2014-2015 Urban Experience Leadership Development Program
I want to see a team of missionaries raised up that is zealous for Christ, full of sacrificial love, and committed to making disciples. Mike Schuetz, Program Director Introducing The Urban Experience Imagine boarding a plane with 30 other missionaries heading to a poor, urban neighborhood in Calcutta. The pilot gets on the PA and announces that you will be rerouting to Louisville, KY. The Urban Experience is an innovative Leadership Development Program through Sojourn Community Church designed to 1. Reach the inner city of Louisville with the gospel 2. Train the next generation of urban missionaries 3. Recalibrate the local church for action. The URBN Experience team will live together in mission houses as we attempt to reach the neighborhood. Half of the team will engage in full-time ministry, and half of the team will get marketplace jobs. Restoring whole neighborhoods from the inside out for the glory of Jesus Christ
1 2 URBN Ministry Track URBN Marketplace Track Living, serving and ministering the whole gospel to the whole person through the whole church Nathan Ivey, Pastor of Community Life choose HOW TO participate in The Urban Experience Designed for openings duration cost Commitment College grads, seminary grads, future pastors, deacons, missionaries, non-profit leaders, church members desiring to try full-time ministry 1-2 years; 45 hours/week (15 local mission, 15 partner ministry, 15 development) $27,000 support raised (GCM support-raising training provided); some grants are available *Health insurance will cost extra August 15, 2014 August 14, 2015 Initial application deadline: February 1, 2014 15 openings. *Variance based on returning class and new house purchases Designed for openings duration cost Commitment College grads wanting to employ their marketplace skills, future missionaries desiring to develop a platform, church members desiring to live on mission in the urban core 10 hours/week (5 ministry, 5 development) $200/month for rent (utilities not included) $100/month for program fees August 15, 2014 August 14, 2015 Initial application deadline: February 1, 2014 15 openings *Variance based on returning class and new house purchases
Holistic Mission The Gospel changes everything. You will pursue the Great Commission objective of proclaiming the gospel and making disciples that multiply. You will also seek to be salt and light, modeling the mercy of Christ. values of this program reconciliation The Gospel provides the necessary outlook and motivation to overcome deep-seated prejudices. Our program desires to humbly pursue reconciliation where we typically see division racially, economically, etc. Communal Living The relationships you will form during the Urban Experience will shape you for a lifetime. Participants live together in mission houses that hold 4-8 people. Sacrificial Living As urban missionaries you will be living a life of humble means. The challenges of an urban context can be physically draining. Working with highly needy people can be emotionally taxing. Yet, the gospel paradox shows that life and blessing come through sacrifice. We follow Christ s example, who became all things to all people that he might win some. 1 Corinthians 9:22 Head, Heart, Hands Development The hope for spiritual change, as well as social change, rests on mature leaders who are connected to Christ and his church. Because imbalance and burnout is all too common, participants spend 15 hours per week on wholistic development, including Bible and theology, life mentoring, practical training, and time for reflection and rest. rooted in the Local Church Sojourn Community Church elders work closely with urban missionaries. Participants will go through the church membership process, join community groups, serve in different ministries, and be paired with a host family in the church. It is our hope that each participant will catch a vision for the local church that will last long after graduating from this program.
