Q & A

When the purchase of the 210 Mulberry property became a reality, we went to great lengths to understand our best path forward in terms of stewardship.  While the building’s location is perfect for ministry, it has decades of deferred maintenance and requires modification to suit our ministry’s needs and vision.  After many conversations with architects, builders, local officials, asbestos professionals and others, we concluded that renovation of the current structure with an expansion to the building’s campus-facing front will beautifully support our ministry vision.  This type of renovation is also approximately half the cost of tearing the current structure down and rebuilding.  God’s continued provision and direction throughout our 7 year process of exploration has been humbling and confirming.

• 2017 – Encounter’s Board of Directors explores a building project at the 300 Normal Ave property, but through a process of prayer and discernment determines that God is asking us to wait.  

• 2021 – Encounter’s staff and Board spends 6 months in prayer/discernment directed toward the future needs of the ministry, and feels confirmation that it is time to move forward.  

• May 2022 – Encounter reaches out to the owners of the 210 Mulberry property.

• June 2023 – Encounter acquires the 210 Mulberry property, with God providing $400k in donations to make this a debt-free transition.  

• October 2023 – The Board approves BLDD architects and Catalyst Construction to provide renovation ideas and budget options for the 210 Mulberry property matching our 2021 vision. 

• August 2024 – With designs complete and fundraising materials developed, the Board begins the “silent portion” of our fundraising campaign.  

• April 13, 2025 – Public launch of our project at the annual Spring Banquet, with $2.17 Million in pledges already committed in the previous silent phase.  

• October 1, 2025 – Construction start date.

• June 1, 2026 – Ministry move-in, allowing the staff/students to begin the Fall of 2026 in our new ministry space, Lord willing.
  

Pre-construction budgets estimated our project cost would be $3,230,000.  Once we received final bids from all contractors in Sep of 2025, we realized that rising costs would increase our total project cost to $3,750,000.  Since the building has many decades of deferred maintenance and some large issues (like driveway repair, asbestos removal, a lack of air conditioning, old windows, etc…), this renovation budget includes bringing the building’s many issues up to date.  Through several generous donors, the ministry has managed to remain debt-free throughout this process – even in acquiring architects and receiving renderings and pre-construction budgets.  This total figure includes construction costs, site work, asbestos mitigation, architectural and design work, indoor and outdoor furnishings, fixtures, equipment, insurance, and contingency costs.  Encounter’s Board will continue to be an excellent steward of the resources that God has provided through donors and will do everything we can to fund the vision of this project while also reducing costs wherever possible.

Yes.  Encounter’s current budget is able to support this newly renovated building in its final form.  Our ministry operates with a healthy general budget and a reserve fund.  Sustainability is a crucial factor to Encounter’s Board as we consider future ministry plans.  While we do need generous one-time donations to create this building, our current funding model has the capacity to sustain it.  Any potential income generated by partnerships in the building would be used to ease the ministry budget’s burden for future building repairs/projects.

Encounter’s Board of Directors is the decision making body for the entire building process, including oversight of and accountability for all funds received.  Encounter’s Board has also relied on dozens of local partners and professionals to help prayerfully craft the way forward with this project.  Because of our ministry’s 57 years of history in this community, we’ve had many generous people step forward to provide their time and wisdom in areas of expertise like commercial real estate, church construction, finance, banking, capital campaign consulting, landscaping, print design, law, insurance, and ministry liability.

Each year, Encounter is supported by a small network of local churches and hundreds of individuals who have a desire to see the mission of Jesus grow and thrive on campus.  Staff members of Encounter use a “missionary support model” in which the Board of Directors determines a staff member’s appropriate salary and employees raise those dollars in monthly support in the same way a missionary would raise funding for ministry work in a foreign context.  Encounter is not in any way financially supported by the University.  Encounter is a recognized 501c3 organization by the IRS (legal name: Christian Church Campus Ministry) and all donations are fully tax deductible.  

It is the desire of the Board to complete this project without adding the burden of a long-term loan or mortgage.  The ministry will secure a short-term construction loan since it is likely that some construction costs will be due before longer-term pledged donations are received.  The Board is opposed to any long-term financing burden that exceeds 10% of our total project cost.  Every gift to this campaign allows us to continue as a debt-free, sustainable ministry.

For the last 18 months, we’ve been exploring our options for partners to share this new space with us.  In considering these partnerships, it is crucial that they are aligned in vision and our ministry’s values so that these partnerships help propel the ministry forward without creating unnecessary friction.  We are excited to bring Truth in Love Counseling and Lab Coffee in as our counseling and coffee partners on this new venture.  Check out our announcement here!

An October construction date allows us to begin the school-year in our current building, which is crucial.  Since we use ISU facilities for our weekly worship space, that experience will continue uninterrupted for our students.  Our staff will have temporary offices at Eastview’s community center (the old YMCA in downtown Bloomington).  And we’ll use coffeeshops, apartments, and church partnerships for our meetings, discipleships, and for all other Encounter-related events.  For many years, our staff has been fluid in finding creative ways to get ministry done in our context.  We trust that through our many local partners, we can piece together spaces to meet and work until the new building is complete.

This project transforms the campus in so many positive ways.  It creates opportunities for more students to hear and experience the love of Jesus while in college.  It creates a space for students in crisis to find help.  It creates pathways for students to consider vocational ministry.  But beyond that, it takes an old, dark building in the heart of campus and transforms it into a vibrant beacon of light, full of student life.

Not at all.  The changes we’re proposing only propel our ministry mission forward and create greater opportunity for Christ’s influence on our college campuses in Bloomington/Normal for many years to come.