After recent years of regional and bi-coastal gatherings, the Evangelical Covenant Church is bringing its premier youth event back together in one centralized location next year. Unite 2027 will take place in Lincoln, Nebraska, gathering Covenant high schoolers—from incoming freshmen to exiting seniors—and their youth leaders and volunteers for a unified week of worship, discipleship, and community. “We are hoping that this event will be transformative, catalytic, and life-changing for this generation coming up in the church,” said Rev. Ruby Varghese, who is co-chair of the event along with Rev. Dominique Gilliard.
The return to one event comes at a critical cultural moment, not only for the Covenant but for the broader Christian church. National studies show a troubling exodus of young adults from the faith, with research indicating that 66 percent of teenagers who attended a Protestant church regularly drop out for at least a year as young adults. A 2018 report entitled “The Great Opportunity” projected that by 2050 more than 35 million people raised in Christian homes will disaffiliate from the faith. On an annual basis, that would mean more than a million students leaving the faith every year.
Addressing those statistics, Unite 2027 will feature an intentional focus on holistic discipleship and evangelism. “Unite is our most explicit event targeted at reversing this trend,” said Gilliard. “Unite is not just about helping young people grow in their own faith; it’s about confidently sharing the gospel with their peers. We are focused on fortifying the faith of the next generation.”
In addition to a diverse slate of speakers, the event is an opportunity to listen to God in a variety of ways. Pete Sutton, director of youth and young adults, said, “Unite is designed to be a place where young people can talk about spiritual things with their peers. It provides an environment with incredible teaching where young people get to listen to and hear from God.”
Gilliard describes his own experience going to the event as a teen. “It was really grounding for me. I came out of the conference more convicted to grow in my faith because I knew I was not alone and that there was this whole contingency of other teenagers across the denomination who were like me.”
Sutton says he’s heard similar stories from other leaders. “A lot of people in our movement first heard their calling in ministry, whether that was to pastoral, global mission, or bivocational ministry, by coming to this event.” Varghese agreed, calling Unite “a catalytic moment,” where teachings and workshops often plant seeds in the lives of young people who go on to pursue various forms of vocational service and ministry.
That formational power isn’t just for teenagers either. “Unite can also be a critical discernment space for adult volunteers who might be seeking vocational clarity or wondering if God is calling them more explicitly into ministry,” Gilliard said.
A Picture of the Kingdom
Leaders emphasized that the return of Unite as one event will help students catch a greater vision not only for what it means to be part of the Covenant, but to glimpse the vastness of God’s kingdom. For teenagers who might be part of a small youth group, or for students who feel like they are the only believers in their daily lives, being surrounded by 3,000 like-minded peers is profoundly inspirational. “It energizes you in your own faith walk to know that you’re not alone,” says Gilliard.
“Having meals, going to workshops, going to base camps, hearing from all these different leaders…it’s a powerful way to grow your imagination,” Varghese said. “I remember my first time being in Tennessee with thousands of teenagers. What a blast it was to meet people from all over the country and around the globe. The fun and laughter and connection—I have friendships that still exist today that started at that event.”
The vision for Unite 2027 is to involve the entire denomination, including congregations without active youth groups. “Unite is an invitation for us to press in as a Covenant family, to function as an interconnected body,” Gilliard said. Even churches without youth in their congregations are encouraged to participate by committing to prayer, offering their time as on-the-ground volunteers, or helping with financial scholarships to expand access to all students and volunteers.
To prepare for this interconnected gathering, all participating churches will go through a pre-conference curriculum to establish a shared framework for functioning as the family of God. Students and leaders will sign a community covenant, affirming their agreement on how to faithfully engage and love one another during the week, so that students meaningfully engage with people from diverse and different parts of the globe during their time together.
New Location and Logistics
The decision to hold the event at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was deliberate. Attendees can fly affordably into Omaha, and organizers will provide transportation between the airport and the campus.
The Lincoln campus is beautiful. “And it’s flat,” Varghese said, smiling and referring to the previous site, which was hilly, humid, and unbearably hot for some participants. “For adult volunteers, it will be much easier to navigate going from place to place,” she said. For participants with mobility restrictions, the campus is a more accommodating environment.
In addition, Lincoln is uniquely suited to host youth groups from the diverse mosaic of Covenant congregations. The city recently earned a prestigious Four-Star Certified Welcoming designation from Welcoming America, because of its commitment to offering hospitality to immigrants and refugees. “Lincoln has earned a gold star for welcoming the stranger,” said Sutton. Conference organizers have met to establish clear protocols with the city and campus regarding security so that all attendees are safe.
Unite planners will continue to emphasize inclusivity. That means designated sensory rooms and accessibility spaces staffed to support students with specific sensory needs so they can participate in meaningful ways. Through thoughtful logistics, denominational unity, and a renewed focus on holistic discipleship, Unite 2027 is poised to launch a transformative new era for the next generation of Covenanters.
To learn more visit covchurch.org/unite.
