Ascent Summit 2026 Gathers Leaders Around Hopeful Witness
Inaugural gathering of Ascent brings together witnesses from BGAV and beyond
Church leaders gathered March 10–12 at Columbia Church in Falls Church, VA, for the inaugural Ascent Summit, centered on the theme "A Hopeful Witness for a Joyful Church.” The event brought together pastors, ministry leaders, and partners to reflect on the Church’s calling in a time of cultural uncertainty and institutional change.
 BGAV's Lisa Rodriguez-Watson and Gary Long connect with BWA's Elijah Brown and Orel Rhodes in the exhibit area. |
 BGAV's Shannon Kiser (center) jointly leads a forum with Beth Moore, Rici Be, and David Fitch on "A Hopeful Witness in a Post-Christian Era: Awakening a Missionary Church in a Society of Skeptics and Scoffers." |
Through plenary sessions, forums, and workshops, participants explored what it means to embody a hopeful, Christ-centered presence in their communities. Speakers including Beth Moore, Charlie Dates, Ed Stetzer, and others challenged attendees to reclaim joy as a defining mark of Christian witness and to engage their contexts with renewed clarity and courage.
 BGAV's Gary Long talks with Tim Brown, lead pastor of Highlands Fellowship, at BGAV's sponsor table. |
 BGAV's Susan McBride (right) poses with guest speaker Beth Moore. Susan was awarded the first-ever Ascent Lifetime Fruitfulness Award for her 45 years of ministry work at BGAV. |
During Tuesday morning's main session, BGAV's very own Susan McBride was awarded the first-ever Ascent Lifetime Fruitfulness Award! Ascent Senior Director Chris Backert presented Susan with the award commemorating her 45 years in ministry work - touching more than 100,000 lives along the way.
In honor of this achievement, BGAV's ministry partner EverBless Foundation endowed a $45,000 scholarship ($1,000 per year of Susan's service) for women pursuing a ministry calling. Five recipients of this scholarship were invited on stage to be prayed over by guest speaker Beth Moore.
The summit balanced big-picture vision with practical application. Breakout sessions and roundtables created space for leaders to connect across ministry settings—from church planting and nonprofit leadership to next-generation ministry and multicultural engagement. Conversations centered around a common thread: how the Church can move forward with faithfulness in a season marked by both decline and opportunity. The gathering marked an important first step in Ascent’s ongoing effort to foster connection, innovation, and mission across the Church in North America.
