the course

Five Phases of the Converge Course

The Converge Course is an immersive discipleship experience to equip you to make a difference. We’ve traveled the world gathering some of the most relevant and insightful interviews and made them available to you for your pre-departure training. It’s 50 videos, 2-5 min each, arranged in 10 lessons. The Converge Course begins 60 days before you travel to the field project, and the pre-departure orientation is followed by information and assignments in four additional phases completed on the field designed to help you engage at a deep level with your host community.

ENROLL with an UNLIMITED ACCESS PASS to the CONVERGE COURSE

You may audit the course and create your internship experience if you choose. Although the course is designed for our approved internships, anyone can enroll and anyone can learn how to make a difference.

Download the course syllabus outlining the phases, assignments, and curriculum in more detail.

CONVERGE COURSE SYLLABUS

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ABOUT ACADEMIC CREDIT

Pre-Session Orientation Phase

The pre-session Orientation consists of ten lessons with 50 short videos (2-5 minutes), and online questions for you to respond to course content and engage with fellow Converge participants around the world.

Lesson 1 - The Changing Face of Missions
Lesson 2 - Understanding History
Lesson 3 - Prayer & Priorities
Lesson 4 - Knowing and Hearing God
Lesson 5 - Biblical Worldview
Lesson 6 - Right Relationships
Lesson 7 - Crossing Cultures
Lesson 8 - Justice & the Greatness of God
Lesson 9 - Calling
Lesson 10 - Final Reflections

-WATCH A SAMPLE VIDEO-

All Converge participants are required to choose a Mentor from their own community, a faculty member, a pastor, a missionary, or any mature Christ-follower who will meet with you, pray with you, advocate for you, and advise you through this life-changing experience. Learn more about Mentorships here.

Enculturation Phase

Your Host will meet you at the airport, help you get situated in your housing, and give you some time to rest after your travels. In addition to showing you hospitality, your Host will give you some important instruction about the social and cultural "do's and don'ts" and safety recommendations to help you navigate your new surroundings and pray for the people and place where you will be working. Your Host will introduce you to the people you will be working with and help you understand the vision, history, and the current status of the field project. Part of enculturation includes learning to use public transportation, and finding local services (such as the bank, shopping, and medical facilities). The objective is for you to join in the rhythm's of community life, ready to join Jesus in the neighborhood. During this phase, you will complete a Community Mapping exercise designed to help you engage with the community you will serve.

Download a sample Enculturation Schedule.

Assessment Phase

In addition to your regular weekly schedule, you will build new relationships, listening and observing the way people live. You will build upon the mapping exercise by planning and conducting interviews to help you research and pray about your Field Project Report, a project you will design to meet a community need. Before you begin your Field Project Report, you will interview the project leader to discuss what you propose to design. Your Mentor may help also you regarding the development of your idea. When considering your Field Project Report, ask yourself: "If I were to move to this community, what would I do to make a difference for the glory of God?"

Project Phase

The Project is your unique contribution to your host organization and community during your internship. As you develop your Project, you will draw on what you learned in the Course and the Internship. The guiding question of your Project should be: "What can I do to empower the community and make a difference for the glory of God?" As you near the completion of your Project, you will write a Final Report documenting your project and reflecting upon your learning experience during your internship. You will articulate objectives and goals and describe the resources you needed and challenges you faced during your internship. Your Final Report may take a traditional form such as a document written in Word, or it may be a non-traditional submission, such as a photo-journal, podcast, website, or video.

Debriefing Phase

How much did you grow? Debriefing is a time to review and celebrate your experiences. You will meet One-on-One with your Host before you depart from the field, and your Mentor online or when you return home.

Reporting

Copies of your completed Field Project Report and photos or a short video should be given to the Host, your Mentor, and uploaded to the Converge site.