Encounter Henley Welcomes Senior Pastor of Encounter Church Adelaide: Jenny Wardrop

Are you a rule follower or a rule breaker? Whether you’re a stickler for the instruction manual or someone who plays by your own "family rules," we are all shaped by the boundaries around us. But as Pastor Jenny Wardrop explores in this message, the real question isn't whether we follow the rules—it's how we experience them.

Pulling from the scene of the Last Supper, Jenny breaks down the three mindsets that dictate how we live our lives and practice our faith:

• The "Have To" Mindset: Living under obligation. It’s self-centered, builds resentment, and often leads to a spirit of rebellion.
• The "Want To" Mindset: Driven by feelings and "others-centered" service. While better, it’s limited by our own energy and how others respond to us.
• The "Get To" Mindset: The Christ-centered shift. This is where rules don't constrain us; they free us.

Key Highlights

• Celebrating New Life: We hear from Zoe, who is preparing to plant a new church in the Barossa. She shares her vision for "Rhythms of Grace" and a discipleship-first model designed to unburden the unchurched.
• The Diamond Family Rules: Jenny shares a hilarious look at her own "house rules" during board games and how our perspective on boundaries reveals our heart posture.
• The Essential Bread: Why did Jesus use flatbread? A look at how Jesus positions himself as the essential, daily requirement for a life full of joy.
• A New Covenant: Moving from the tradition of the Passover to the invitation of the Table—transforming a meal of "obligation" into a gift of "reception."

Scripture References

"I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." — Luke 22:15

• Ephesians 1:7: Forgiveness through the riches of God's grace.
• John 6: Jesus as the Bread of Life and the source of eternal life.

Are you serving on a team or coming to church because you "have to"? This episode is an invitation to move past the grind of obligation and into the freedom of being Christ-centered. When we realize that everything we have is a gift we didn't deserve, we stop being controlled by the rules and start being freed by them.