Encounter the God you’ve been searching for
Encounter Church is a community of everyday people committed to serving Jesus and one another. Our hope is to be a vessel through which others come to know and follow Jesus—and we’d love for you to join us on that journey. Come as you are, and let’s grow together in faith, purpose, and love.
Where do we meet?
Downtown Athens
660 West Broad Street
Sundays, 10:30 a.m.
FAQs
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When you are here, you’ll find a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and a community of people encountering God together through worship, prayer, and a message from the Bible.
If you want coffee and some great conversations, please come early. People usually start arriving about 30 minutes before the service starts to talk and hang out.
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Yes, we do! We start with families worshipping together at the beginning of the service. Then, after worship, children ages 3 - 5th grade can go with leaders who have passed background checks and have been trained in keeping children safe. They will experience a short lesson in God’s Word followed by a time to play together.
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We hold to the core beliefs that the church has always held since its beginning. We want to focus on the major points, while allowing room for discussion and debate on the others. We do this because we want to join with others, and have them join us, in what matters to God: His people actively bringing others into His family. On the core beliefs we seek unity, on the distinctives and others we seek charity, and toward one another we seek to act in love.
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We are part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) Denomination (cmalliance.org), and more about our beliefs can be found on their WEB site (https://cmalliance.org/who-weare/our-faith-and-mission/). The first part of the CMA belief statement says: "In The Alliance, we are Jesus people. We say 'All of Jesus,' because we're after His Lordship, a complete transformation in our lives through His Spirit. Scripture tells us that 'the same power that raised Jesus from the grave is at work within us. If we believe that, then our lives will change." This is what happens when we have an encounter with Jesus. This is what we want to be and do at Encounter Church.
Current Events
Tuesdays, 6:30am - Men's Bible Study at Biscuit Express, 8729 US-29 in Hull - currently studying Galatians, Ephesians & Colossians
Thursdays, 6:30pm - Women’s Bible Study in the Cafe, 660 W. Broad St, Athens - The current study is “Praying the Names of God”
Sunday service at 10:30am, 660 W Broad St, Athens. Church & Café are open from 9:30am-12pm. We pause serving drinks during the service, and then continue again once it’s over.
Sundays from 9:30-9:45am - Prayer at Encounter Church - If you come early to church, please feel free to head into the service room anytime between 9:30-9:45am to walk through and pray for the service, the church as a whole, and the people God will be leading to the service.
Tuesday, February 17th, 6:30pm - Socrates Café at Encounter Café (660 W. Broad St, Athens). Come be part of an open-ended conversation or simply relax and enjoy listening as we explore questions about life, right, wrong, belief, knowledge, and more! Bring a friend (or a few!) who might enjoy an evening of fun, philosophical dialogue.
Saturday, February 28th, 7pm - Will Reagan & Ivan Theva in concert at Encounter Café. Tickets can be purchased at the following link:
Tuesday, March 17th, 6:30pm - Socrates Café at Encounter Café (660 W. Broad St, Athens). Come be part of an open-ended conversation or simply relax and enjoy listening as we explore questions about life, right, wrong, belief, knowledge, and more! Bring a friend (or a few!) who might enjoy an evening of fun, philosophical dialogue.
Sunday, March 22nd - Lunch in the café after service! Mark your calendars! - If you call Encounter Church your home, or if you’ve been wanting to come check it out, come to service at 10:30am and then plan to stay for lunch in the Café directly after the service. This is a time to connect, enjoy a meal, and continue to grow together as a church family.
Friday, April 3rd - Possible Good Friday service or experience at the church
Sunday, April 5th - EASTER SUNDAY
Stamp Ministry for Missions - There is a ministry through the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination where stamps are collected, sold, and the money is used to help fund mission work. You can be a part of this by cutting the stamps off of your mail and bringing them to the church. Please see the link below for more details.
https://www.alliancewomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/WEB-Stamp-Ministry-2025-Overview.pdf
No need to do sorting and trimming or get bogged down with all the details if you don't have time for that. Just cut/tear around the stamp area of your mail leaving at least a 1/3" or 1/4" of envelope around the stamp if you can. This will be an on-going collection throughout 2026 so feel free to collect at home and then bring with you when you have a small baggie full and we'll take care of getting them where they need to be sent!Encounter Café - (660 W Broad St, Athens) - An outreach ministry of Encounter Church Athens. We created this space as a "third space" to serve our community by offering a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere to study, gather, and connect. Located in downtown Athens, we serve handcrafted lattes, teas, refreshers, and homemade desserts. All the proceeds from the café are considered donations to Encounter Church ministries and go directly to support the ministries of the church. Whether you’re studying, meeting friends, or simply unwinding, you’ll find free Wi-Fi, charging stations, and a great selection of card and board games to enjoy. Come see us and make yourself at home!
Hours: Wednesday 7:30am-1:30pm; Thursdays & Fridays 7:30am-1:30pm and 4:30-9:00pm; Saturdays 8:30am-1:30pm; Sundays 9:30am-12:pm; Service 10:30am-11:30am (We pause serving drinks at 10:25am & then begin again after church service is over.)
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575323945143
Instagram - encounter_cafe
Google - Encounter Café Athens GA