Together With Therapy (Nick Burner, MDiv, MA, LPC, EMDR Therapist)minorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- West Michigan Wellness GroupminorRecommended counseling organization. Encounter Church covers up to 75% of counseling costs through benevolence funds for qualifying individuals.
- Never The Same CampminorCamp program attended by 32 students and leaders from the YOUTH ministry (6th–12th grade).
- Nucleus (Church Platform Provider)coreChurch management software platform powering Encounter Church's website, event registrations, group management, giving, and communications (Church Center).
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Encounter Church competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Life.Church: Multi-site church that pioneered the online church experience and distributed digital curriculum. Directly comparable to Encounter's online worship stream and Nucleus-powered digital infrastructure.
- Elevation Church: Multi-site church with a strong digital content and worship music footprint (Elevation Worship). Comparable in multi-site strategy and emphasis on streamed media via YouTube and Spotify.
- North Point Community Church: Atlanta-area multi-site megachurch known for its strategy-driven, community-led model. Shares Encounter's emphasis on small groups and approachable teaching, though at materially larger scale.
- Gateway Church: Texas-based multi-site church with online streaming and a global missions footprint. Comparable multi-site + missions model (similar to Encounter's Encounter Nepal plant).
- Christ Fellowship Church: Multi-site church with campuses across South Florida and strong kids/youth programming. Comparable multi-site footprint and emphasis on next-generation ministry similar to Encounter's Kids! and YOUTH programs.
- Church of the Highlands: One of the largest multi-site churches in the U.S., with a campus-launch playbook and large capital campaigns. Comparable in growth trajectory and multi-site replication model.
Direct peers
- Bayside Church: Mid-size multi-site church with campuses in Northern California and online, with a similar community-group-driven model. Closest in scale and operational structure to Encounter.
- North Coast Church: San Diego-area multi-site church with a strong small-groups network and online content. Comparable in multi-site strategy and digital engagement approach.
- The Summit Church: Multi-site church in Durham, NC with a comparable community-led philosophy and emphasis on next-gen ministries. Similar mid-sized multi-site footprint to Encounter.
- Watermark Community Church: Dallas-area multi-site church with community groups and a focus on member discipleship. Comparable in mid-size multi-site operations and small-group-centric engagement model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Encounter Church social profiles
Digital presenceEncounter Church financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Encounter Church leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Encounter Church subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Encounter Church funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Encounter Church M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Encounter Church
What does Encounter Church do?
Encounter Church operates a multi-site Protestant Christian ministry delivering in-person Sunday worship experiences at its Grand Rapids (Fulton Heights), Kentwood, and Kathmandu (Nepal) campuses, complemented by online streaming, age-segmented programs (Kids!, YOUTH, After Hours young adults), small-group community groups, pastoral counseling referrals with a benevolence fund, and the NEXT YES capital campaign funding facility upgrades across locations.
Is Encounter Church a public or private company?
Encounter Church is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Encounter Church founded?
Encounter Church was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Encounter Church based?
Encounter Church is headquartered in Grand Rapids (Fulton Heights), United States, in the North America region.
How does Encounter Church make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tithes and Offerings are the primary driver. The others are capital Campaign Contributions and benevolence Fund.
Who are Encounter Church's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Life.Church, Elevation Church, North Point Community Church, Gateway Church, Christ Fellowship Church and Church of the Highlands. Direct peers are Bayside Church, North Coast Church, The Summit Church and Watermark Community Church.
Does Encounter Church have an API?
No public API is recorded for Encounter Church.
What industry is Encounter Church in?
Encounter Church's product category is Religious Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAA, Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAE, Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International). Its NAICS code is 8131.