The danger of powerful parachurch movements, like AFES, Navigators or RICE, is that they undermine the local church. That's why it's so exciting to see that the new tentacle of RICE is a conference focused on teaching and empowering young Christians to serve in their local churches:
What is SURGE?? Steve Chong & Matt Chandler from SURGE on Vimeo.
Surge is the brainchild of Pete Chong and its inaugural conference will feature Steve Chong and Al Stewart.Their goal is to think deeply about the nature of the church and also to provide guidance on how to understand your own spiritual gifts. Rather than young people waiting around being asked to do a job at church, Surge hopes to embolden them to take initiative in serving according to their gifts and the needs they see around them.
This is great, because churches will be renewed when more and more Christians play an active role. This is great, because churches thrive when they put the gifts of people before the pre-existing programs.
It is also an ingenious conference, because it seeks to be proactive about the topic of spiritual gifts. Rather than simply talk about which spiritual gifts we don't believe in, or only focusing on paid ministry, Surge will, God-willing give proper dignity to all the gifts Christ gives to his church.
