North American Youth Congress

Last updated
North American Youth Congress
AbbreviationNAYC
Established1979;45 years ago (1979)
Location
  • Various, St. Louis (2023)
Key people
D.J. Hill (Youth Ministries President), [1] David K. Bernard (UPCI General Superintendent)
Parent organization
 United Pentecostal Church International
AffiliationsUPCI Youth Ministries
Students
33,741 (2023)
Website northamericanyouthcongress.com

North American Youth Congress (commonly abbreviated NAYC) is a biennial event held by the Youth Ministries division of the United Pentecostal Church International, occurring every other year since 1979. The event has been described as one of the largest gatherings of Christian youth in the U.S. and is held in different cities around the country each year. In 2019, there was a record attendance of over 36,000 youth and young adults. [2]

Contents

Overview

Being the largest event hosted by the United Pentecostal Church International, NAYC is considered the "premier youth conference" of the UPCI. [3] It is intended mainly for youth and young adults, aimed at people ages 12 to 25. [4] [5] [6] At the event, students attend various breakout sessions and nightly services, as well as participate in networking, fellowship, and community service over the course of three days. [2] [7]

SERVE Day

During NAYC, attendees may also participate in a program known as SERVE Day (formerly Project 22:39 [4] ) where students help serve the nearby communities. [8] [9] SERVE is held as a collaboration between UPCI Youth Ministries and Reach Out America, the disaster relief arm of the United Pentecostal Church International. [10] SERVE draws inspiration from Matthew 22:39, where Jesus says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [11]

History

NAYC was launched in 1979 and has traveled to various cities around the U.S. every year, starting in Memphis, TN, and the most recent being in St. Louis, MO. The event has grown over recent years, with the 2019 and 2023 editions being described by multiple outlets as one of the largest Christian youth events in North America. [12] [13] [14]

Past Locations [15]
YearLocation
1979Memphis, TN
1981 Shreveport, LA
1983 Indianapolis, IN
1985 Tulsa, OK
1987 Cincinnati, OH
1989Memphis, TN
1991 Kansas City, MO
1993Indianapolis, IN
1995 Little Rock, AR
1997 Nashville, TN
1999Indianapolis, IN
2001 Atlanta, GA
2003Nashville, TN
2005 Columbus, OH
2007 Charlotte, NC
2009Nashville, TN
2011Columbus, OH
2013 Louisville, KY
2015 Oklahoma City, OK
2017Indianapolis, IN
2019St. Louis, MO
2021Online (COVID-19) [16]
2023St. Louis, MO

2015

In 2015, NAYC was held at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, OK, under the theme "Anthem" from August 5 to August 7. [17] [18] It drew over 22,000 young people and was the first to be sold out in NAYC history, requiring overflow seating to be provided in the neighboring Cox Convention Center. [9] [19] The event brought an estimated $6 million in sales to the city. [18]

2017

UPCI Youth Ministries Twitter
@UPCIYouthMin

NAYC 2017 announces the need for the first time of a football stadium - Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN!! #NSYC15 #NAYC17

7 August 2015 [20]

NAYC 2017 was held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, with a theme of “This is That" from July 26 to 28, 2017. [21] [22] [23] This was the first year that NAYC had been held in a football stadium, and the event was attended by over 34,000 youth and young adults. [8] [24] During the Friday evening service, a letter to the attendees from the vice president of the United States, Mike Pence, was read by Youth President Michael Ensey. [22] [25]

2019

NAYC in 2019 was held at the Dome at America's Center and America’s Center in St. Louis, MO, from July 31 to August 3, [26] under the theme, "Kingdom Come." [27] NAYC 2019 was the largest NAYC to date with around 37,000 young people attending. [2] [13] During the event's SERVE Day, attendees filled 2,000 buckets worth $75 each to assist with disaster relief in the area. [4]

2021

In 2021, NAYC, with the theme of "Ascend," [28] was once again scheduled to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, from July 28 to July 30. [29] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was canceled as an in-person event on March 29, 2021. [16] [29] [30] As of January 2024, the livestream of the online event has gained over 27,000 views on YouTube and 79,000 views on Facebook. [31] [32]

2023

The logo of NAYC 2023, referencing Haggai 2:9. Logo of NAYC 2023 - Glory.png
The logo of NAYC 2023, referencing Haggai 2:9.

