About Us

The Supernatural Lifestyle

Most people don’t experience supernatural moments in their everyday lives. There is a big disconnect between their own experiences and those in stories of scripture or the lives of saints. If deep down you know Jesus Christ did not die for a powerless church, then you may be looking for the more that is promised by God. The Encounter School of Ministry can radically renew your mind and transform your life.

Campuses

The church calls us to proclaim the gospel through a supernatural
lifestyle of faith.

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What will you study at the Encounter School of Ministry?

(2-Year Curriculum Overview)

Course Details

School Leadership

Fr. Mathias Thelen

Founder, President & Instructor

Father Mathias Thelen is the President of Encounter Ministries and helps oversee the content of the Encounter School to ensure both the best teaching rooted in authentic Catholic doctrine.

Patrick Reis, MA

Founder, Director & Instructor

Patrick is the School Director and responsible for curriculum development and working with the school leadership and teachers to put the curriculum into effect and administer the needs of the school.

Dr. Mary Healy

Theological Curriculum Advisor

A close friend of Encounter Ministries, Dr. Mary Healy is a full professor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Dr. Healy provides counsel to school leadership on the development of curriculum teaching.

Below are our main campus and online campus instructors. If you’re looking at a satellite campus, we encourage you to check out the Satellite Campus page for directors and instructors.

Core Value #1: Positioned in Love

“And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Cor 13:2

We pursue the ministry of Jesus from a position of love for God and others; we desire to minister the authentic good for others without any concern for self and personal ambition.

Core Value #2: Awareness of God’s Presence

“I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of GOD. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth of centre of my soul as much as I can; and while I am so with Him I fear nothing; but the least turning from Him is insupportable.” Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God

Our goal is to cultivate a ‘presence-driven ministry’ born out of an increased awareness of the presence of God in our ministry.

Core Value #3 Intimacy with God

“If God should desire to raise us to the position of one who is an intimate and shares his secrets, we ought to accept this gladly.” St. Teresa of Avila

We acknowledge that all ministry should flow from a place of intimacy with God; all missionary efforts need to be rooted in personal holiness. We believe that the authentic growth of our ministry comes from our growing intimacy with Him.

Core Value #4 Risk Taking

To be ‘Spirit-filled evangelisers’ means to be evangelisers who are ‘fearlessly open to the working of the Holy Spirit’ – Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudiam

We encourage and celebrate students taking risks in their pursuit of greater obedience to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We seek to cultivate a lifestyle of fearless evangelization.

Core Value #5: Patience Toward Maturity

“Beware of becoming vexed or impatient at the faults of others; for it would be folly, when you see a man falling into a ditch, to throw yourself into another for no purpose.” Saint Bonaventure

We are intentionally patient with ourselves and with others as we develop our ministry gifts and acknowledge that because everyone is in a process of maturity that patience is the necessary for growth. We are also committed to giving and receiving feedback to help one another mature.

Core Value #6: Pursue Breakthrough

“Perseverance is the most desirable gift we can hope for in this life. It is in our power to persevere. Of course, I do not mean that our perseverance takes its origin from our power. On the contrary, I know that it springs from God’s mercy, whose most precious gift it is.” Saint Francis de Sales

We acknowledge that authentic growth comes through overcoming disappointment and that only through a lifestyle of perseverance will we breakthrough into the greatness that God has called for us in ministry.

Core Value #7: Culture of Honor

“Love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” – Romans 12:10

We intentionally seek to cultivate a culture of honor where we choose to treat one another with the highest regard because they bear the image of God and we celebrate his work in one another’s lives. We acknowledge that we can only properly receive from the gifts of others when we honor them.

Core Value #8: Christian Unity

“This cooperation based on our common faith is not only filled with fraternal communion, but is a manifestation of Christ himself…Moreover, ecumenical cooperation is a true school of ecumenism, a dynamic road to unity. Unity of action leads to the full unity of faith: Through such cooperation, all believers in Christ are able to learn easily how they can understand each other better and esteem each other more, and how the road to the unity of Christians may be made smooth.” – St. John Paul II, On Commitment to Ecumenism

We carry the Lord’s heart for unity among all who believe (cf Jn 17:21), and work with the Holy Spirit to build bridges with Christians of all denominations. On occasion we will welcome those Christian leaders from whom our leaders are in relationship with to present to our students.