From first-time commitments to discovering a call to ministry, students are arriving with an expectation of lasting spiritual impact.

By Carl Stagner | Read Time: 5 minutes

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One of the most life-changing opportunities youth groups may ever experience is upon us. Students descending upon Cincinnati for IYC2026 might not realize it, but every other year proves pivotal for hundreds of the thousands who attend. From first-time commitments to Christ and rededications to the Lord, to acceptance of the divine call ministry and the choice to follow Jesus instead of popular culture, Church of God teens and their leaders will undoubtedly have a testimony to share with all those who, for months leading to this moment, raised funds and prayerfully supported their goal to get there.

Cincinnati Overview

While the downtown skyline from Interstate 75 northbound into Ohio might be iconic, an overview of Cincinnati for the Church of God during the last week of June into early July 2026 appears less like high-rise buildings and picturesque bridges, and more like anointed worship leaders, stellar speakers, and lots of fun away from home!

Crossings Worship Collective certainly tops the list of IYC2026 features students are anticipating. Through popular worship hits and a few original tunes, the worship ministry team of Oklahoma City’s highly influential Church of God known as Crossings Community is hitting all the right notes.

Now consider Hosanna Wong, Beth Wolff, Andrew Miller, and Church of God Ministries’ own Monté Dillard who, respectively, represent a familiar and fantastic spoken-word legend among the younger generation, an energetic and anointed pastor of a flourishing turnaround church outside D.C., an articulate and impassioned preacher from the Crossroads of America, and a spiritual giant whose love for the emerging generation rivals that of his widely established love for the broader church.

Don’t discount the 5K4Freedom, Impact Cincy, the Silent Walk, numerous breakout conferences, and so much more. Every component of IYC this year has yet again been crafted with utmost intentionality for the purpose of creating a moment of life change. Looking back at previous IYCs, it’ll certainly pan out as planned, or better!

What People Are Saying

Before IYC, many youth groups opted to take in the surrounding scenery, even availing themselves of special area activities throughout Ohio and neighboring states. Among these were Kings Island, Cedar Point, Lake Erie, the Ark Encounter, and various downtown Cincinnati attractions. Though the fun captured the attention of the students, many already recognize the lasting value of the Convention itself, while everyone is praying for life change.

NorthPark Church in Meridian, Mississippi, observed, “Our NorthPark Students are on their way to IYC, and we couldn’t be more excited to see what God has in store this week! Pray for safe travels, lots of fun and new friendships, powerful worship, and most of all, that every student has a life-changing encounter with Jesus! We believe God is going to do amazing things in their hearts this week, and we can’t wait to hear all the stories when they get home!”

Maiden Lane Church of God in Springfield, Ohio, indicated their prayer was “that God moves beyond expectations, that students encounter Jesus in a life-changing way, and leave equipped to live out their faith long after IYC ends.”

Fellowship Community Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, posted on social media, “We continue to pray for [our IYC-bound students] and are expecting the Lord to do the powerful and miraculous in them and through them. We can’t wait to hear all about it when they return!”

A Personal Take

As many CHOGnews readers have already noted, Camp Meetings played a formative role in my life and ministry. Many might assume that IYC did, as well, and they would be correct.

In the 2000s, IYCs in both Denver, Colorado, and Nashville, Tennessee, were major milestones along my faith journey. Coming from a very small youth group in a small church in Phoenix, Arizona, IYC was my first exposure to youth ministry of the highest quality. Until thousands of students joined me in the convention hall in Denver, I’d never felt the floors shake beneath me while peers my age added jumping to the mix while they belted out worship songs at the top of their lungs.

These were more than mere exhilarating experiences; they were spiritually catalytic. I’d grown up loving one style of music, but found myself in awe of the beauty of voices clearly enraptured by the majesty of God through a variety of forms—including some rap and hip hop! I rediscovered the simplicity of the gospel message as it was convincingly relayed to my generation. I found myself thoroughly amazed at the power of so many otherwise noisy teenagers completely quiet during the Silent Walk (and the emotive worship that followed).

By my second IYC, I was drawn to the suggestion that perhaps God would use me one day for a very specific purpose. Though I’d not yet embraced a call to vocational ministry, I remember feeling the urge to join hundreds of others my age in the emerging leaders gathering. When older saints prayed for them—and me—I couldn’t escape the wonder of the moment. Even today, I look back at those times with fascination when I consider how God was putting puzzle pieces together that would result in his glory and my unique present ministry combination.

I thank God, for IYC. And this year, my eldest daughter experiences her first-ever International Youth Convention of the Church of God. I can only imagine the puzzle pieces the Lord is aligning in her life, too.

 

 

You can also view the stream via IYC’s Facebook, Church of God Ministries Facebook and on YouTube.