Encounter Week, Howard Payne University’s fall revival, began Monday morning and will run through Wednesday, September 24. Encounter Week affords students the opportunity to grow, learn and worship as a community. Services are open to the public.

Upcoming Encounter Week services, to be held in the university’s Mims Auditorium, are Monday evening at 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. There will also be an after-service fellowship time subsequent to the Monday and Tuesday evening services.

The Encounter Week Team includes guest speaker Afshin Ziafat and worship leader Kevin Jones.

Ziafat is the lead pastor at Providence Church in Frisco. Although he was born in Houston, he is a native of Iran and lived there for a brief time during his childhood. As a senior in high school he accepted Christ, a decision that would ultimately cause his family to disown him. Yet, he claims, “My story is not about a man’s faithfulness to God; it’s about God’s faithfulness to man.”

Ziafat is passionate about spreading the Gospel. As founder of Afshin Ziafat Ministries, he travels both nationally and internationally to speak at churches, camps, conferences, retreats and missions. Additionally, he travels to the Middle East frequently to provide training for pastors through Elam Ministries.

Jones, of Dallas, serves at Stonegate Church in Midlothian as the worship leader. He discovered his gift of music in his youth and was saved at the age of nine. He has been actively engaged in church planting and music ministry since 2009.

Jones says he utilizes his musical ability to illustrate God’s love that is beyond understanding. The singer/songwriter incorporates a mix of both worship and pop/R&B music.