by Allyson O'Bryant, Student Public Relations Writer
As global populations grow and many regions remain spiritually unreached, church planting continues to be a vital strategy in advancing the gospel. Cedarville University is responding by launching its spring semester with the 2026 GO Conference from January 6–8, focusing on missions, church multiplication and the local church as God’s chosen instrument for reaching the world.
Church Planting Takes Center Stage at Three-Day Student Event
This year’s conference highlights the role of church planting in fulfilling the Great Commission. With more than 30 ministry representatives and five featured speakers, the three-day event will challenge students and attendees to live on mission, whether in their local communities or across continents.
Conference Encourages Students to Live on Mission Locally and Globally
The GO Conference helps set the spiritual tone for the semester, encouraging students to participate in global outreach and to consider how their gifts — regardless of their major or career path — can be used in service of the gospel. Chapel services, seminars and evening panels aim to deepen students’ understanding of missions and give them direct access to experienced church planters and missionaries.
The conference programs are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., with seminars and panels between 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The conference concludes Thursday morning during Cedarville’s daily chapel program at 10 a.m. “At Cedarville, we long to see 10% of our student body going to the ends of the earth to reach the unreached for the gospel and the other 90% of our students living on mission in multiplying churches in the U.S.,” said Dr. Jon Wood, vice president of Student Life and Christian Ministries.
GO Conference Aims to Equip Students for Gospel-Centered Service
The conference theme emphasizes that every student — no matter the degree — can be used as gospel instruments by God. Organizers hope to show that missions start in the church, and because of missions, new churches are born.
“The collection of disciples are the ones who take on the task of reaching those far from Christ,” said Wood. “Then, when people are reached in a new place, it results in a new gathering of disciples we call a church.”
Featured Speakers Highlight Church Multiplication and Global Outreach
Speakers this year include: Lukus Counterman, lead pastor at Gospel Grace Church (Salt Lake City, Utah), Mark Hallock, lead pastor at Calvary Church (Englewood, Colorado) and president of the Calvary Family of Churches, Aaron Cavin, pastor at Life Community Church (Quincy, Massachusetts), Jeremy Kimble, director of the Synergy Initiative at Cedarville University, and Rob Maine, lead pastor at Renaissance Church (Pittsburg, Pennsylvania). Their selection reflects a growing trend within American evangelicalism: Church planting is increasingly diverse and adaptive, responding to shifting cultural and demographic landscapes.
The conference underscores how church planting remains a critical strategy for supporting or forming new congregations — including among unreached people groups globally.
Whether students go overseas or serve in their local neighborhoods, the GO Conference is designed to cultivate a mindset of gospel urgency and purpose. As the global church continues to grow in complexity and opportunity, Cedarville aims to equip a generation ready to lead, plant, and serve wherever God calls — with a vision rooted not in comfort but in the call to make disciples of all nations.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
