# North American Youth Congress

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.

## Overview

Being the largest event hosted by the United Pentecostal Church International, NAYC is considered the "premier youth conference" of the UPCI. It is intended mainly for youth and young adults, aimed at people ages 12 to 25. The event features various breakout sessions, nightly services, and a talent search, and students have the opportunity to participate in networking, fellowship, and community service over the course of three days.

### SERVE Day

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

## 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, being described by multiple outlets as one of the largest Christian youth events in North America.
Locations :
| Year | Location |
| 1979 | Memphis, TN |
| 1981 | Shreveport, LA |
| 1983 | Indianapolis, IN |
| 1985 | Tulsa, OK |
| 1987 | Cincinnati, OH |
| 1989 | Memphis, TN |
| 1991 | Kansas City, MO |
| 1993 | Indianapolis, IN |
| 1995 | Little Rock, AR |
| 1997 | Nashville, TN |
| 1999 | Indianapolis, IN |
| 2001 | Atlanta, GA |
| 2003 | Nashville, TN |
| 2005 | Columbus, OH |
| 2007 | Charlotte, NC |
| 2009 | Nashville, TN |
| 2011 | Columbus, OH |
| 2013 | Louisville, KY |
| 2015 | Oklahoma City, OK |
| 2017 | Indianapolis, IN |
| 2019 | St. Louis, MO |
| 2021 | Online (COVID-19) |
| 2023 | St. Louis, MO |
| 2025 | Indianapolis, IN |

### 2013

NAYC 2013 was held at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY, from August 7 to August 9, 2013, with a theme of "Gravity." Registration was at 12,000 for the event. The event's Project 22:39 involved landscaping, painting, and general cleanup of nearby neighborhoods, as well as a food drive to support the Dare to Care Food Bank. Over 500 people signed up to participate, and the Project 22:39 attendees were also greeted by the mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer.

### 2015

In 2015, NAYC was held at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, OK, under the theme "Anthem" from August 5 to August 7. In the first 14 hours of registration, the event sold out with 18,000 registrants, becoming the first to be sold out in NAYC history. To accommodate additional students, overflow seating was provided in the neighboring Cox Convention Center with a live stream of the service from across the street. Final event attendance was over 22,000 young people, and the event brought an estimated $6 million in sales to the city.

### 2017

   | Avatar of UPCI Youth Ministries | UPCI Youth Ministries @UPCIYouthMin |
   NAYC 2017 announces the need for the first time of a football stadium - Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, IN!! #NSYC15 #NAYC17
NAYC 2017 was held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, with a theme of “This is That" from July 26 to July 28. 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. 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. The event also featured "The Great Pitch," a competition offering young entrepreneurs aged 12–35 over $100,000 in prizes, investment, and coaching for ventures focused on creating meaningful social impact.

### 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, under the theme, "Kingdom Come." NAYC 2019 was the largest NAYC to date with around 37,000 young people attending. During the event's SERVE Day, attendees filled 2,000 buckets worth $75 each to assist with disaster relief in the area, with buckets and supplies provided by Lowe's and Feed the Children.

### 2021

In 2021, NAYC, with the theme of "Ascend," was once again scheduled to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, from July 28 to July 30. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was canceled as an in-person event on March 29, 2021, instead being rescheduled as a single live streamed event on July 30, 2021, promoted using the hashtag #ScatteredToGather. As of January 2025, the live stream of the online event has gained over 28,000 views on YouTube and 80,000 views on Facebook.

### 2023

NAYC 2023, under the theme of "Glory," 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. In a statement, the UPCI announced that over 30,000 people had registered for the event since March 10, with the final registration being placed at 33,000. Final event attendance was 33,741 attendees. NAYC 2023's SERVE Day involved over 1,500 students preparing 3,000 disaster relief buckets containing items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, and other hygiene products and cleaning supplies.

### 2025

NAYC 2025 is scheduled to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium with split sessions at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN, from July 23 to July 25, 2025.