Raising the finances for your Encounter Training Seat
Why we're asking you to ask
If money is the reason you can't come, we have a suggestion before we talk about discounts: let the people who love you help you get here.
We've learned something over nearly thirty years of doing this. There is real power in being willing to be vulnerable and ask for help. When a person says out loud, "I want to grow, and I'd like you to be part of it," friends and family step up - almost always faster and more generously than expected. You walk into the room already supported, already invested, with a circle of people at home supporting you. That is a far better way to arrive than quietly getting a cheaper ticket from us.
It's also the Encounter starting early. Being seen. Asking instead of carrying it alone. Letting people in. If raising your seat feels uncomfortable, that's not a reason to skip it — it's your first Encounter experience!
And it's an act of faith. If God is drawing you toward this, the money is His problem before it's yours. We've watched Him provide for people through a sister, a small group, a coworker nobody expected, an anonymous gift that covered the last $200 the night before registration closed. Asking is how you give Him room to do it. You bring the willingness; let Him bring the provision — and let the people He sends be part of your story.
And you won't start at zero. Joshua and Amy Phillips, co-founder of the Encounter, personally gives the first $100 to every participant who launches a fundraiser. Members of our Encounter Team also often give. Send us your link the day you post it. joshua@encountertraining.com
If there's still a gap after you've asked, come back to us. The Encounter Fund exists for exactly that, and nobody who has trusted God and done the asking gets left behind.
How to do it
Register for the Encounter Training with the code HELP at encountertraining.com/upcoming-events. Nothing is charged upfront, and our scholarship team will reach out to discuss starting a gofundme campaign and how we can help beyond that.
Start a GoFundMe. Goal: $900–$1,000. Tuition is discounted to $495 to start; the rest covers any additional expenses you have for meals, travel, childcare help, etc. Title it something plain: Help me get to the Encounter Training. Use a clear photo of your face.
Write your story using the template below. Your voice, 250–350 words, honest. Or write your own.
Send us the link so Joshua and Amy’s $100 lands first. joshua@encountertraining.com
Text 15–20 people personally before you post publicly. Most gifts come from direct asks. Then post, and post an update halfway and when you're funded.
When you've finished the Encounter Training, share the experience with those that supported you. That update is the most important one!
Sample GoFundMe Template
Hi, friends. I'm doing something that's a little out of character for me: I'm asking for help.
[Where you are right now, honestly. "For a while I've felt stuck — I know what needs to change and can't seem to make it happen." / "I've read the books, done the counseling, prayed the prayers, and I keep hitting the same wall."]
[How you heard about the Encounter — a friend, pastor, counselor, spouse.] They called it [their words — "life-changing," "a year of therapy in four days"].
The Encounter Training is a four-day experience in Franklin, TN, February 18–21. It isn't lectures — it's guided experiences and honest conversations built around one promise: to encounter God, yourself, and others, face to face. It's been running since 2005, has served over 1,500 people, and is recommended by local pastors and therapists. More at encountertraining.com.
[What you're hoping for, in your own words. "I want to get unstuck." / "I want to be a more present dad." / "I want to hear God more clearly."]
Discounted tuition is $495, and [one honest sentence — "it isn't in the budget this year," or simply "I've decided to ask for help instead of waiting."] My goal is $[amount] so I can cover meals, travel, etc. if possible.
Here's what I keep learning: asking is part of the work. The Encounter is going to ask me to be seen, so I'm starting now. If you give $10 or $100, you're telling me you believe this matters, and I'll carry that into the room with me.
If you can't give, pray for me February 18–21, 2027 — and ask me how it went when I'm back. That matters just as much.
Thank you for being my people.
[Your name]
Completed Example
I don't usually post things like this, so bear with me.
From the outside things look fine. But for a couple of years I've felt like I'm running the same loop — I know what I want to change and I can't seem to make it stick. I'm tired of knowing better without living differently.
My friend Jerry went through the Encounter Training last summer and came back lighter. That's the only word for it. When I asked what happened she said, "Honestly? A year of therapy in four days."
The Encounter is a four-day experience in Franklin, TN, February 18–21, 2027 — guided experiences, not lectures, built around a promise to encounter God, yourself, and others face to face. It's been running since 2005, has served over 1,500 people, and is recommended by local pastors and therapists. encountertraining.com has the details.
I want to find what's actually in my way and deal with it honestly. I want to walk out with real tools instead of another notebook of good intentions.
Discounted tuition is $495, and with two kids in sports and a car that just ate a transmission, it isn't in the budget this spring. My goal is $1,000.
Here's the thing: I'm bad at asking. The Encounter is going to ask me to be seen anyway, so I figured I'd start now. If you give, you're part of this. If you can't, pray for me Feb 18–21 and ask me what happened. I promise to tell you.
Thank you for being my people.
— Mike
Messages to send
Text to a close friend
Hey [name] — I'm doing something a little vulnerable and you're one of the first people I wanted to tell. I signed up for a four-day training in February called the Encounter, and instead of quietly figuring out the money I decided to ask the people who matter to me. Here's the link: [URL]. No pressure — but if you can chip in it would mean a lot, and either way I'd love your prayers Feb 18–21.
Public post
I'm asking for help, which is not something I do easily.
In February I'm going to the Encounter Training — four days in Franklin built around one promise: to encounter God, yourself, and others face to face. People I trust call it life-changing. I've felt stuck for a while, and I'm ready to do something about it.
Discounted tuition is $495; my goal is $[amount]. If you can give, thank you. If you can't, pray for me — and ask me how it went when I'm back. Both matter. [URL]
When you're back
I'm back. I keep landing on the words people used before I went: lighter. Clearer. Free in a way I haven't felt in a long time.
[Two or three sentences in your own words — what shifted, without the details of the exercises.]
You paid for that. Every one of you who gave, prayed, or checked in — thank you. If any of this stirs something in you, I'd love to talk.
Worth it!
If you're on the fence about asking, hear from a few people who came.
"Transformational. The most intense and powerful experience of my life. I have attended countless retreats. Read the books. Listened to the podcasts. All of it." — M.M., 2026 Encounter Grad
"I feel freedom in a way I've never felt it before. I feel lighter, clearer." — K.K., 2026 Encounter Grad
"I went into this very skeptical. What I saw was truly amazing — how God transformed many lives. We walked in not knowing each other and a bit guarded, and four days later we walked out feeling like family." — S.P., 2026 Encounter Grad
The hardest part is asking. Everything after that gets easier.
Questions? admin@encountertraining.com