Encounter Church Henley

Encounter Church Adelaide

Sunday Service from Encounter Church in Henley, South Australia At Encounter Henley, our heart is simple: we exist to help every person, from city to beach, have an encounter with Jesus.

  1. The Cross

    1D AGO

    The Cross

    Encounter Henley Welcomes Lead Pastor: Tim Littleford Every crisis is a moment of decision. Whether it's the sudden responsibility of becoming a parent or the loss of a loved one, life’s major turning points force us to ask: What now? How will I respond? In this profound Holy Week message, Lead Pastor Tim Littleford argues that the cross of Jesus Christ is the ultimate crisis. It is a moment in history that demands a response from every one of us, stripping away our indifference and posing one specific, life-altering question: Who is this Jesus really? In This Episode, We Explore: The Three Perspectives of the Cross: Tim breaks down the three ways people responded to Jesus at Golgotha—the weeping followers seeing a false hope, the cynical rulers seeing an imposter, and the convicted criminal who saw a King.A Royal Procession in Disguise: How the criminal on the cross looked past the thorns, the blood, and the wooden instrument of death to see a crown, a throne, and a coronation.The Irony of Grace: Why the very things the world mocked—Jesus’ inability to "save himself"—were the very actions that secured our salvation at His own personal cost.Bowing the Knee: A challenge to move beyond a "head-level" understanding of Easter and decide if Jesus is truly the King of your life, your decisions, and your future."The cross of Christ creates in us a moment of decision. It forces us to decide how we will respond... If Jesus is the King, does this King rule you?" — Tim Littleford

    14 min
  2. The Last Supper

    MAR 22

    The Last Supper

    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.

    29 min
  3. Be Planted

    MAR 15

    Be Planted

    Encounter Henley Welcomes Pastor: Tex Horner In this episode, Pastor Tex Horner explores the tension between "leaving" and "remaining." Drawing from the high-stakes data of the Brexit campaigns and the intimate setting of the Last Supper, Tex challenges the idea that "remaining" is a passive act of just accepting what is. Instead, he reveals that choosing to stay attached to the source of our life is the most proactive, empowering decision we can make. Inside the Message: The "Fight to Remain": Why changing our perspective from passive to proactive changes the outcome of our lives.The Vine & The Branches: A deep dive into Jesus’ most famous metaphor. What does it actually mean to produce "fruit," and why can’t we do it on our own?The Gardener’s Pride: From competition-sized giant onions to the "Fruit of the Spirit," learn how God tends to us with the skill of a master gardener.Reliance vs. Restriction: Why depending on God isn't a weight that holds us down, but a release that sets us free from the pressure of "producing" by ourselves.Relationship over Rules: A reminder that obedience is a response to being loved, not a prerequisite for it.Whether you are in a season of abundance or feeling like a "stick" in the mud, this message is an invitation to reattach yourself to the Vine. It’s time to stop worrying about the sunshine and the soil and start focusing on the simple, life-changing choice to stay. "Jesus came to earth to get messy in the soil with us. He didn't come to keep his hands clean."

    24 min
  4. Life to the Full

    FEB 15

    Life to the Full

    Encounter Henley Welcomes Guest Preacher: Rev. Nick Patselis This podcast episode features a guest message from Rev. Nick Patselis (Minister of Woodside Uniting) as he launches the new series, "Life to the Full." Nick brings a refreshing, humorous, and deeply practical look at what it means to live an abundant life in a world designed to distract us. From his son’s nickname for Encounter Church—"The Party Church"—to the accidental spiritual lessons learned from raising chickens, this message challenges us to check the "fullness" of our own lives. Episode Highlights The "Two-Year" Mark Nick observes that the initial energy of any launch—a new church, a new job, or a new relationship—often begins to dip around the two-year mark. He explores how we can maintain the "Life to the Full" that Jesus promised, even when the "newness" wears off and the routine sets in. Busy vs. Full We often measure a "full life" by the number of blocks filled in our digital calendars. Nick reclaims the definition: A Busy Life: Back-to-back meetings, nights out, and a constant sense of rushing.A Full Life: A life overflowing with joy, peace, compassion, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.The Voice of the Shepherd Drawing from John 10, the message highlights the difference between the Shepherd who calls us by name and the "thieves" that climb over the fence. Nick discusses the modern "thieves" of our time: Digital Distraction: How our phones and algorithms (like a Bad Bunny playlist) "discipline" our attention.The "Holes in the Fence": Our tendency to look for escapes when we don't like the "food" in our current season.The Fear Response: How we are often baited into spiritual "phishing scams" that steal our peace."Jesus calls us to have life to the full—not just when we birth something, not just when we launch something, but all the time."

    29 min

About

Sunday Service from Encounter Church in Henley, South Australia At Encounter Henley, our heart is simple: we exist to help every person, from city to beach, have an encounter with Jesus.