[Ed's Note: Xaris is one of the speakers of the first ever, recently concluded Youth Encounter.]

Woooooooohooooo! Praise YOU, Lord Jesus!!!

Try screaming like that at the top of your lungs for two days at any given interval and let’s see if your throat won’t hurt. That’s probably how I sounded over the weekend and what do you know, even strepsils can’t soothe the pain. I don’t care, though. My voice may give out but I wouldn’t stop shouting God’s praise.

When you are so wrapped up in God’s magnificence, your vocabulary will fail, I promise. I should know. I talk a lot. But when God confronted me with His presence and affirmed His work in my life, I’m reduced to a woohoo-screaming, tear-jerking, uhog-running machine of praise. My mouth can’t stop uttering a language I can’t believe I speak.

On the times I do stumble upon the right words, I know that it had been God’s power moving solidly, so close, it’s impossible to miss. Read more »

[Ed's Note: One week after the Women's Encounter came Batch 2 of SBCC's Men's Encounter, and this is the testimony of one of its participants, Ace Horlador.]

Men’s Encounter, February 19-20, 2011. I praise and thank the Lord for what he has done to me during the encounter. I am blessed because God has a purpose for me and gave the opportunity not only to learn from Him but to truly experience Him.

Nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon dahil sa mga rebelasyon na ipinakita ng Lord sa aking personal encounter sa Kanya. Before na umattend ako, meron akong kalungkutan at kabigatan ng loob dahil sa mga pangyayari sa buhay ko sa mga nagdaang panahon. Sa aking pagdeal sa mga problemang iyon ay hiningi ko sa Lord ang paraan kung paano ko i-deal ang mga bagay na iyon. (Read: I thank the Lord because of the revelations He showed me in my personal encounter with Him. Before I attended, my heart was heavy because of some things that were happening to my life.) But the Lord showed me that I must humble myself and just look at the cross. Read more »

[Ed's Note: Normi is among the 72 women who encountered God last February 19-20.]

When I stepped onto SBCC grounds, I was literally like a child seeking to be found. I felt so overwhelmed with the many decisions I have to make. I was in a transition phase of all sorts. I was about to drown and I came to the Women’s Encounter seeking to be rescued.

I was desperate for Jesus. I wanted to see Him, hear Him, and feel Him. I prayed that He will use the Women’s Encounter to quench my thirst for Him, the Lover of my Soul.

I thought I somehow had an idea what will happen during the Encounter. But I was wrong. Encounter with God is really a collision with the unexpected. And there I was, encountered and in awe of who He is and who He has created me to be. Read more »

[Ed's Note: Batch 2 of SBCC's Women and Men's Encounters took place on Feb 12-13 and Feb 19-20 respectively, two life-changing weekenders that rocked the whole church and set people on fire! Yours truly had the awesome privilege to be one of the participants and, fresh from the Encounter, was moved to write this open letter as a testimonial.]

Women’s Encounter, February 12-13, 2011. Confession time! My one reservation for attending this weekend’s Encounter was that I knew these people who were going to speak and was worried of my personal biases. In my mind I thought I’d prefer listening to people I don’t know. How awesome is it that my very bias is one of the things that ministered to me the most? Read more »