Christian Encounter Ministries

It is our goal that each young person (and their family) who participates in our program would:
1. Receive restoration from areas of brokenness in their lives
2. Experience healing by encountering a nurturing community
3. Grow in all areas of life (character, education, life-skills, and leadership)
4. Develop healthy relationships

At our residential refuge, students receive 3 meals a day, supervised shelter, professional counseling, state-recognized high school education with extensive tutoring, job training, and much more. We work toward family reconciliation, provide a bridge to further education, encourage spiritual growth and artistic expression, and prepare our residents for a productive and meaningful life. Best of all, our students receive a sense of belonging through the nature of our community. We work to transition our residents to local jobs, and we network with local non-profits to develop a personalized safety net for each student. We desire each student to leave having received healing, hope, and the tools needed to succeed.

1. We intentionally limit the size of our program to increase student care. With a maximum of 16 participants, students are seen and known. They receive substantial 1-on-1 instruction, mentorship, and counseling.
2. We personalize aspects of the program for each student. Although it takes an excess of disciplined, intentional work, our program is personalized for each student’s individual needs, which increases their interest and drive to reach their goals.
3. We maintain a leadership-driven organizational culture which encourages character and leadership growth. Students encounter a community which nurtures and protects each person while modeling honesty, acceptance, forgiveness, and grace.
4. We provide opportunities for each student to experience love and care within healthy interdependent relationships and to remain connected to CER beyond their time as a student. Even if a student’s behavior prevents them from completing the program, we have seen that even a few days in our program can have lifelong impact.

We rely on employees, interns, professionals from the community who volunteer, and many other resources (both physical and fiscal) to meet our organizational goals. Providing a private, certified high school education and giving our students the chance to work with experienced, licensed marriage and family therapists brings our program to the next level.

It is our goal to continuously improve and expand our property, invest in quality staff, and maintain standards of excellence in the care we give.

Program progress is earmarked by the opening of our school in 1979, with approximately 172 high school graduates from Christian Encounter High School to date.

In addition, countless numbers of life skills (hard and soft) are developed and counseling goals are met every day as our organization seeks to provide a family-oriented environment.

We have progressed physically from a very rustic beginning in 1970 -- operating from generator powered mobile homes -- to a well-developed 86 acre property with a 3 story lodge, school-house, dormitories, athletic field, swim ponds, walking trails, and more.

Christian Encounter strives for the continual development of our life-skills modules, effective counseling and transition/after-care for program graduates.