Substance
What is the Furnace?
The Furnace is a focused collegiate discipleship program at New Life Church that is designed to allow young people to be a part of a fervent community, receive dynamic teaching, and partner in prayer for a move of God in this generation.
The Furnace is a part-time program in order to allow members to pursue a college degree or work a job. Members commit a minimum of 12 hours per week to the Furnace; this includes six hours in prayer meetings, the Furnace Gathering, a weekly DSM discipleship meeting and a weekly accountability group meeting.
We have seen that God does amazing things through broken college students that start to follow hard after Him; He transforms their lives. He grants meaning and nourishment to the weary and fresh zeal to those that have lost their fervor. A program cannot change your life, but God can. He has transformed many through the Furnace over the years.
Furnace Life
Prayer Meetings
Every day of the week the Furnace holds at least one prayer meeting at the World Prayer Center. These prayer meetings include an hour of devotional prayer followed by an hour of worship and intercession. During each prayer meeting we pray the scriptures and contend for God to move in our own hearts and in this generation.
Each Furnace member commits to attending at least two prayer meetings every week and two hours in our Furnace Prayer Room. This schedule is designed to allow members to work around their school and job schedules.
Gathering
Every Sunday night we meet at the World Prayer Center for the Furnace Gathering. This is a mandatory meeting for all Furnace members. It consists of worship, prayer, and teaching by staff of the Furnace and New Life Church.
Groups
Furnace members spend time weekly in their groups. Students are prayerfully placed in a gender specific group. These groups are created for the purpose of accountability, discipleship, and community. During this weekly time, students connect relationally and discuss the current reading material. The group’s meeting time is based on the schedules of those involved.
DSM Campus Groups
All Furnace members will be placed on the leadership team of a DSM Campus Group. These groups support our vision to reach lost high school students by providing a home for them to meet fellow students from their high school and see leaders and peers who are seeking Jesus with their whole heart. In addition to reaching the lost, these Sunday night groups will act as a discipleship mechanism for believers to empower students to live out the Desperation Vow in their individual lives and call others to it.
Furnace Retreat
Every fall semester the Furnace takes a weekend to go to the mountains of Colorado for Furnace Retreat. This retreat is covered in the tuition and is a mandatory event. This retreat serves the purpose of connecting Furnace members through social interaction and spiritual passion.
Furnace Encounter
Furnace Encounter is a weekend retreat in the spring semester. It is for all Furnace members and is covered in the tuition. This is a deeper life weekend that is set aside in order to focus on encountering the Lord in personal ways.
Logistics
Tuition
Tuition for the Furnace is $800 ($500 for the Fall semester and $300 for the Spring). Tuition covers the Furnace Retreat, Mill retreat, Desperation Tour, Encounter, Furnace apparel, the required reading (two books per semester), the Furnace Gathering, fall and spring Banquet, and other events and activities.
Requirements
Each Furnace member is required to attend two prayer meetings, two hours in the Furnace Prayer Room, the Gathering, be a part of leadership team for a DSM campus group and an accountability group. We also ask Furnace students to attend at least one church service every week. This equates to twelve hours per week and one church service.
Each member commits to abiding by the Vow and the Creed.
Housing and Transportation
Since the Furnace is a part-time internship, members are responsible for their own housing. However, housing with host families is periodically an option and there are always Furnace members looking for roommates. For assistance with housing, please contact our office.
Members are not required to have a car while in the Furnace, but it is highly recommended due to the nature of the program. If one chooses not to own a vehicle, he or she must still fulfill all required meetings and events.
Start Date
Applications for the Furnace are accepted in the fall and spring semester of each year. The application deadline for the fall is September 10th. Orientation is Thursday, September 16th.
Jobs/College Classes
The Furnace is designed to enable members to have a job and go to college while they are in the program. However, all schedules must be created around Furnace requirements.
Age Requirements
The Furnace accepts all applications, however, the target age group for the Furnace is 18-25 year olds. One must have a high school diploma or equivalent in order to join the program.
Ministry Opportunities
Student Ministries
theMILL (college) and DSM (high school and junior high) are advancing the kingdom in powerful ways. Furnace members serve the college and high school ministries of New Life Church through prayer, retreats, and small group leadership.
Additionally, each Furnace member will be placed on the leadership team of a DSM campus group. These groups will meet on Sunday nights and will focus on discipling and encouraging high school students to reach their campus for Jesus. This is a tangible way for Furnace members to invest in discipling and mentoring high school students.
Missions
Furnace members are invited to trek through some of the spiritually darkest places in the world with the light of the Gospel. Every summer, the Furnace travels across borders to expand God’s kingdom.
Furnace Tours/Nights of Desperation
Furnace members are invited to load up in buses and vans to lead “Nights of Desperation” in local churches across the nation. These trips, often partnering with the Desperation Band, focus toward igniting worship and prayer in young people.
Desperation Conference
Desperation is our annual, national summer event calling the next generation to live in desperate pursuit of God. Desperation was birthed out of the prayer meetings of college students. Over the years, Desperation has been honored to have the likes of Ron Luce, John and Lisa Bevere, and Fred Markert, as well as having worship from the Desperation Band, David Crowder, United, Charlie Hall, Shane and Shane, Matt Redman and Leeland. Furnace members are an integral part in the implementation of the Desperation Conference on every level.
