The Bible
Scripture is the inspired, infallible Word of God and the final authority for what we teach and how we live. We teach it verse by verse, not topic by trend.
About Encounter Church
We're building the church
the way it started.
Encounter Church is a new church plant in Lufkin, Texas, patterned after the first church in Acts. No fluff, no filler — just the Word of God and real encounters with Jesus.
Our Heart
The first church model
In Acts 2, the early believers devoted themselves to four things: the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. That's it. No stagecraft, no gimmicks. And the Lord added to their number daily.
We think that's still the plan. So we teach the Bible plainly, we eat together, we pray like it matters, and we refuse to let anyone sit anonymous in a crowd.
Our Pastor
Ashley Berry
Pastor Ashley Berry leads Encounter Church with a conviction that people don't need more religion — they need Jesus. Her teaching is direct, biblical, and unafraid of the hard passages.
She and the Encounter family are planting this church in East Texas to see lives genuinely changed, one encounter at a time.
Hear the vision
Meet Your Pastor
Hi, I'm Pastor Ashley.
Lover of Jesus, coffee, and after-church naps.
I share life with my two sons, Caiden and Landon, and our four-legged boy, Oakley James, who fully believes he is an actual human. I am an entrepreneur, a nonprofit founder and CEO, and a mother of many by way of the foster care system. If you ever see a few extra kids around me, just consider bringing me a meal or two the next week — because I do not like to cook.
I love to build systems. I love to learn. I am not perfect and will never claim to be, but I am as genuine as they come and I love hard. I have been around the block enough to know that real life is messy, real faith is costly, and real encounters with Jesus are the only thing that changes anything.
That is why Encounter Church exists. Not to give you another religious routine, but to create intentional spaces where you can meet Jesus face to face. I will be your biggest advocate while keeping you accountable, because the kingdom of God is not built by hype — it is built by people who are willing to show up, be honest, and let Jesus do what only He can do.
Love you, and I can't wait to see what's on the other side of your Encounter with Him.
Jesus first Coffee second Naps are holy
What We Believe
Statement of faith
Jesus
Jesus is the Son of God — fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life, died in our place, rose bodily from the grave, and is coming again.
Salvation
Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. It is not earned, not inherited, and not negotiable. One encounter with Him changes everything.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit indwells every believer, convicts, comforts, and empowers us to live sent. We make room for His presence in every gathering.
The Church
The church is not a building or an audience. It is a family devoted to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to breaking bread, and to prayer.
The Mission
We are sent. Every believer carries the gospel into their home, their work, and their city until Jesus returns.
You were made for more.
Come as you are. Leave transformed.
Plan Your Visit