Soma School

WHAT IS SOMA SCHOOL?

An equipping environment where missional community moves from theory to experience.

We put people in an environment to experience missional community life, to taste and see, rather than just talk theoretically about it. Every participant stays in the home of a missional community leader and sees their lives. They’re immersed in a gospel rich environment and participate in everyday mission.

Soma School equips leaders, church planters, and staff to engage in missional community life, to lead missional communities, and to lead a church of missional communities.

ABOUT BEN CONNELLY

Ben Connelly is a Soma pastor, author, equipper, and occasional professor.

He loves to serve everyday disciples, ministry leaders, and church planters across the world through The Equipping Group, and to help lead Salt+Light Community and Plant Fort Worth in Fort Worth, TX.

Ben has written/contributed to several books, workbooks, articles, and publications, has overseen church planting efforts for multiple organisations, and has also taught university and seminary classes. He is married to Jess and they have three children and, at times, host short-term foster kids too.

Ben and Jess visited Australia in July 2022 to encourage and train churches learning about Soma and missional communities in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. They also shared at the Soma National Retreat.

WHAT WILL SOMA SCHOOL COVER?

- What is the Gospel?
- The Story of God – The gospel through the whole biblical narrative.
- What is the Church?
- Identity and Rhythms – Living out of our new identity in Jesus, and missional rhythms.
- Missional Communities – We’ll discuss how we live in communities of people who are united around a common mission, and how these communities are local expressions of Jesus and his church in the world.
- Gatherings
- Gospel Fluency
- Life on Life Discipleship and 4 G’s – Four eternal truths about God: God is great, glorious, good and gracious.
- Starting and Leading Missional Communities
- Missional Community Church Realities and Leadership
- How to Create Gospel-Centred, Missional Discipleship Cultures – in Our Churches and Across Our Country

WHO IS THE IDEAL APPLICANT?

Lead planters or lead pastors who bring along with them one or two (or more) key leaders.

HOW LONG IS SOMA SCHOOL?

4 days: 2pm, Thursday 8 June – 4pm (or 7pm option), Monday 12 June.
Please apply only if you can make it for 100% of Soma School.

WHAT IS THE COST?

$425 per person or $575 per couple (accommodation provided).

ARE THERE ANY REQUIREMENTS BEFORE ARRIVING?

Please choose ONE of these:

- Read Saturate by Jeff Vanderstelt -OR-
- Work through the Saturate Field Guide by Jeff Vanderstelt and Ben Connelly.

AND ONE of these:

- Read Gospel Fluency by Jeff Vanderstelt -OR-
- Work through the Gospel Fluency Handbook by Jeff Vanderstelt and Ben Connelly.