Ascent Summit 2026
A Hopeful Witness for a Joyful Church
March 10-12, 2026
Falls Church, VA
Ascent Summit 2026
A Hopeful Witness for a Joyful Church
March 10-12th, 2026
Columbia Church
Falls Church, VA
We are living through a time of profound upheaval—nations trembling, economies shifting, and institutions faltering. Even the Church, amid the uncertainty, has wrestled to rediscover her true voice and calling.
In a moment marked by meanness and cruelty, the ground is ripe for a move of God defined by hope and joy.
Throughout history, the people of God have embodied their witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ with joy and hope. From Paul and Silas singing in chains, to the martyrs who shone through the flames, to everyday congregations serving their neighborhoods, the Church has stood apart from the unsettled world by exuding a bright hope for tomorrow.
If you long to see a new chapter in the witness of the Church across North America, join us for the inaugural Ascent Summit, where together we will explore A Hopeful Witness for a Joyful Church.
Meet Our Presenters
Ascent Summit 2026 Schedule
9:00 – 12:00 - Vital Preschools Pre-Conference
12:00 – 2:00 - Check In & Arrival
2:00 – 3:30 - Session 1: Lost and Found- Rummaging for What’s Missing in the Life of Church (Beth Moore)
3:30 – 4:00 - Break
4:00 – 5:15 - Forum 1: A Hopeful Witness in an Era of Upheaval- Pointing Beyond the Realities of the Moment
(Aaron Graham, Donna Lamothe, Beth Moore, Robert Turner)
5:15 – 7:15 - Dinner Break
- Ecclesia Network Dinner (Hoge Chapel)
- Uptick Network Dinner (Stephenson Hall)
- Stoneford/Cedar Health Alliance Dinner (Room 355)
7:15 – 8:45 - Session 2: Mission in Transition- Proclaiming the Gospel in an Age of Decline and Rebirth
(Julio Guarneri, Jason Persaud)
Day Two- Wednesday, March 11th
8:45 – 10:15 - Session 3: Charting the Way of Hope- A Practical Missiology for Mission in North America
(Jennifer Lau, Ed Stetzer)
10:15 – 10:45 - Break
10:45 – 12:00 - Forum 2: Multiple Topics
12:00 – 2:00 - Lunch Break
· Junia Network Learning Lunch w/ Beth Moore- SOLD OUT (Hoge Chapel)
2:00 – 2:50 - Workshop Sessions # 1
2:50 – 3:05 - Break
3:05 – 3:55 - Workshop Sessions # 2
3:55 – 4:10 - Break
4:10 – 5:00 - Roundtable Sessions
· Urban Pastors & Leaders (270)
· Mission Pastors, Directors, Leaders (265)
· Large Church Pastors & Leaders (309)
· Mid-Size Church Pastors & Leaders (Room 100)
· Small Church Pastors & Leaders (355)
· Gen Z & College/Young Adults Pastors, Leaders (267)
· Worship Pastors, Directors, Leaders (269)
· Children’s Ministers, Pastors, Leaders (The Big Room)
· Associate Pastors (Choir Suite)
· Executive Pastors (308)
· Non-Profit Ministry Leaders (127)
· Church Planting (102)
· Ascent/Creo Arts Network Orienting Session (330/327)
5:00 – 7:00 - Dinner Break
- Mission Northwest Dinner
7.00 – 8:30 - Session 4: Called by Joy- Embracing our Vocation to Meet the Moment ((Charlie E. Dates) & Ascent Celebration Service
8:30 – 9:30 - Summit After-Party Dessert Sponsored by Cedar Health Alliance
Day Three- Thursday, March 12th
9:00 - 10:30 - Session 5: Cultivating Joy- Life Long Leadership that Abides in Christ (Jorge Acevedo, Mia Chang)
10:30 – 11:00 - Break
11:00 – 12:30 - Session 6: The Unfinished Commission- Sowing the Gospel Generously, Joyfully, Hopefully (Raphael Anzenberger, Wayne Faison)
Transportation and Lodging
Airports: Columbia Church is conveniently located a short distance from both Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport. Baltimore-Washington International Airport is also a driveable distance.
Hotels: A number of hotels within a 30 minute radius of Columbia Church have been secured. Please see the hotels, costs, and relevant links below.
Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Friends
About Ascent
Ascent is a new mission connection for the church in North America. We are comprised of local churches, regional and national networks, seminaries, mission agencies, and Christian non-profit ministries. Together, we share a common goal of living out the Great Commission locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.
Our calling is energized by Jesus’ Gospel as expressed by the global, evangelical witness articulated in the Capetown Commitment of the Lausaunne Movement and focuses on 3 priority areas: Under-Gospeled & Unreached People, Mission & Ministry Gap Areas, and Leadership Development & Mobilization.
The March 10-12, 2026 event serves as the inaugural Ascent Summit in North America. We are expecting hundreds of leaders from all over the continent to join together to bear witness to a new day for the church and to pray for a fresh engagement with the gospel for our time.