Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Benjamin Andrew.
Dr. Andrew, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We (my wife, three kids and myself) were living in Spring Valley and we wanted to move to the Inland Empire. A change of scenery was needed as we started our family in San Diego while in the military. At the time of contemplating the move, I was in a doctorate program at Grand Canyon University. Our plan was to move and eventually serve the community from a spiritual, and practical philanthropic perspective.
We eventually built our home and made plans to start Encouragement Church. I didn’t want to launch however until I graduated with my doctorate degree. Once I graduated, we started polling the neighborhood to see the needs of the area.
We hosted 2 open house sessions to hear the practical needs of the community. See, my wife and I aren’t just involved in ministry. We both are full-time professionals as well as owners of a small business. We both have business degrees. Thus, we understand that balance is needed, especially in diverse communities.
So, on August 5th, 2018, we launched Encouragement Church. For the first six months, we met in a local elementary school. After which, we secured our own space(s) to include the church and also a Youth Center. In this short time of one year: we provided school supplies to the teachers of all Lake Elsinore’s elementary schools, assisted with the packaging of goods for deployed military veterans, supplied a multitude of less fortunate individuals and families with care packages, hosted a senior symposium for graduating seniors, participated in citywide clean up and restoration efforts and the list goes on. We’re simply here to serve people, through kindness. Our motto is “Building Families to Make an Impact” and that’s what we’re driven to do continually.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. As I mentioned before my wife and I are both full-time professionals, and entrepreneurs. On top of that, we have three growing boys all under the age of 11. We’re simply used to wearing many hats.
Timing is always a challenge. We leverage that by employing time management and being resourceful. We’ve been blessed to have some great people on this journey with us. People who are willing to volunteer their time, wisdom and experiences to advance the narrative of what we’re doing.
Another challenge is earning trust. We are in the integrity business and it’s a must that we operate with high levels of it. I believe trust is something that must be earned. When it comes to churches, people have been hurt and are often opposed to allow their hearts to trust religious organizations again. My wife and I are open books, that is how we leverage the trust factor. We show people we genuinely care by how we treat them, how we respect their trust and how we function overall. I can honestly say that we’ve had great success in that regard.
Tell us about Encouragement Church. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
Encouragement Church is a lively, contemporary non-denominational church; Meaning we’re purposed to be a driven community of believers unified through faith in Christ. Through LOVE and purpose, we are multicultural, multi-ethnic and multi-generational. We are committed to the teachings of Christ and we seek to spread the love of God to the world.
The vision of Encouragement Church is to be a vibrant, Christ-centered gathering place, where people from all walks of life can be inspired to win and challenged to make a positive impact on society.
This is accomplished through how we conduct business as families, employees, professionals, entrepreneurs, and citizens.
I am most proud of the experiences we’ve had in accomplishing our mission. Lives are being changed and people are demonstrating the difference in their daily activities. We promote full circle wellness (mind, body and spirit) and that’s also been a huge improvement.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I believe success is found in the ability to remain consistent while raising the bar of excellence, and learning each time a goal is achieved or missed.
The markers I look for are found in the self-assessment. One must be willing to change their own actions in order to succeed. Seeing the quality of your own actions is a byproduct of self-assessment.
Contact Info:
- Address: 31681 Riverside Dr. Lake Elsinore, CA 92532
- Website: encouragementcity.com
- Instagram: @encouragement_church
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/encouragementcity/
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
