Our story is His story
God prepared the heart of Alberto Benjamín Simpson Clarkto be an evangelizing instrument worldwide. It was Dr. Simpson, with the support of other denominations, who succeeded in creating, in August 1887, an interdenominational alliance aimed at reaching the farthest corners of the earth with the message of Christ.This was the beginning of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, a group of people eager to evangelize the whole world.
Fleeing from an angry mob chasing him from Tulcán, Ecuador, Reverend Crisman found the Mera family, who offered him lodging and became the first believing family of the Colombian Christian and Missionary Alliance.
The Alliance decided to strategically work in the main cities to plant large churches capable of reaching the city and country, This became known as El Encuentro. After examining many places to establish a new church in northern Bogotá, a location was chosen at Centro Comercial El Lago, at Carrera 15 with Calle 78.
The first service was held on September 5, 1982, attended by missionaries David and Shirley Overmoyer (first senior pastors), Douglas and Nohemí Ord, David and Arlene Peters, Ken and Vikki Swanson, Roberto and Margarita Searing, and Marylon Morgan. That morning, two people accepted Christ.
By 1985 attendance reached four hundred people, and the church prayed for a permanent place since it was clear they could not stay much longer in the shopping center.
Missionary Lorenzo Cardoza then received a call from the Colombian Red Cross offering a plot of land for sale that missionary Ken Swanson had seen years earlier. Six months later, the lot belonged to the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Iglesia El Encuentro had its own building. In the following years, a provisional building for 500 people was constructed (now the sports center), as well as the administrative and educational building.
To respond to the needs of the church’s vision and to accelerate the training of ministers due to the rapid growth of El Encuentro, the Alianza Bíblica Seminary of Colombia launched the Basic Ministerial Training Program at the church’s facilities.
The Liceo El Encuentro project began with the goal of glorifying the Lord and preaching His word through teaching. Initially, it was only planned as a preschool, but over time it expanded to include primary education and later high school.
With the purpose of supporting ministerial work and the social actions carried out by the church, attending to the needs of targeted communities and seeking to improve their quality of life.
Thus, with many plans, projects, and challenges, the church prepared for the new millennium in a city undergoing great changes and transformations but with an unchanging and deep need the need to have an encounter with God to hear the gospel of salvation.
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