Forge America Summit '27

GET WEIRD:

Recovering the Wild Way of Jesus

Following Jesus was never meant to be predictable.

Jesus crossed boundaries, challenged expectations, welcomed outsiders, and invited ordinary people into an extraordinary way of life. His mission was often unconventional, sometimes uncomfortable, and rarely fit neatly into the religious structures of his day.

Yet somewhere along the way, we've often made following Jesus feel safe, structured, and predictable.

What if it's time to GET WEIRD again?

Not weird for the sake of being different, but weird in the way Jesus was. Curious about people. Willing to cross boundaries. Open to unexpected possibilities. Ready to follow God into places and relationships that don't always fit our expectations.

The Forge America Summit ’27 is an invitation to recover the wild way of Jesus and rediscover the imagination, curiosity, and courage needed to engage God's mission in our everyday lives.

Rather than offering another model or program, we'll create space to challenge assumptions, share stories, spark new ideas, and explore what it looks like to faithfully follow Jesus in the places God has already sent us.

HOW THE SUMMIT DOES THIS

The Forge America Summit is designed to spark imagination, cultivate curiosity, and connect practitioners who are exploring new ways of engaging God's mission.

You'll Experience:

• Keynote Conversations. Hear from practitioners who are pushing the edges of Christian mission in America, challenging conventional thinking and helping us imagine fresh possibilities for following Jesus in today's world.

• Conversational Breakout Sessions. Engage with leaders actively incarnating Christ in their own contexts. These sessions prioritize honest dialogue, storytelling, creative exploration, and shared learning rather than expert-driven instruction.

• Connection with Other Practitioners. Mission was never meant to be done alone. The Summit intentionally creates space to build relationships with others who are asking similar questions, experimenting with new approaches, and discovering what faithfulness looks like in their own communities.

KEYNOTE SESSIONS & BREAKOUT CONVERSATIONS:

Throughout the Summit, we'll explore three interconnected themes through keynote sessions and breakout conversations designed to spark curiosity, challenge assumptions, and inspire fresh approaches to missional engagement.

GET WILD: Recovering the Untamed Mission of Jesus

What happens when we step beyond what's familiar and rediscover the adventurous, boundary-crossing mission of Jesus? We'll explore how curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to experiment can open new possibilities for joining God at work in our communities.

Breakout Sessions:

• The Scary Opportunity of Growing in the Wilderness

• Strategizing for the Apostolic Weirdos

• Empowering the Full Expression of Christ in Your Community

GET REAL: Honest Presence Where You're Already Sent

Mission doesn't happen in an ideal world. It happens in real neighborhoods, among real people, through real relationships. We'll explore what it means to be genuinely present, cultivate healthy communities, and pay attention to the stories, opportunities, and challenges of the places we call home.

Breakout Sessions:

• Maintaining Healthy Community for the Sake of Mission

• Interpreting the Story of Your Neighborhood

• Church as Family

GET MESSY: The Gritty Work of a Faithful Life

Following Jesus into everyday life isn't always simple or comfortable. Relationships are complicated, discipleship takes time, and mission rarely goes according to plan. We'll explore the practices, rhythms, and relationships that help us remain faithful when mission gets messy.

Breakout Sessions:

• Discipleship as Rhythms, Not Programs

• Sharing the Good News in Hostile Territory

• Family on Mission Together

AFTER THE SUMMIT, YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH:

• Renewed curiosity about what God is already doing in your context.

• Fresh imagination and new possibilities for missional engagement.

• Greater courage to experiment, take risks, and step beyond familiar approaches.

• Meaningful connections with other practitioners who are learning to follow Jesus in everyday life.

OPTIONAL PRE-CONFERENCE

Monday, April 19 | 9:00am – Tuesday, April 20 | 11:00am

For those who want to go deeper, the optional pre-conference offers hands-on training rooted in Forge America’s Five Core Principles of Missional Movement: Mission, Context, Community, Formation, & Practice.

Drawing from over two decades at the forefront of the missional movement in the United States, this pre-conference uses a train-the-trainer format designed to equip you to help others engage in mission.

Participants will leave with both conceptual clarity and practical know-how for cultivating missional movement in their own networks and communities.

Event Details:

📍 Life Church, 1393 E Woodview Dr, Leander, TX 78641

📅 April 20–22, 2027 (Pre-conference April 19)

💵 $99 Super Early Bird with promo code: SUMMITEB ($159 Summit + Pre-Con)

🎟️ Registration: www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/forge-america-summit--2027

If you're ready to question what's familiar, imagine what's possible, and rediscover the wild way of Jesus, this gathering is for you. Come questioning, come curious, come recover the wild, weird way of Jesus.