NAYC 2023, under the theme of "Glory," [3] was held in St. Louis, MO, at The Dome at America's Center with split sessions at the St. Louis Convention Center from July 26 to July 28, 2023. [33] In a statement, the UPCI announced that over 30,000 people had registered for the event since March 10, [3] with the final registration being placed at 33,000. [34] [35] Final event attendance was 33,741 attendees. [36] NAYC 2023's SERVE Day involved over 1,500 students [36] preparing 3,000 disaster relief buckets containing items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, and other hygiene products and cleaning supplies. [14] [37] [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)</span> Mainline Protestant (religious) denomination

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th century as a loose association of churches working towards Christian unity, then slowly forming quasi-denominational structures through missionary societies, regional associations, and an international convention. In 1968, the Disciples of Christ officially adopted a denominational structure at which time a group of churches left to remain nondenominational.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of God in Christ</span> Holiness-Pentecostal Christian denomination

The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is an international Holiness–Pentecostal Christian denomination, and the largest Pentecostal denomination in the United States. Although an international and multi-ethnic religious organization, it has a predominantly African American membership based within the United States. The international headquarters is in Memphis, Tennessee. The current Presiding Bishop is Bishop John Drew Sheard Sr., who is the Senior Pastor of the Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ of Detroit, Michigan. He was elected as the denomination's leader on March 27, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Pentecostal Church International</span> Christian Pentecostal denomination

The United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) is a Oneness Pentecostal denomination headquartered in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The United Pentecostal Church International was formed in 1945 by a merger of the former Pentecostal Church, Inc. and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ.

Oneness Pentecostalism is a nontrinitarian religious movement within the Protestant Christian family of churches known as Pentecostalism. It derives its name from its teaching on the Godhead, a form of Modalistic Monarchianism commonly referred to as the Oneness doctrine. The doctrine states that there is one God―a singular divine spirit with no distinction of persons―who manifests himself in many ways, including as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This stands in sharp contrast to the doctrine of three distinct, eternal persons posited by Trinitarian theology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dome at America's Center</span> Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

The Dome at America's Center is a multi-purpose stadium used for concerts, major conventions, and sporting events in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Previously known as the Trans World Dome from 1995 to 2001 and the Edward Jones Dome from 2002 to 2016, it was constructed largely to lure a National Football League (NFL) team to St. Louis and to serve as a convention space.

The charismatic movement in Christianity is a movement within established or mainstream Christian denominations to adopt beliefs and practices of Charismatic Christianity, with an emphasis on baptism with the Holy Spirit, and the use of spiritual gifts (charismata). It has affected most denominations in the United States, and has spread widely across the world.

Irvin Lee Baxter Jr. was an American Oneness Pentecostal minister, televangelist, author, and biblical scholar. He hosted the internationally syndicated biblical prophecy television program, End of The Age, and, who also was the founder and president of Endtime Ministries, a Christian organization devoted to presenting his views on Christian eschatology. Before he founded Endtime Ministries, Baxter served as pastor of the Oak Park Church (UPCI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucas Oil Stadium</span> American football stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the National Football League (NFL)'s Indianapolis Colts and opened on August 16, 2008. The stadium was constructed to allow the removal of the RCA Dome and expansion of the Indiana Convention Center on its site. It is located on the south side of South Street, a block south of the former site of the RCA Dome. The stadium's naming rights belong to the Lucas Oil corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pathanamthitta</span> Town in Kerala, India

Pathanamthitta, is a municipality situated in the Southern Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37,538. The Hindu pilgrim centre Sabarimala is situated in the Pathanamthitta district; as the main transport hub to Sabarimala, the town is known as the 'Pilgrim Capital of Kerala'. Pathanamthitta District, the thirteenth revenue district of the State of Kerala, was formed with effect from 1 November 1982, with headquarters at Pathanamthitta. Forest covers more than half of the total area of the District. Pathanamthitta District ranks the 7th in area in the State. The district has its borders with Allepey, Kottayam, Kollam and Idukki districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Nearest city Is Thiruvalla, located at a distance of 30 km. Thiruvalla railway station Is 30 km via Thiruvalla-Kumbazha highway. Buses ply every 5 Minutes from Thiruvalla To Pathanamthitta & vice versa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillsong Church</span> Global megachurch network headquartered in Australia

