KANSAS CITY, Mo. (MBTS) — Spurgeon College, the undergraduate institution of Midwestern Seminary, announced this week a new cohort model for residential education called Spurgeon College Cohorts.
Spurgeon College Cohorts exists to expand and strengthen the residential culture for undergraduate students in Kansas City. Beginning in the fall of 2023, each undergraduate student will engage in intentional and formative community through one of five cohorts: Fusion, Accelerate, Athletics, Marketplace, and Ministry.
“I am thrilled to announce our new Spurgeon College Cohorts,” said President Jason Allen. “We have been developing these cohorts for a couple of years now, and it is exciting to see all of that work come to fruition. More importantly, I am excited to see how God will use these cohorts to further equip our Spurgeon College students for the future ministry that God calls them to. I also want to thank Dean Sam Bierig and his team for all of their work in this regard.”
All five cohorts are designed to strengthen students’ on-campus experience through enhanced discipleship, focused study, and intentional community. Cohort participants will gather regularly for fellowship, discussion related to their field, and to grow in their respective disciplines. While cohorts will have distinctive goals and rhythms specific to their disciplines, each cohort will be led by a staff coordinator and a male and female cohort captain.
Additionally, each cohort will participate in a year-long competition to win the Cohort Cup. Throughout the year, cohort members can earn points toward the Cohort Cup through academic achievement, engagement in campus events, community service, participation in intramural sports, and performance at the annual Cohort Olympics events.
Dean of Spurgeon College Sam Bierig said of the recent announcement, “The addition of cohorts at Spurgeon College is nothing short of the dawning of a new era in Spurgeon College student culture.”
He added, “With an intentional and engaging structure, we pray God will grant us an even stronger spirit of camaraderie, friendly competition, and sticky campus culture. The net result will of course be that we more helpfully and enjoyably prepare students for their unique post God has called them to in His Kingdom.”
Each cohort is uniquely designed to prepare students for the Kingdom.
Fusion
The Fusion Cohort exists to equip students to help fulfill the Great Commission. Beginning in 2005, the Fusion program equips participants to cultivate a close-knit community through spiritual, physical, cultural, and academic preparation, resulting in overseas missions. Through Fusion, students can spend their first year of college training for and going to the mission field.
Accelerate
The Accelerate Cohort is an innovative program designed to combine rigorous academic study with practical ministry preparation. Accelerate students earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years of intense study. Participants can study in various disciplines including pastoral ministry, biblical counseling, missions, Christian education, and more.
Athletics
The Athletics Cohorts exists to prepare students for the Kingdom while competing athletically.
The Spurgeon Knights athletic teams grow together not only as team members but are trained holistically in community as followers of Christ. Whether it be Men’s or Women’s Soccer, Men’s Basketball, or Women’s Volleyball, students can study and compete for the Kingdom with the Spurgeon Knights.
Marketplace
The Marketplace Cohort is designed to root students in God’s unchanging Word while equipping them for a successful career in the world. Spurgeon College marketplace graduates serve the common good and expand Christ’s Kingdom as business leaders, communications professionals, journalists, educators, graphic designers, and more.
Ministry
The Ministry Cohort prepares students for a lifetime of leadership in the church. Spurgeon College ministry graduates are prepared to serve the church and reach the nations for God’s glory in a variety of disciplines, including biblical studies, theology, biblical counseling, worship ministry, and other ministry-specific disciplines.
In addition to the close community all five cohorts experience, students will also receive a rigorous biblical education. Every student will continue to complete at least 30-hours of biblical core classes taught by professors committed to biblical inerrancy and the historic Christian faith. Moreover, residential students also enjoy the amenities of a major metropolitan area, which includes unique opportunities for ministry, service, and recreation while earning their degrees.
Taylor DiRoberto, assistant dean of Spurgeon College, said of the cohorts, “As our on-campus Spurgeon College community continues to grow in size, it also continues to grow in depth, devotion, and discipleship.”
“We are excited to see how the implementation of the college-wide cohort system strengthens what the Lord has already been developing on our campus—deep Christian community that produces young men and women committed to Christ and His Word, equipped to advance His Kingdom through their diverse callings.”
Every admitted residential student at Spurgeon College will automatically be placed in their corresponding cohort. Staff coordinators and cohort captains will reach out to cohort members prior to the academic year. To learn more or apply for Spurgeon College or academic cohorts, visit spurgeoncollege.com.