Encounter Life

In this episode, Pastor Kurt Richey highlights three critical stages where faith is indispensable: the moment of salvation, the endurance through life's trials, and the final transition into eternity. Critiquing the modern church's tendency to avoid the topic of mortality, Pastor Kurt urges listeners to cultivate a "final faith" that looks past the body's expiration date toward the promise of resurrection.

In this episode, Brad and Amber Werlin join the Richeys to explore the vital role of church administration. Drawing on his business background and faith journey, Brad explains that managing budgets and facilities is a spiritual ministry essential to the Body of Christ. The conversation highlights that administration is not just about paperwork, but about stewarding the church's mission to ensure the Gospel can effectively reach and transform the community.

In this episode, Pastor Kurt Richey interviews Jorge and Ashley Morales, whose life journey is a powerful "go and tell" testimony. From serving as a police officer in Mexico and surviving a harrowing cartel kidnapping, Jorge shares his miraculous path to freedom, his move to Florida, and the joy of building a family through adoption with his wife, Ashley.

It is a story of extreme rescue and faith, proving that one encounter with Jesus can change everything.

Featured Music:

“Come and See” – The Mylon Hayes Family

Christian Apologetics for the Ordinary Man series

In this episode Pastor Kurt Richey and Pastor Dale Clayton explore a vital distinction for any believer seeking to apply the Bible correctly: the difference between descriptive and prescriptive scripture. Descriptive passages record what happened in history, while prescriptive passages provide direct instructions on what we are expected to believe or do.

In this episode, Pastor Kurt Richey talks about the profound impact of the Resurrection, describing it as the "sure and steadfast anchor" for the soul. He emphasizes that hope is the essential seedbed for faith, and without the living Christ, our spiritual journey would lack its source of power. By weaving together scriptures like II Corinthians 5 and Hebrews 6, Pastor Kurt illustrates how Jesus’ victory over the grave validates the Cross, provides a "safe harbor" from life's storms, and secures an eternal inheritance for all who believe. This episode is a stirring reminder that because Jesus lives, we are saved to the uttermost.

In this episode, Pastor Kurt introduces The Café Bible Study, a new conversational ministry at Encounter Church in Wildwood, Florida. Inspired by the fellowship of the early church in Acts 2, Pastor Kurt explores typology—the study of Old Testament patterns that point to Jesus. He highlights the powerful connection between the timing of the Passover lamb sacrifices and the crucifixion of Christ, ultimately reminding listeners that the Bible is a grand revelation of God's infinite grace and love.

In this episode, hosts Joni and Kurt Richey welcome their dear friend and devoted servant of the Gospel, Louise Blessing. The episode centers on the theme of a life lived with "no regrets," framed by the apostolic resolve found in Acts 20:22-24.

In this episode, Pastor Kurt welcomes Marii Cruz, the Youth and Young Adult Pastor at Encounter Church. They have a great conversation about the changes of youth ministry. Pastor Marii shares her personal story—from her Puerto Rican roots and her time as a single mother in leadership to navigating marriage and ministry with her husband, Aaron. Together, they discuss the unique challenges of reaching everyone from middle schoolers to thirty-year-olds, the importance of protecting family time, and the powerful rewards of seeing young lives transformed by an encounter with Jesus.

In this episode, Pastor Kurt reflects on his return mission to El Salvador with The Thirst Initiative, moving from the "brokenness" of his first trip to the focused action of providing clean water to those in need. He describes the complex coordination of these projects as a "divine conspiracy," arguing that while God promises future healing for a broken world, our current highest calling is to serve as "living sacrifices." By contrasting Western abundance with global thirst, Richey challenges listeners to recognize that when a solution is within our reach, we have a spiritual mandate to act as essential pieces of God’s plan.

In this landmark episode, Pastor Kurt takes us inside the walls of the newly dedicated Encounter Church building. It was a weekend of "firsts" and "faithfuls," marked by a Celebration Service of over 600 people, a bustling Open House, and a formal Dedication Ceremony attended by national leaders, local law enforcement, and community pillars.