It’s a Celebration!

ICOM 2026 invites the movement to celebrate God’s faithfulness

David Empson reflects on the biblical theme of celebration and invites readers to gather for ICOM 2026 in St. Louis. He highlights key anniversaries across the movement’s story and calls churches and individuals to be encouraged, equipped, and renewed for mission.

• Scripture repeatedly ties God’s work to celebration, remembrance, and rejoicing.
• ICOM 2026 marks major milestones in missions and Restoration Movement history.
• The conference aims to unite and equip believers to finish the task God has given.

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By David Empson That word runs deep—biblically and historically. Every Jewish feast was meant to be a celebration of what God has done. Every Sabbath was to stop what we were doing to focus on what God has done. Every battle was meant to be a celebration of who God is, his mighty power, his glory, and his grace. We serve a God who loves a celebration and loves to be celebrated. And we have lots to celebrate. ICOM 2026 will be a celebration. I feel just like I did 28 years ago, anticipating a new chapter, not knowing what all is going to happen. I transitioned twenty years ago from youth ministry into something new and undefined: students and missions (SICOM). This year I’ll be transitioning from Executive Director of the International Conference on Missions (ICOM) into the role of ICOM (conference) President, then onto retirement and whatever that holds. Serving alongside me is my new friend and successor, Dr. Rob Maupin.  As we prepare to gather in St. Louis one word has emerged from my prayer and journaling: celebrate.

ICOM 2026 marks several major milestones in our movement’s story:

• • 175 Years since our first missionary, James Barclay, was sent to Jerusalem by the American Christian Missionary Society (1851).

• • 100 Years since the independent Christian Church/Church of Christ emerged as a distinct expression within the Restoration Movement (1926).

• • 200+ Years ago, last September, my home church was planted, New Hope Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana (1823), which became an independent Christian Church in 1832.

• • 160 years ago, the Christian Standard began to be published and has been serving our churches and missions ever since.

These anniversaries aren’t just numbers—they’re testimonies of God’s faithfulness. They show how mission, conviction, and courage have shaped who we are. And what gets celebrated gets repeated. What I love most is that missions have always been at the heart of our movement. Within two decades of the 1832 merger between Stone’s “Christian Connection” and Campbell’s “Disciples,” we were already thinking about missions overseas—not only through agencies, but by individuals directly supported by churches. We have deep legacy lines in places like India, the Philippines, Japan, and Africa. That global heart still beats strong. But the example of celebration in Scripture goes deeper than dates. It reaches all the way to heaven. I’ve always been drawn to the parables in Luke 15—the Lost Coin, the Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son. Twice in that chapter, Jesus tells us that “all heaven rejoices” when one sinner repents. That word—rejoices—shows up in only a few other moments in Scripture. One of them is when angels lit up the sky outside Bethlehem, declaring Christ’s birth. That’s what celebration looks like in God’s kingdom. It’s loud. It’s joyful. It’s heaven-on-earth. So, in November, we will celebrate. We’ll celebrate our faith, the faithful who have gone before us, we will celebrate Jesus, the commission he gave us, and so much more. I have asked my favorite speakers to inspire and challenge us from Hebrews 11 and 12—a reminder that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and that we run our race with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus. Celebration unites. It turns our eyes from struggles to the Savior. It calls us to remember, rejoice, and repeat what matters most. We can all think of lesser times, bad times, and tough times. But even if we are in a tough time, it’s time to celebrate God. I remember the words of an old song from my college days: “When you’re up against a struggle, that shatters all your dreams. And your hopes have been cruelly crushed by Satan’s manifested schemes. And you feel the urge within you to submit to earthly fears, don’t let the faith you’re standing in seem to disappear, Praise the Lord!” In November we will have brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow servants of the gospel from all over the world, coming to St. Louis. We all need to be encouraged to finish the task God has given us. We all need equipping, finding resources and partners to do what needs to be done. And our Lord is not done calling more workers into his harvest. And if you don’t feel you need to be encouraged, equipped, or called, your presence at this celebration is still treasured and wanted. Your presence might bring a celebration to you, to someone else, or to our heavenly Father, and that is worth every penny and every minute of our time. We need to repeat what matters. So, I invite you to join us in St. Louis, November 12-14, 2026, at the America’s Center. Come ready to celebrate—and let’s give heaven a reason to rejoice. See you in St. Louis! David Empson is the soon-to-be-retiring Executive Director of the International Conference On Missions (ICOM) and will serve as the 2026 conference president.