The Encounter: How One Invitation Changed My Life Forever

I still remember the first time I watched The Encounter. It was at my friend Kia’s house, just the two of us sitting there, watching a movie that would change the way I saw faith—and God’s relentless pursuit of us—forever.

The movie follows five strangers stranded in a diner when a mysterious man, who reveals himself to be Jesus, engages them in conversations that force each person to confront their life choices. Among these strangers is Melissa, a woman whose story deeply resonated with me. She shared how after a painful breakup, she was in a dark place, even suicidal, until a Christian friend invited her to a movie. That invitation led her to encounter Christ personally, change her life, and grow into a relationship where she can hear God’s voice and obey His will. I related so much to Melissa’s story because it reminded me of my own journey.

Before I dive deeper, I want to share a little about my own experience with faith. Growing up, I attended church regularly—well, actually two churches at different times. My mom’s mom and dad’s mom went to different churches, and I would visit both as a child. I loved the community, the songs, the warmth, but something was missing. I never really understood what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Church felt more like a routine or a habit than a living connection with God. I knew about Jesus, but I didn’t truly know Him. The Bible says in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” For me, “knowing” Him was something I had yet to experience.

As life got busier—work schedules, responsibilities—I stopped attending church altogether. Sunday mornings became just another workday, and my relationship with God faded into the background.

Everything changed one day during lunch with Kia and a few coworkers. The conversation turned to church, and one coworker named Kristin mentioned this new church called United. Kristin and Kia hadn’t attended yet, but they were planning to. Kia asked if I wanted to go. At first, I was hesitant. I almost said no. But then I thought about how much I wanted to discover what church really meant for me—not just as a habit, but as a place to encounter God. So I said yes.

That Sunday in 2017, I walked into United Church, not knowing it would be the start of a life-changing journey. It was there that I began to experience what I never had in all those years of going to church as a kid: the undeniable knocking on my heart, the Holy Spirit’s gentle but persistent call that I couldn’t ignore. Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” That day, I opened the door—and everything changed.

Watching The Encounter brought all these memories rushing back. The way Jesus in the movie patiently and lovingly reached out to each character showed me again how God is always pursuing us, no matter where we are or how far we think we’ve drifted. Whether it’s Nick, the former NFL player and atheist; Hank and Catherine, whose marriage was on the rocks; Kayla, running from abuse; or Melissa, searching for hope—Jesus meets us right where we are.

Melissa’s story is especially powerful because it’s a reminder that sometimes it takes just one invitation from a friend to change a life. Like Melissa, I was invited. Like Melissa, I needed God to show up and speak directly into my life. And just like her, I began a journey of intentionally following Jesus, learning to hear His voice, and obeying His guidance.

Her testimony reminded me of Kia and Kristin, who planted seeds of faith in me that day at lunch. And it made me wonder—how many people out there are waiting for just one invitation, one moment to encounter Jesus personally?

If you’re reading this and feel like you’ve been drifting or missing something in your faith, maybe you need that invitation too. Maybe God is knocking on your heart right now, waiting for you to open the door. I want to encourage you to say yes. Say yes to that invite to church, yes to opening your heart to God, yes to discovering who Jesus really is beyond what you’ve heard or experienced before.

The movie’s message is clear: God loves us and pursues us with patience and grace. No matter your past mistakes, your doubts, or how lost you feel, Jesus stands ready to meet you where you are. As Romans 5:8 reminds us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

If you feel that stirring in your heart, that invitation from God to take a step toward Him, I want to invite you right now to respond. You don’t have to do this alone. Reach out to a Christian friend, a church community, or even pray quietly where you are. Here’s a simple prayer you can say to open the door to Jesus:

“Jesus, I admit I need You. I want to know You, not just know about You. Please come into my life and change me. Help me follow You and hear Your voice every day. Thank You for loving me and pursuing me. Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer or want to talk more about what that means, please reach out or comment below. I’d love to hear your story.

And if you haven’t seen The Encounter yet, I highly recommend watching it with a friend. It just might be the eye opener you need to realize how deeply God loves you and wants a relationship with you.

What about you? Have you ever experienced a moment or invitation that changed your life like Melissa’s story or mine? Or maybe you’re still waiting for that invitation or encounter. I’d love for you to share your thoughts or questions in the comments. Let’s start a conversation about how God pursues each of us uniquely.