Hillsong Church, commonly known as Hillsong, is a charismatic Christian megachurch and a Christian association of churches based in Australia. The original church was established in Baulkham Hills, New South Wales, as Hills Christian Life Centre by Brian Houston and his wife, Bobbie Houston, in 1983. Hillsong was a member of the Australian Christian Churches – the Australian branch of the US-based Assemblies of God – until 2018, when it separated to form a new denomination. The church is known for its contemporary worship music, with groups such as Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United and Hillsong Young & Free with many musical credits and hits and a series of scandals and criticisms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Convention Center</span> Convention center in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

The Indiana Convention Center is a major convention center located in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The original structure was completed in 1972 and has undergone five expansions. In total, there are 71 meeting rooms, 11 exhibit halls, and three multi-purpose ballrooms. The connected facilities of Lucas Oil Stadium offer an additional 183,000 square feet (20,000 m2) of exhibit space and 12 meeting rooms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urshan Graduate School of Theology</span>

Urshan Graduate School of Theology (UGST) is a private seminary affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) and located in Wentzville, Missouri. It opened in 2001 as a Oneness Pentecostal seminary.

Bernie L. Wade, born on June 29, 1963, in Lakewood, Ohio, is an American minister, entrepreneur, and author. He has served in a variety of roles, including senior pastor and chief operations officer of the Christian Brotherhood. He also served as president of CWN, and vice-president of Spread the Spirit of Love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urshan College</span>

Urshan College, formerly known as Gateway College of Evangelism, is a Christian seminary in Wentzville, Missouri. It is owned and operated by the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI). In 2012, the college was acquired by Urshan Graduate School of Theology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christianity in Tamil Nadu</span> History of Christianity in the state of Tamil Nadu, India

Christianity in the state of Tamil Nadu, India is the second largest religion in the state. According to tradition, St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, landed in Malabar Coast in AD 52. In the colonial age many Portuguese, Dutch, British and Italian Christians came to Tamil Nadu. Priests accompanied them not only to minister the colonisers but also to spread the Christian faith among the non-Christians in Tamil Nadu. Currently, Christians are a minority community comprising 6% of the total population. Christians are mainly concentrated in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu - Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald Archie Mangun</span> American Christian leader

Gerald Archie Mangun, usually known as G. A. Mangun, built one of the largest churches of the United Pentecostal Church International denomination in the city of Alexandria, Louisiana.

The United Covenant Churches of Christ or United Covenant Churches of Christ International is a Pentecostal Holiness denomination in the United States of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch)</span> Christian denomination in the Philippines

The Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ , also known as PMCC, is a Pentecostal Christian denomination based in the Philippines. It was founded in 1972 by Arsenio T. Ferriol, who is the church's current executive minister, and registered on August 30, 1973. The church claims to be the 'One True Church of Christ', with its beliefs coming from the Bible as the sole basis for all its doctrines and prophecies about the 'Church of Jesus Christ' established by a living modern-day Apostle in the modern era The church has an estimated 1,000,000 members worldwide and 1000 local churches, with Marikina Main Church serving as the largest and headquarters of the denomination.

Christian Life College (CLC) is a private, non-profit four-year undergraduate college located in Stockton, California. The college was formerly known as Western Apostolic Bible College until 1980.

