Our Staff Team
"You don't seem to fit in around here."
My mentor shared those words with me several years ago as I began exploring my call to ministry. They were actually encouraging words at the time because they would lead me to follow God's call to start a brand new church where people could “fit in” regardless if church was in their background or not.
Soon after that conversation in 2010, my wife and I – with that mentor's full support – would start Encounter Church in our living room. We began bringing people far from God to new life in Christ and eventually grew out of that living room and into a rented school cafeteria. In 2013 we purchased our first location, a former fitness club complete with a racquetball court.
Today, our church is a home for everyone to “fit in” at multiple locations throughout West Michigan.
- Dirk VanEyk, Lead Pastor
Meet the team
Want to work at Encounter?
Many of our positions do not require experience working in vocational ministry. In fact, we hire skilled and talented people from a variety of professional fields. What’s most important is how someone fits our cultural values. We are here to nurture, grow, and develop your skills and gifts as you serve.
Lead Team
Jesus is head of the church (Ephesians 5:23), and ultimately leads and directs our decisions and direction. The Lead Team at Encounter is the governing team that oversees the ministries of the church and prayerfully seeks God's will in every decision. Each person is nominated by partners and elected by the Lead Team to serve a three year term.
Jessica DeBoer
Laura Rico
Kevin Tempelman
Allison Van Kampen
Ken VanBeek
Darren Zonnefeld
Paul Nydam
Emily Sikkema, President
Donna Messina