Gospel Mission

QUARTER 3: GOSPEL MISSION QUARTER 3 GOSPEL MISSION TABLE OF CONTENTS 05 ABOUT SURGE 09 BLESS RHYTHMS: THE HEARTBEAT OF SURGE 11 MISSIONAL PRACTICES 12 WEEK 1: GOD’S MISSION 15 THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR HOLISTIC MISSION 20 WEEK 2: EVANGELISM 23 EVANGELISM 32 WEEK 3:LOVE & SOCIETY 35 LOVE & SOCIETY 47 CARROT CAKE 48 CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT 51 THE CHURCH IN OUR TIME 62 FAITHFUL PRESENCE NEEDS PROPHETS 66 WEEK 5: JUSTICE 69 WHY SHOULD WE DO JUSTICE? 80 LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR’S WELFARE 84 WEEK 6: ACTION & REFLECTION 87 THE DISCIPLINE OF LAMENT 96 LETTER FROM A BIRMINGHAM JAIL 108 WEEK 7: PUBLIC SQUARE 110 WEEK 8: PRAISE & PRAYER 113 ENDNOTES SELECTED READING THE MISSION OF GOD’S PEOPLE by Christopher J. H. Wright God is relentlessly reclaiming the entire world for himself. In The Mission of God’s People, Wright shows how God’s big-picture plan directs the purpose of God’s people, the church. Wright emphasizes what the Old Testament teaches Christians about being the people of God. Used by permission. | Version: 2.0 4 ABOUT SURGE WHAT IS SURGE? As we examine the Gospel (or the good There is a great scene in the Jesus news of Jesus) and appropriate it to our Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd- lives, it is important that we have a robust Jones where the Spirit comes upon understanding not only of the message God’s people at Pentecost just as the of the Gospel, but also of the power of the resurrected Jesus had promised. Gospel in our lives. Surge is a training tool designed to give you biblical lenses to see They threw open the shutter. Sunlight your life in the context of the greater work flooded their room, as love had flooded that God is doing in creation and also the their hearts. And the little room was specific work that God is doing in you to filled with happy noises. Dancing feet, be a blessing to your world and show His singing, laughing. They unlocked the love to those he brings along your path. door and surged out into the streets - as if they had never been afraid. Your study will progress through four main stages of understanding and applying the Surge was developed in 2008 when Gospel. The first will focus on the Gospel pastors from four churches in Phoenix story and finding your place in the drama got together and began asking the of the biblical narrative. This is a macro question, “How can we work together to view of God’s big story. train leaders for our churches so that we can see disciples surge out into every part Second, we will focus in on the application of our city?” What developed is a unique of the Gospel to our hearts and lives as one-year leadership training school with the Holy Spirit continues to shape our many churches involved. thinking, attitude and actions through His Word. Third, we will seek to develop a view of AN OVERVIEW the larger purpose of God’s People in the Jesus is the center of the story. In terms mission that God has given to us while we of the Gospel message, He is the hero. have breath in our lungs. In terms of world history, he is the centerpoint. In terms of the redemptive Lastly, we will examine the Kingdom value plan of God, Christ is the means by which of our vocation. This last section will help redemption occurs. us to develop an understanding of our calling as Christ-centered people working in various locations and vocations. 5 LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS quarter builds on the previous one and 1. Individual Study. Every participant is follows a big-small-big-small motif: responsible to read all the material in the books and reader. Quarter 1: Gospel Story - The Drama of Scripture by Mike Goheen 2. Surge Table. This is the primary learning environment for Surge. It is a weekly Quarter 2: Gospel and Heart - You Can meeting where participants discuss the Change by Tim Chester reading and bring out the implications for life and leadership. Participants Quarter 3: Gospel Mission - Mission of are challenged by their table leader God’s People by Chris Wright and others at their table to live out the - Kingdom implications of the gospel. Quarter 4: Gospel Calling Calling by Amy Sherman 3. Intensives. There will be 4 intensives Having established a foundation in the throughout the year. These are Grand Story of the Bible (Q1), we seek to an important classroom-learning apply the gospel to our own hearts (Q2). environment for Surge. The intensives We then ask what the specific mission feature first-rate scholars and front-line of God’s people is in (Q3) before finally church leaders from around the country. talking about how to faithfully lead in light of all we’ve learned in our vocations and neighborhoods (Q4). CORE DISTINCTIVES 1. Theological Vision of Leadership. While the Surge school is not linked with any one denomination or theological school, SURGE TABLES we do ground our leadership in a robust Each time your Surge Table meets, you theology. Surge has been influenced by will be led through the content for that and is in some ways a collaboration of the particular week. We’ve developed a thought of Mike Goheen, Chris Wright, weekly guide to assist you through the and Tim Keller. content for that particular week. 2. Local Church Based. Surge is not a Assignments. The reading and writing para-church ministry. We do not train assignments are listed for the current leaders for your churches. Surge is simply week. a structure that local church pastors Learning Objectives. This portion is a set of and elders use to work together to train objectives for your personal time as you leaders within our local churches. In wrestle with the content for that particular order for Surge to start in a new church, week. a senior leader must first go through a Surge table. Missional Practice. This section is designed to be used in conjunction with 3. Holistic Education. Surge is not simply each week. These practices should give the acquisition of information. It is not you ways to personally explore what you less than that, but more. Surge contains are learning. three specific learning environments in which each student must participate. Table. This gives a basic flow for your time Together these environments provide a together as a group. Your table leader context for all-of-life discipleship. will lead these portions, but it will be important for you to think about how you 4. Strategic Curriculum. The curriculum will engage in this time. for Surge is based on a four-quarter system, in which the content of each 6 Red Dot. This is a regular activity to orient your table to where you are at–personally, relationally, spiritually, etc. The concept comes from the red dot that is placed on maps to indicate “You are here” and is a simple way to encourage really getting to know each other. Journal. When you read, work through assignments, meet as a group, etc., utilize this section to make notes and capture thoughts so that you can either discuss them with your table or remember them yourself. 7 8 BLESS RHYTHMS The Heartbeat of Surge As you work through the material, keep experienced blessing. As you assess who in mind that true theology is not only is blessed in your life, challenge yourself grasped in the mind but is practiced to bless someone in the following areas in life. The following acronym may be on a regular basis: helpful for you to as you seek to apply what you are learning to your life. The • Unbeliever acronym “BLESS” will assist you as you • Christ-follower walk through your everyday life. Each letter contains an action that you can • Stranger (someone not like you) engage in on a regular basis. The BLESS rhythms ought to cause you to think about the regular flow of your life and assist you L - LISTEN in noticing areas where your theology is John Stott is remembered for pointing to being applied or denied. Karl Barth’s statement to, “take the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the The Bless Rhythms will give practical other.” God speaks to us and calls us into guidance for how we love our neighbor. action through the events of our everyday This is the imperative, but it sits on a life. On a regular basis, how do you listen powerful indicative. The indicative is that in the following two categories: you have been made new and have been predestined for a good work that God has • God - vertical called you to before the world was even created (Ephesians 2:10). So, as we go • World / Culture / Others - horizontal throughout our weeks, we understand that because of Christ, we have the strength to live in new ways and to love E - EAT God by loving others (John 13:34-35). The There is something disarming and Bless Rhythms offer a helpful method for revealing about sharing a meal with developing a regular and ongoing pattern someone. It has been said that Jesus “ate of blessing to those in our lives. his way through the gospels.” When you think about eating with someone, realize, this could be simply a cup of coffee or a full meal. One healthy goal is to have B - BLESS someone share a meal with you in your This is a tangible blessing, no matter home.

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