References

  1. ↑ UPCI Communications (20 September 2023). "UPCI Ministers Choose New Global Missions Director, Youth President". UPCI. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Parke, Caleb (16 August 2019). "Over 36,000 Christian students help serve disaster victims at youth conference". Fox News. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 UPCI Communications (3 April 2023). "More than 30,000 already registered for NAYC 2023". UPCI. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Lea, Jessica (2 August 2019). "37,000 People at NAYC Help with Disaster Relief". Church Leaders. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  5. ↑ "North American Youth Congress". UPCI Youth Ministries. UPCI. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  6. ↑ "North American Youth Congress". North American Youth Congress. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  7. ↑ "Hometown Hero Josh Carson". Explore St. Louis. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Pentecostal students to pack America's Center, disaster relief supplies" . St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  9. 1 2 Staff Reports (1 August 2015). "Pentecostal youth congress expected to draw more than 22K to downtown Oklahoma City". The Oklahoman. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "About Us". Reach Out America. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  11. 1 2 UPCI Communications (17 July 2023). "NAYC features opportunity for students to SERVE". UPCI. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Warren, Steve (2 August 2019). "Here's How One of the Largest Christian Youth Events in the US is Celebrating 'Serve Day'". CBN News. The Christian Broadcasting Network. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  13. 1 2 Faust, Vic (1 August 2019). "Large Christian youth conference leaving behind something good for St. Louis". Fox 2 Now. Nexstar Media Inc. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  14. 1 2 Lee, Reggie (26 July 2023). "America's Center hosting 'North American Youth Congress' event Wednesday". FOX 2 . Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "North American Youth Congress 2019 Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). North American Youth Congress. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  16. 1 2 Liles, Jordan (28 August 2021). "Viral 'NAYC21' Facebook Post About Christian Event Lacked Context". Snopes. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023. And in 2021, the in-person portion of the gathering was canceled due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
  17. ↑ Hudspeth, Sarah (7 August 2015). "North American Youth Congress, Friday Morning". InsideOut Magazine. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  18. 1 2 Knoernschild, Kaelynn (28 July 2015). "Pentecostal youths to descend on OKC". The Journal Record. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  19. ↑ Journal Record Staff (27 July 2015). "22,000 to attend NAYC in OKC". The Journal Record. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  20. ↑ UPCI Youth Ministries [@UPCIYouthMin] (August 8, 2015). "NAYC 2017 announces the need for the first time of a football stadium - Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN!! #NSYC15 #NAYC17" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  21. ↑ Harry, L.J. (27 January 2017). "Interview With NAYC Speakers: Michael Ensey". InsideOut Magazine. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  22. 1 2 Skirvin, Rachel (2 August 2017). "North American Youth Congress, Friday Night". InsideOut Magazine. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  23. ↑ "North American Youth Congress (NAYC)". Calvary Apostolic Church. 28 June 2020. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  24. ↑ Holiman, K.C. (27 November 2017). "#NAYC17 Memories". InsideOut Magazine. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  25. ↑ You can see an image of the letter posted by the UPCI Youth Ministries Facebook page here: "Pence Letter". Facebook . UPCI Youth Ministries. 28 July 2017. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  26. ↑ Skirvin, Rachel (26 July 2019). "NAYC 2019 Information". InsideOut Magazine. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  27. ↑ Admin (31 July 2019). "NAYC 2019 Wednesday Night". InsideOut Magazine. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 2 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  28. ↑ Admin (3 August 2021). "NAYC 2021 Recap #ScatteredToGather". InsideOut Magazine. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  29. 1 2 "COVID-19". North American Youth Congress. UPCI Youth Ministries. 29 March 2021. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  30. ↑ Admin (2 August 2019). "NAYC 2019 Friday Night Service". InsideOut Magazine. UPCI Youth Ministries. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  31. ↑ UPCI Youth Ministries (30 July 2021). "NAYC21 Online Service". Youtube . Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  32. ↑ UPCI Youth Ministries (30 July 2021). "NAYC21 Online Service". Facebook . Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  33. ↑ "#NAYC23 FAQ's". North American Youth Congress. UPCI Youth Ministries. 30 November 2022. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  34. ↑ "Christian youth conference expected to draw more than 30,000 students to downtown St. Louis". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 21 July 2023. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  35. ↑ Communications, UPCI (24 July 2023). "NAYC 2023 set to begin in downtown St. Louis". UPCI. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  36. 1 2 Buford, P. Daniel; Johnston, Robin, eds. (October 2023). "Living Epistles". Pentecostal Life. 6 (10). St. Charles, MO: UPCI: 25. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  37. ↑ "The SERVE Event". Reach Out America. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.