Immerse is not linear! Choose your own adventure.
Become aware of the things you do each day – some things you do at work will apply to what you learn with Immerse.
Time management: learning how and when to say no so you can focus on your studies, but also know when you must be flexible and meet the needs of those around you. Working on your studies will require you hold in tension both your studies and work – and your relationships and those you serve. You can’t swing over to one side over another for long.
Take ownership of your studies – this is up to you to choose and pursue your journey. When you are waiting for reviews from mentors, you must keep going. Don’t stop.
Learn how to navigate through adversity, trouble, problems by looking at what you are going through differently. How is this an opportunity? How is this going to make you better? How will you get back up again and bring the fight forward?
Immerse is hard – be ready to get back up.
Communicate with your mentor team – they are there to help and support you.
Remember to take responsibility for our progress- this is on you, not on your mentors, not on your work, not on your family. YoThinu’ve got to move the ball forward.
Thinking like a Grad Student
- very hands off from teachers, this is entrepreneurial – self starting required.
- Commit to something that is way more difficult than what you thought it would be when you first started.
- Think you don’t know everything, and keep asking questions. Be hungry! Wisest person in the room is the one who knows they don’t know everything.
Characteristics:
- Devoted. Your devotion to God, to scripture, to your relationship with Jesus is directly related to your studies. You will grow as disciple, you will grow in your ability to serve, and in your ability to bless others. NEVER divorce your studies from devotion. Devotion from studies.
- Don’t be distracted much in the shiny things now that don’t echo into eternity.
- We are a disciple of Jesus first. A deep and growing personal relationship is vital – and fruit will flow from this. Your life flows from this.
- Be of good humor – humility – don’t take yourself too seriously. Remember that every moment of our lives is an opportunity for God to break in and have HIS story flow through us.
- Stay Curious – this is a universe of fascinating things to learn. The best work of a minister happens when nobody but God is watching. We have a choice in how we view our day to day activities – even the most boring or uninteresting. All activities matter to a disciple. All activities can shape our heart.
- Devotion – Good humor – Curiosity: keep these present always. Battle back the impostor dragon — don’t let it convince you that you don’t belong.

Treat your readings a little like a salad bar – take what you need and move on.
What will help you think critically – do what works for you.
Learn to give: you aren’t being told what to think, you’re learning how to give information to show what you are thinking and learning. How can you translate what you learn so that you are pouring out what you learn in others. This is a shift: you are taking in, and applying it to your life and reflecting on how it is changing/challenging you and how you live and work.
- You take in the information, then create your own strategy, philosophy on X, Y or Z and deploy it, train others on it.
Remember: I don’t have to do this. I get to this, and God is inviting me into this experience. There will be dark/hard times – but push through. Remember VOCATION. This feeds into God’s call on your life.
**What are my long term duration projects? Be VERY aware of these, and be working on them.
Program Structure
Remember: this is mastery based, not about completing assignments. It’s not about completing assignments…..IT’S ABOUT MASTERY. (REPEATED ON PURPOSE.)
This is not about head only development – course work is also going to be developing character.
Building a Pathway
Each learning unit will take aprox. 9-15 hrs.
Instruction – seminars. Also consider sharing 3-5 points of impact.
Remember that the assignments are not to be considered as hoops to jump through, but can be picked to help you grow.
It’s vital to learn how to notice where ministry, school, family, relationships, personal discipleship all mesh together or overlap and how you can interchange these to help you achieve school objectives, or how you can deploy school learning in all these areas of your life.
Roadmapping – look for assignments that allow you to spring off and attack other outcomes as you go. Ex. Maybe a research project can help you prepare a sermon series, can help you prepare a Bible study, can help you develop a leadership strategy etc.
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