(EUROPE) The Outpouring of God’s Love at the Encounter Conference 2026 “All In, All Him”
- Aug 27, 2026
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By Maria Gross, Cologne
We praise God for the outpouring of His love and grace throughout the 2026 Encounter Conference from August 11–15.
This year, we gathered in Mannheim, in a central location between the main station and the Rhine River. Even though we faced temperatures of up to 38°C during the conference, God gave us the strength and endurance to persevere through the heat and keep our focus on Him. Our four messengers, Ji Hye, Jon, Curie, and James, shared powerful messages that led us each day one step closer to Jesus. We began by reflecting on the Father’s call to return to Him through the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32). On the second day, we reflected on the cost of following Jesus (John 12:20–26). On the third day, we were challenged to allow our walk with Jesus to transform us into His image (Luke 24:13–35). Finally, on the last day, we were encouraged to examine our spiritual disciplines and were given practical direction for living out our faith once we returned home (Acts 2:42–47).
Beyond the main messages, we were blessed with a wide variety of impactful workshops, including “God and the Age of AI,” “Leadership,” “Calling, Career, Contentment,” and many more. These workshops gave participants opportunities to explore different aspects of faith and life and to engage in meaningful conversations.
One new element we introduced this year was our mentoring system. Participants could book a 30-minute session with one of nine mentors, each bringing expertise in areas such as mental health, leadership, singleness, and other areas of life. Since this was our first time offering something like this, we were unsure how well it would be received and even wondered whether anyone would make use of it. But those concerns quickly disappeared: the mentoring slots filled up rapidly, and some mentors barely had time to catch their breath as they moved from one conversation to the next. We are deeply grateful that God used this mentoring system to provide participants with a safe space to share what was on their hearts, receive wisdom and encouragement, and pray together.
Encounter Night was another powerful moment of God’s presence. Our worship team humbly led us into the presence of the Lord, and Bruno led us through a time of prayer. Many young people made the decision to go “All In” for Jesus.
We praise God for every one of these decisions and pray that what began at Encounter will continue to shape their everyday lives as they return home. We want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who fervently prayed for Encounter and for all the preparation that went into it. We could clearly see God’s hand guiding, strengthening, and helping us both before and throughout the conference. What a privilege it was to witness His faithfulness. We pray that He will continue to walk with every participant in their daily lives, strengthen their faith, and draw them closer to Him each and every day. To God be all the glory!
