Who We Are

as Missions Director and as an Elder, investing in gospel outreach and discipleship. Brian has a passion for missions and has served alongside missionaries throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, and Mexico. These experiences shaped his desire to see the gospel advance among the nations and to help the church live out the Great Commission.

At Encounter Church, Brian oversees operations and finance, building structures that strengthen the church’s ministry. He is also leading the launch of Imago Dei, a classical Christian school focused on Christ‑centered, discipleship‑driven education.

After retiring from a career as an operations executive, Brian now devotes himself to full‑time ministry. He and his wife, Breanna, are grateful to call Sacramento home and love serving the people of Encounter Church.

operator in both the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Lao Air Force. After fleeing Laos and crossing the Mekong River into Thailand, he encountered Jesus Christ in a refugee camp and became a Christian in 1980 along with his wife and five children, leaving behind a strong practice of Buddhism. He immigrated to the United States with his family in 1981, carrying a deep desire to share the hope of the Gospel with others.

Soon after arriving in the United States, Elilam began helping plant Laotian churches, a calling that continued for nearly three decades. After moving to Weed, California in 1985, he attended the College of the Siskiyous and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, earning an Associate of Arts and a diploma in Christian Ministries in 1989.

For nearly 30 years, Elilam faithfully served through church planting, pastoral leadership, and mentoring others. He also played a key role in the merger of the Laotian Church in Sacramento with Cross Point Church, which became Encounter Church. His life is a testimony to God’s faithfulness, grace, and the transforming power of the Gospel.

Christ. Since 2021, Curtis has served as the Director of the Men's Ministry at Encounter Church, where he encourages men to pursue biblical manhood, spiritual maturity, and authentic discipleship.

His desire is to see men lead their families, churches, and communities with Christ at the center of their lives. Curtis's passion for discipleship has also been evident through his lifelong investment in the next generation. He has been discipling youth since 1994 and has led youth ministry since 2005. His heart has always been to see young people come to know Christ and become faithful followers of Him. As Curtis often says, "I know that if God catches their hearts while they are young, and through true discipleship, chances are higher that they will be faithful in their journey of being conformed to the image of Christ." Outside of ministry, Curtis has owned and operated two eyeglass stores since 1991. Through his business, he has faithfully served his community while viewing his workplace as another opportunity to share the love of Christ, build relationships, and encourage others toward a life devoted to the Lord. Curtis has been married to his high school sweetheart, Peggy, for 35 years. Together they have been blessed with four children, all of whom are faithfully serving the Lord alongside their spouses. One of Curtis and Peggy's greatest joys is spending time with their grandchildren. Whether teaching, preaching, mentoring, or simply sharing life with others, Curtis's greatest passion is helping people know Jesus, grow in biblical discipleship, and live lives that faithfully reflect the image of Christ.

teacher. While there have been ups and downs in his spiritual journey, that early faith has never wavered. Those initial experiences taught him the importance of communicating God’s love early and often to our kids. While he has been involved in a variety of ministries over the years, his passion is ministry to children in the local church and community. 

Josh has been married to Shannon since 2007. They have four children, Matthew, Hannah, Sophia, and Benjamin. Shannon leads Encounter Children’s Church, where Josh teaches the 4th- 5th graders and occasionally plays freeze tag. He is also involved in Encounter’s apologetics ministry and leads classes for adults. Josh is also the troopmaster of a local Trail Life USA troop.

love and are grateful to call home.

Brian has been serving with Flipt Ministry since 2011, with Kelsey joining him in 2012. Over the years, they have developed a deep love for the students of Flipt and a passion for seeing teenagers come to know, love, and follow Jesus.

Together, Brian and Kelsey also have a heart for missions and long to see Christ proclaimed among the nations, especially in places where the gospel is not widely known.

Outside of ministry, Brian leads a real estate team serving Natomas and the greater Sacramento area, while Kelsey homeschools their four kids. Whether at home, in their community, or across the world, their desire is to love people well and point them to Christ.

prayer walk that shares the gospel and invites the community to join Encounter Church in worship each Sunday. His wife, Liz, a member of Encounter Church for over 20 years, partners with him in this work. A dedicated prayer warrior, she helps teach Sunday School, prepares for and joins the prayer walks, and leads with hospitality. Together, Joe and Liz serve to further the Kingdom of God.