The urban experience program breakdown Ministry track participants will have 45 hours of programming, 15 in each catagory below. Marketplace track participants will pick and choose 10 hours of the programming below, as their jobs allow. Local Mission (15 hours) Comprised of the following: Local Evangelism and Discipleship Large Outreach Events Mission House Work Days Community Groups Benevolence Interviews Hospitality Capstone Project Partner Ministries (15 hours) Ministry track participants will spend 15 hours per week partnering with a local, gospel-centered, justice ministry. Participants can choose from the four partners below. Jefferson Street Baptist Center (Men) Extends gospel-centered mercy to the homeless and hurting of the greater Louisville area. jeffersonstreet.org Scarlet Hope (Women) Shares the hope and love of Jesus Christ with women in the adult entertainment industry. scarlethope.org Refuge Engages in cross-cultural ministry to reach the nearly 80,000 internationals living in Louisville. refugelouisville.com A Woman s Choice Resource Center Shares the hope and love of Jesus Christ with women in crisis pregnancy situations. awomanschoice.org Development (15 hours) Core Curriculum (9 hrs per week) Spiritual Fundamentals Class (3 Hours) Bible Every participant will read through the Bible over the course of the year. Class time will cover key texts. Books Disciplines for the Christian Life Whitney; Faith Mapping Montgomery and Cosper Various articles and other assigned readings Mercy and Missions Colloquium (3 Hours) Books Ministries of Mercy Keller; When Helping Hurts Corbett and Fikkert Various articles, sermons, videos Guest speakers relating to urban ministry: gospel, social justice, mercy, evangelism, theology Spiritual Renewal (3 Hours) A weekly block of 3 hours of silence and solitude is built into the weekly schedule A New Year s Retreat at a local monastery Vision Trips and Conferences Local ministry field trips Fall Trip: Chicago, IL Winter Cross Conference Louisville, KY Abbey of Gethsemane Spiritual Renewal Retreat Bardstown, KY Spring Trip: Chattanooga, TN Optional Summer Mission Trip Sojourn Electives (6 hrs per week) Pastor s School (Men) A ten-month pastoral training program. Participants can receive graduate credit from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary towards a seminary degree, if desired. Women s School (Women) A ten-month female leader training program. Coursework includes units in theology, Bible study methods, gospel care, evangelism, spiritual disciplines, Biblical womanhood and more. School of Missions A year-long training program aimed to equip future missionaries and develop a Biblical vision for global missions. Worship School A year-long training program aimed to equip future worship leaders, musicians, and church members. Gospel Basics A 6-week class where participants grow in basic care and counseling skills, including how to listen well, how to explore and draw out the heart through questions, and how to speak the truth in love. Culture Makers A monthly guest lecture and networking opportunity for gospelcentered cultural creatives. Sojourn Work: A network of men and women seeking to grow in fully applying the gospel to their profession. SAMPLE schedule for ministry track 6:00 a.m. 7:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m. sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday Lord s Day () DAY Women s School Training Team Meeting and Lunch Local Mission Community Group GUYS: Jeff Street Rescue Mission GIRLS: Scarlet Hope Silence and Solitude Pastor s School GUYS: Jeff Street Rescue Mission GIRLS: GIRLS: Scarlet Hope Mission Night in the clubs until midnight GUYS: Training Team Meeting and Lunch Local Ministry Large Outreach or Work Day
financial information Ministry Track Participants will be responsible for raising $27,000 $31,000 depending on health insurance needs. Our team at Sojourn has partnered with one of the best support raising organizations in the country, Great Commission Ministries (gcmweb.org), an accredited organization providing spiritual and technical oversight as you raise a team of supporters. All gifts will be handled and distributed by GCM. In the event that a participant is unable to raise support for the full amount, Sojourn and GCM will consider participation on a case-by-case basis. Marketplace Track Participants will be responsible for finding a job in the city of Louisville to cover their living expenses. Rent for the mission house is fixed at $200/ month. Utilities are not included, but a participant should budget roughly $50/month. Participants will also be responsible for the $100/month program costs which include trips, books, and other programming. budget breakdown For Ministry Track Program Costs (GCM, URBN, staffing) $7,500 Transition Savings $3,000 Living Expenses $13,000 Misc. (attrition buffer, training, taxes) $3,500 Total $27,000 I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22 (NIV ) NEXT STEPS explore Learn more, contact us, or sign up for an Exploration Weekend. sojournurbanexperience.com apply Applications due by February 1, 2014 sojournurbanexperience.com Follow Facebook Page: Sojourn Urban Experience Twitter: @sojournseed invest Donate to a program participant or invest in Access Housing sojournurbanexperience.com MIKE SCHUETZ, Pastor Sojourn Community Church PROGRAM Timeline February 1, 2014 Application deadline February 1 - March 6, 2014 First and second round interviews March 6, 2014 Final acceptance decisions and applicant notifications March 27-31, 2014 GCM Support raising training in Louisville (ministry track only) April 1 - August 7, 2014 Support raising for ministry track, job searching for marketplace track August 15, 2014 Program begins August 14, 2015 Program ends
sojournurbanexperience.com Email: urbanexperience@sojournchurch.com