Join us for Sonship Week – a week of transformative teaching, deep worship, honest small group discussions and personal mentoring – all based on Serge’s classic Sonship curriculum.
Many of us understand faith intellectually, but our hearts have not quite kept up with our heads.
Sonship Week is designed to help you take some of the glorious theological truths of the gospel, truths you may know in your head, and apply them deeply to your daily life as a Christian.
At this retreat, you’ll also have the opportunity to work with a Serge mentor who is trained to help you apply the gospel to every area of your life, ministry, and relationships. (Please note – personal mentoring space is limited!)
We highly recommend this retreat for ministry leaders, lay leaders, or anyone who is looking to revitalize a stale or stagnant relationship with God.
When: Sunday, October 22, 2023 – Friday, October 27, 2023
Where: Park Road Presbyterian Church, Hollywood, FL
500 North Park Road, Hollywood, FL, 33021
Here’s what you can expect at Sonship Week:
- Experience spiritual renewal through teaching sessions on core Sonship concepts that offer a profound understanding of the implications of the gospel, the necessity of repentance, and what it means to be transformed by God’s grace.
-
Have the opportunity to work one-on-one with an experienced Serge mentor trained in helping you apply the gospel deeply to every area of your life.
-
Connect with other disciples in a small group for honest discussion and prayer.
- Be renewed through personal worship and reflection time.
We hope you’ll leave this retreat feeling spiritually renewed, with greater joy, and ready to share the wonderful news of God’s loving-kindness with others!
Speakers
Josiah and Barbara Bancroft live just outside Philadelphia near the Serge home office. They have been married since 1975 and have three children and four grandchildren. In early ministry, they planted and pastored churches and also started schools. Since joining Serge in the early 1990s, they have held various roles—serving as overseas missionaries, holding leadership positions, and speaking and training at events and missions worldwide. Recently, Josiah transitioned from Serge's Senior Director of Mission to Senior Advisor to leaders and church planters in Serge and in the US. He and Barbara are active in the Renewal and discipleship work of Serge. He offers speaking, teaching, training, and personal coaching/mentoring to US pastors while assisting in content development. Josiah authored Philippians: Finding Joy When Life is Hard, while Barbara wrote Running on Empty: The Gospel for Women in Ministry. Together, they strive to witness God's grace and power manifest in the church and globally.
Marc Davis grew up at New Life Church in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, in the years when Serge (formerly World Harvest Mission) was being launched. During those years, he saw people being transformed by the gospel of grace, and that same grace got hold of him, too. He completed an M.Div. from Westminster Seminary in 1997, and is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and served on the pastoral staff at New Life Church (now Glenside) for 12 years. Marc joined Serge’s Renewal team in 2019 as Global Learning Program Leader. In that role, he is excited to see missionaries, pastors, and others involved in ministry empowered by the gospel to live lives of great freedom in dependence on Jesus for everything. Marc and Susan have three children: Nathaniel, Maggie, and Owen.
Howard Brown is the church-planting pastor of Kindred Hope Church in Atlanta's South Fulton area. He previously served as a pastor for over 20 years at Christ Central PCA in Charlotte, NC. Howard also held pastoral positions in Baltimore, MD, and Fayetteville, GA. He has a Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary and an English degree from Clemson University. Howard is a contributing author in the books Heal Us Emmanuel: A Call for Racial Reconciliation, Representation, and Unity in the Church and Keep Your Head Up: Black Lives Matter. A native of Charleston, SC, Howard enjoys Clemson football, fishing, and watching movies and TV with his wife, Kellie. They have two sons, Harrison (21) and Clark (19).
Cindy Hylton is the Area Director for Serge Apprenticeships and Leadership Development. She and her husband Joel began working with Serge's Apprenticeship Program when they first deployed to the field in 2004--first in Dublin, then in London, and finally in Prague. Her work has primarily focused on mentoring and training the next generation of leaders through her various roles over the past years. She now oversees the Serge Apprenticeships and leadership development throughout the company. Cindy graduated from Covenant Seminary with a Master of Arts (Theological Studies) and a Doctor of Ministry. She enjoys reading, films, theater, sports, hiking, and being outdoors. Cindy and Joel have four grown daughters and one granddaughter.
