Meeting Summary: Social Media Strategy, Crusade Planning, and Ministry Support

Overview

Virtual strategic planning session focused on Encounter Church's social media expansion, confirming 2026 crusade dates (North Carolina February, London May), and providing Gary spiritual and practical support regarding healthcare and career decisions. The meeting revealed discovery of viral TikTok cancer baby family in Wilmington near February crusade location and planning for January San Antonio blind boy healing mission.

Key Topics Discussed

Healthcare Navigation and Career Support

Insurance Deadline Resolution:

• Gary concerned about December 15th healthcare enrollment deadline while waiting for Travis Oliphant offer
• Brenda's immediate counsel: "Don't stress about the deadline because maybe, of course, if your parents want you to have insurance, I think Obamacare is sufficient"
• Practical solution: Maintain Obamacare, can cancel anytime if hired with benefits
• Family testimony: "We've never used it. Probably in the last 20 years... twice in 20 years"
• Philosophy shared: "If you speak health into your body, that Obamacare should be sufficient"

Applied AI Direction Support:

• Gary expressing concern about appearing desperate to potential employer
• Brenda's warning: "When you make it desperate, when you show desperation they back off, they take time"
• Recognition of divine timing with Travis Oliphant's $100-120K offer for Applied AI Society
• Travis's statement: "If I could get Gary to just be part of the team for a couple of years, that would be amazing"
• Confirmation that offer includes healthcare, addressing parental concerns

Encounter Church TikTok Strategy

Content Vision Development:

• Imani volunteering to manage TikTok channel launch
• Brenda: "Every pastor needs to be on TikTok. You know what I'm saying?"
• Strategy to repurpose existing Instagram/YouTube shorts for TikTok
• Focus on capturing Apostle's personality: "If we take emphasis on apostle and how he's so funny. Actually, he's funny. He was cracking us up this weekend"

Mike Todd Model Discussion:

• Studying successful church content creators despite theological concerns
• Emphasis on editing style that appeals to young audiences
• Goal: Make content feel vibrant and engaging without being overly "churchy"
• Imani: "I can manage [TikTok] on top of what I'm doing now. That's easy"

February North Carolina Crusade Planning

Dates and Logistics:

• Confirmed dates: February 20-22, 2026
• Location: Wilmington, NC at Pastor Darlene's Soul Saving Station Church
• Schedule: Miracle service Saturday 9am-noon, Sunday preaching
• Travel: $500 flights found from San Antonio
• Accommodation: Planning to stay at IHG Intercontinental Houston night before

Viral TikTok Cancer Baby Discovery:

• Gary discovered family with cancer baby on TikTok lives in Wilmington area
• Strategic opportunity for viral healing testimony
• Brenda's response: "Wow. Look at God"
• Plan to coordinate family attendance at miracle service
• Recognition of divine orchestration in location alignment

May London International Crusade

Travel Coordination:

• Dates: May 21-28, 2026
• Cost: $4,000 for 6 people roundtrip from Houston
• Weather concern: Cynthia warning it's cold even in June
• Promotion timeline: Flyers starting January 2026
• Granny (church elder) coordinating London logistics
• Parents in London obtaining city license for park crusade

January San Antonio Blind Boy Healing Mission

Miraculous Opportunity:

• Gary's friend Ida's connection: Boy blind from car accident refusing seeing-eye dog
• Boy's faith: Believes he will be healed, doesn't want assistance dog
• Ida searching for San Antonio church venue for Apostle visit
• Gary: "Blind boy seeing is like biblical. That's like a biblical level miracle"
• Brenda offering to cook and host if needed
• Recognition of testimony impact: Could ignite global invitations

Christofuturism Summit Planning

South By Southwest Opportunity:

• Planning side event during SXSW timeframe in Austin
• Brenda's connection: Friend in Women in Blockchain handles SXSW events
• Vision: Gather tech/faith leaders interested in community building
• Strategy: Avoid overly religious framing while introducing spiritual elements
• Gary committing to create one-pager for event planning
• Reference to past "spiritual" SXSW events that were actually yoga sessions

CRM and Email List Priority

Systems Before Crusades:

• Gary emphasizing critical need for customer relationship management system
• Must be operational before first crusade for follower intake
• Email list development for testimony distribution
• Recognition that viral moment requires infrastructure
• Cynthia also emphasizing need for written strategic plan ("blueprint")

Spiritual Encouragement and Vision

Azusa 2.0 Declaration:

• Brenda: "This is Azusa. I can feel it. I know it. 100%. This is what how Azusa started. They just didn't know that they were going to change history"
• Recognition of being in early stages of revival movement
• Parallel to 1906 Azusa Street Revival participants who didn't know historical significance

Gary's Impact Recognition:

• Brenda: "In three months you've done more than most people have done in ten years for the ministry"
• Acknowledgment of Gary's sacrifice walking away from $600K at Alpha
• Recognition that suffering prepared him for Liberty miracles

Divine Flow Discussion:

• Gary: "They were just in the flow, right? They were just flowing with the spirit"
• Tension of being patient yet urgent: "trusting God's timing, but also working diligently"
• Brenda's insight: "Being in the spirit is work to God. It's like the kind of work that is maybe more useful"

Ministry Travel Flexibility

Career Considerations:

• Gary needs flexibility for February North Carolina and May London trips
• Concern about traditional employment limiting ministry participation
• Applied AI consulting provides needed flexibility
• Recognition that marketplace ministry requires strategic positioning

Social Media Management Reality Check

Current Situation Assessment:

• Shelly currently managing all Encounter Church social media alone
• Previous attempts to help met with resistance (March 2025)
• Decision to start with TikTok as non-threatening addition
• Recognition that execution matters more than ideas
• Gary's concern: "I don't know if it's worth annoying Shelly for what we've talked about so far"

Prophetic Dream Sharing

Brenda's Financial Concern Dream:

• Same day as Travis offer, Brenda dreamed of Gary's financial worries
• Holy Spirit message: "Gary's worrying about finances. And I need to tell you that just let God be everything. Don't worry"
• Teaching on worry: "Worry does to the devil what praise does to God"

Strategic Decisions and Next Steps

Immediate Actions:

1. Imani begins TikTok content creation from existing footage
2. Gary maintains Obamacare while pursuing Applied AI consulting
3. Create one-pager for Christofuturism Summit planning
4. Coordinate with Ida for San Antonio church venue
5. Connect with Wilmington cancer baby family for February crusade

Long-term Vision:

• Build systems before viral moments
• Maintain flexibility for ministry travel
• Develop Applied AI practice alongside ministry work
• Document miraculous healings for global distribution
• Create bridge between tech world and faith community

Key Quotes & Insights

• Brenda on desperation: "When you show desperation they back off, they take time"

• On TikTok necessity: "Every pastor needs to be on TikTok"

• On blind boy miracle: "Blind boy seeing is like biblical. That's like a biblical level miracle"

• On Azusa 2.0: "This is Azusa. I can feel it. I know it. 100%. They just didn't know that they were going to change history"

• Gary on divine flow: "They were just in the flow, right? They were flowing with the spirit"

• On spiritual work: "Being in the spirit is work to God. It's like the kind of work that is maybe more useful"

• On Gary's impact: "In three months you've done more than most people have done in ten years for the ministry"

• On divine timing: "Trusting God's timing, but also working diligently. Like, the rapture could happen anytime"

Action Items / Takeaways

• Imani taking ownership of TikTok channel launch for Encounter Church
• Gary proceeding with Applied AI consulting without desperation
• February 20-22 North Carolina crusade with viral opportunity confirmed
• May 21-28 London international crusade dates set
• January San Antonio blind boy healing mission in planning
• Christofuturism Summit during SXSW timeframe proposed
• CRM system implementation before first crusade critical
• Recognition of being part of historic revival movement

Family Ministry Dynamics

The meeting demonstrated the Gentry family operating as unified ministry support team, with Brenda providing spiritual counsel, Imani offering technical skills, and both supporting Gary's dual mission of Applied AI and ministry documentation. The discussion revealed sophisticated understanding of viral content strategy, ministry logistics, and the delicate balance between spiritual authenticity and modern marketing needs. The discovery of the cancer baby family in Wilmington and planning for blind boy healing showed divine orchestration of strategic opportunities for demonstrating God's power in the modern age.