Surge School

What is Surge School?
Surge School is a 9-month, intensive leadership development program churches use for discipleship and training of leaders for their churches, workplaces, and all areas of their city (the school is based in Arizona).

Jesus is the center of the story. In terms of the Gospel message, He is the hero. In terms of world history, he is the center point. In terms of the redemptive plan of God, Christ is the means by which redemption occurs. As we examine the Gospel and appropriate it to our lives, it is important that we have a robust understanding not only of the message of the Gospel, but also of the power of the Gospel in our lives. Surge School is a tool to give you a biblical lens to see everything in the context of the greater work that God is doing in creation and also the specific work God is doing in you to be a blessing to your world.

What themes/topics are covered in Surge?
The curriculum for Surge is based on a four-quarter system, in which the content of each quarter builds on the previous.
·         Gospel Story – What is the story the Bible tells to which we are invited to play our role?  
·         Gospel Formation – How can spiritual disciplines be tools of grace that form us in the gospel rather than allowing ourselves to be formed by the counterfeit stories of our day?  
·         Missional Church – What is the mission of God and what work does the church have to do? 
·         Missional Vocation – How do I love God and love my neighbor through my work?  

Learning Environments
Surge school consists of three unique learning environments that together create an Information-Action-Reflection pedagogy. This wholistic model done over an academic year creates a slow drip for deep formation.

1.   Individual Study. Every participant is responsible to read the material in the books and reader.  

2.   Weekly Surge Table Meeting. This is the primary learning environment for Surge. It is a weekly meeting where participants discuss the reading and bring out the implications for life and leadership. Participants are challenged by their table leader and others at their table to live out the implications of the gospel.  

3.   Intensives. Four times throughout the year, all Surge students gather in one place to pray together and learn from first-rate scholars and front-line church leaders.

Core Distinctives
·         Theological Vision of Leadership. While the Surge school is not linked with any one denomination or theological school, we are grounded in a robust theological vision. Surge has been influenced by and is in some ways a collaboration of the thought of Mike Goheen, Chris Wright, Amy Sherman, Steven Garber, and Tim Keller.  

·         Local Church Based. Surge is not a para-church ministry. We do not train leaders for churches. Surge is simply a structure utilized by local church pastors and leaders to work together to equip their churches. In order for Surge to start in a new church, a senior leader must first go through a Surge Turbo Table.  

·         Holistic Education. Surge is not simply the acquisition of information. It is not less than that, but more. Surge contains three specific learning environments in which each student must participate. Together these environments provide a context for all-of-life discipleship.

How to use the Surge School in a group setting?
The course involves meeting once per week, going through a workbook, reading books together, discussing the material, and engaging in practical application.  Each month there’s a one-night intensive where we listen to a Surge speaker.

What's included?

Cost
The cost of Surge School pays for the unique curriculum (Quarterly Surge Readers) and also gives you full access to the intensives offered once per quarter featuring key speakers.
·         $120/Individual
·         $85/Person for married couple

Books
·         “The True Story of the Whole World: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Drama” by Michael Goheen.
 
·         “The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus” by Rich Villodas.  
 
·         “The Symphony of Mission: Playing Your Part in God's Work in the World” by Michael W. Goheen and Jim Mullins.
 
·         “Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work” by Timothy Keller.
 

Surge Trailer
Check out this Surge Network official trailer.

Where can I access the resources?
If you are interested in learning more about using the Surge School discipleship program as a group contact Pastor Prince at prince.thomas@pacificcommunity.ca