Q&A
SAM BIERIG
ERIK ODEGARD
DEAN, SPURGEON COLLEGE, ASSISTANT
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF INTERCULTURAL
PROFESSOR OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES
STUDIES AND DIRECTOR OF FUSION INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY
The FUSION program at Spurgeon College trains college students to be both globally and missionally-minded. Given the theme of this issue of Midwestern Magazine, we decided to interview Erik Odegard, director of FUSION, and Sam Bierig, dean of Spurgeon College.
MBTS The FUSION program is a central feature of the work at Spurgeon College. What, exactly, is FUSION? SAM BIERIG FUSION is the ideal avenue for college students answering the call of the Lord Jesus Christ to follow him in pursuing the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-20.) Answering that call through the FUSION program entails training sessions, church involvement, and several rounds of testing, but at its core, FUSION is designed to provide a way for college students to take the gospel overseas. FUSION, then, is focused on reaching the least, the last, and the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Historically speaking, FUSION began in 2005 and has grown in strength and number almost every year. FUSION is a program seeking to take its place as a coupling in the pipeline funneling Christians and church planters to the nations.
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ERIK ODEGARD FUSION is a one-year program that equips college students to be, know, and do what it takes to make disciples for a lifetime, especially in hard places. FUSION trains for two semesters on the campus of Spurgeon College and then deploys for 90 days with the International Mission Board. The training instills the required character, knowledge, and skills for an effective deployment alongside long-term missionary teams. FUSION’s goal is to produce graduates who make the commitment to make disciples for the rest of their lives, regardless of vocation or location. Successful completion of FUSION provides 33 credit hours toward a Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Studies degree at Spurgeon College. MBTS What is the meaning of FUSION’s slogan “SOMHAL”? SB
SOMHAL is the rallying cry for FUSION; it stands