Eric Brauer serves as a Renewal Specialist at Serge, primarily focused on mentoring church leaders, fostering international renewal with Serge teams overseas, and coaching Serge workers mentoring national church planters. Before this, he and his wife Karen spent over 30 years serving overseas with Serge, initially in the Republic of Ireland coaching and mentoring Irish church leaders and then in Germany/Austria overseeing Serge’s teams and coaching national church planters throughout Central Europe. Eric and Karen were first introduced to Serge when they went through the Sonship course at New Life Church while Eric was a student at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He and Karen now live in Greenville, SC. They have been married since 1980 and have seven adult children and nine grandchildren, living in four different countries across three continents
Emily is a Sonship Mentor and Long-Term Recruiter for Serge. She and her husband, David, and their 3 children, Mae, Wesley and Miriam, served with Serge in North Africa for more than a decade. Emily has a bachelor's degree in Biblical and Theological Studies and Youth Ministry from Gordon College and has studied Biblical Counseling with Christian Counseling and Education Foundation. Before leaving for the field, Emily worked in youth and campus ministry, participated in Community Bible Study Leadership and partnered with David as he pastored a small, inner-city church in Pittsburgh. While in North Africa, Emily worked alongside David as he pastored an International Fellowship and trained local pastors. She enjoys leading and facilitating women’s studies and mentoring women.
Ticket Information
Suggested Accommodations
Looking for a hotel? We have discounted room blocks at three hotels for Sonship Week attendees. Be sure to click on these specific links to receive the special rate.
Tru by Hilton
44 N. Federal Highway Dania Beach, FL 33004
Click the button or call 754-232-1200 and ask for the Serge Group rate.Get Discount
Four Points by Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport – Dania Beach
1900 Stirling Road Dania Beach, FL 33004
Hampton Inn by Hilton Hallandale Beach Aventura
1000 S Federal Hwy Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
Sonship Week
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sonship?
It was while doing cross-cultural, team-oriented ministry that Serge missionaries discovered how challenging it is to be grounded in a biblical identity as sons and daughters of God—even in the midst of missional work. So, Serge leaders developed the Sonship Curriculum to equip missionaries to live out the gospel in their daily lives and nurture a new boldness to share the love of Christ with others.
Over the years, we have taken the grace-based principles of Sonship and expanded it into various formats, including our one-on-one mentoring program, Mentored Sonship, and for multiple cultural contexts, religious backgrounds, and specific life applications.
Who is Sonship Week for?
If you are longing to experience spiritual renewal and are looking for new ways to reach your community for Jesus, this retreat is for you. While the content was originally designed for pastors, ministry leaders, and missionaries, along with their spouses, it can also rejuvenate lay people who desire to more deeply live out the gospel in their lives, relationships, and informal ministry.
What if a hurricane interferes with Sonship Week?
Serge will closely monitor weather conditions in Hollywood, FL, starting one week before Sonship Week.
If a hurricane watch or warning encompasses the Hollywood area one week or less before the start of Sonship Week, we will offer registered attendees the opportunity to cancel their registration and receive a full refund (except Eventbrite’s fees).
In the highly exceptional circumstance that we have to cancel Sonship Week due to a hurricane, all registration fees (except Eventbrite’s fees) will be refunded, although without any additional interest, compensation, or liability for loss.
We sincerely hope it does not come to that, but unfortunately, Serge cannot accept responsibility for or offer refunds for travel-related expenses already incurred due to the closure or congestion of airports, technical problems with transportation, or cancellation or schedule changes by carriers.
Is there childcare available for this retreat?
Because this is an intensive conference, we encourage couples to arrange their own childcare so they can be together and focused for the week. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide childcare.
Are ticket refunds available if I need to cancel?
Cancellation requests received before Friday, October 8th, 2021, will be refunded, less a $50 processing charge (per registrant). Unfortunately, no refunds can be made after this date.
Please contact us for any refund requests.
What if I have problems registering on Eventbrite?
If you’re having difficulty registering on Eventbrite, please first make sure that your web browser is NOT Internet Explorer. For most people, using a different web browser will solve the problem. It’s also helpful to clear your browser’s cache and cookies before you begin the registration process. More helpful tips can be found on Eventbrite’s HELP page. If you are still having difficulty, please contact us at grow@serge.org.
Are there any scholarships for Sonship Week?
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any scholarships for this retreat.
Can I still register if I can only attend some of the main sessions?
Sonship Week is an intensive retreat that is most powerfully experienced when you attend in its entirety. So, we kindly ask that you only register if you can attend all the sessions to ensure the best experience possible for you!
Will there be a shuttle service provided from the hotel to the event?
Unfortunately, there will not be a shuttle service. If you are not planning to rent a car, we recommend using Uber or Lyft.
