About Us ... Assemblies of God Marriage Encounter had its first Marriage Encounter Weekend in 1981 at the Assemblies of God Conference Center in Springfield, Missouri. Since then approximately 33,000 couples have participated in a weekend seminar. Assemblies of God Marriage Encounter, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation governed by a board of directors made up of lay and clergy couples from several regions of the Assemblies of God. Clergy couples currently serving on the national level are: Rev. Dave and Kay Gross (Ohio) Rev. Dave and Millie Gable (California) Rev. Keith and Carol Butler (Arkansas) The late Rev. Wes and June Hurst, and the Rev. Dave and Damaris Thompson (Assemblies of God Missionaries) have also served on the board of directors. "I feel Marriage Encounter is the most spiritually uplifting and psychologically sound program in the Christian world today." - Medical Doctor, Missouri