Answers to the most frequently asked questions
What about?
More questions? Maybe this will help. Dig into this FAQ to find answers to common questions about the rally.
For everyone
Is there onsite registration?
No, you must register online.
Where do I send the check?
Make check payable to “Bowling Green State University” and mail to:
Conference & Event Services
Attn: Anna Johnston, Registration Coordinator
1001 E Wooster St
Bowling Green, OH 43403
Event registration is not complete until full payment has been received.
I can’t remember what I registered for?
After you register, you will receive an email that contains that information.
What is the cancellation policy? Can I get a refund?
You may cancel your registration. However, refunds will only be available prior to May 28, and the refunds are reduced by a $100 cancellation fee to cover the administrative fee for the university’s event services team. No refunds will be available for any reason after May 28.
What should I pack?
Do I bring my own pillow and blanket?
The venue includes an XL twin-sized bed, bed linens, blankets, bath linens, and a pillow. Please bring your own toiletries and other personal items.
What do rallygoers need to know to complete registration?
1. Explore welsyouthrally.net for workshops, and use the REGISTER page to find helpful forms. Registration opens in March!
2. Youth, use the medical release worksheet to gather necessary information.
3. For youth, a parent will be asked to electronically acknowledge four forms during online registration. Click the link in your confirmation email to fill out those forms.
4. Youth and youth leaders pay the same rally registration fee.
5. All contact youth leaders and youth leaders must pass a background check.
What if I am having problems registering?
If you are having trouble registering, contact:
Anna Johnston, Registration Coordinator
All communication with Bowling Green State University (BGSU) will be via the e-mail address above.
What happens at a youth rally?
WELS International Youth Rally attendees come from small to huge churches and big cities to farming communities, from Alaska to Florida. No matter where you come from, when you come together at a youth rally, you are home with your family of believers. Designed for teens, the youth rally has workshops that hit timely topics. Performances and recreation are planned with teens in mind. The gospel of Jesus Christ is front and center. God will use the rally as another experience that shapes the lives of teens.
What ages can attend the youth rally?
The rally is intended for teens finishing eighth grade through high school seniors graduating as of spring 2026, a five-year span. Some youth groups do have younger and older kids involved; please consider those cases individually. Contact the youth rally coordinator with questions: [email protected].
Who can attend?
We categorize all attendees into one of three groups.
CONTACT YOUTH LEADER (CYL)
The main point of contact between your church’s group and the youth rally office, the CYL must attend the rally and will be the first point of contact onsite in case of emergency, discipline, or communication for all members of your group.
YOUTH LEADER (YL)
These individuals must be 20 years old or over with a passion for encouraging youth in their faith and a commitment to supervising the youth entrusted to you.
YOUTH (Y)
As of spring 2026:
- Confirmed and completing eighth grade
- Graduating senior from high school
- Anywhere in between
Note: Adult/youth ratio must be 1 adult to 6 youths of the same gender at all times during the rally.
How much does it cost? Do CYL, YL, and Y pay the same rate?
The registration fee for all rally attendees will be $450 for early bird registration (until April 30) and $475 from May 1-29. This covers lodging from Tuesday night through Friday morning, seven meals, snacks, and all rally activities.
Can I bring non-WELS friends?
While the rally is more of a nurturing event and less of an outreach event, if non-WELS teens are interested in joining you, talk to your pastor and the teen’s parents. Would the teen benefit spiritually from attending? If yes, please bring them!
How do we handle roommates?
The CYL will assign roommates. Rallygoers will be separated by gender. YL will be housed near but not in the same room as their Y. YL will stay with leaders from other churches. Married couples will not be allowed to room together. Any remaining singles will be paired with those from another church. The residence halls have single, twin beds. Most rooms house two people. Bedding, pillow, and towels will be provided. The university’s event services team will provide the CYL with a template to complete roommate assignments that must be returned to them.
How do we get there?
Each group is responsible for its own transportation to and from Bowling Green, Ohio. Connect with other churches via our Facebook Group to share your transportation needs or opportunities.
Are there off-site excursions this year?
No, there are no off-site excursions this year.
What about “piggybacking”?
Piggybacking (having a Y from another congregation join your group) is allowed. If at all possible, it’s best to have YL and Y from the same congregation. However, we do realize that in some cases this is prohibitive for Y from smaller congregations. If your group has a “piggybacker,” simply register the Y with your church group. Please get to know each other. You will be responsible for this Y.
I still have more questions!
1. View the website that contains more details about workshops, keynotes, registration, and more.
2. In the meantime, reach out to the youth rally coordinator at [email protected].
3. If YL have more general questions that would be helpful to ask other YL, check out our Youth Leader Facebook group.
4. If you are a first-time youth leader, check out our First Time Leader Toolkit (although it is helpful for everyone).
5. If you need help with promotional materials, check out our Promotional Toolkit.
For leaders only
How do we fundraise?
When fundraising, keep in mind the size of your group, the size of your church, and the rally expenses you will need to cover. The key to a successful fundraiser is getting your youth excited to participate. Make sure they share the news about your fundraiser with their personal networks and with your church community.
Some fundraising ideas to get you started:
- Have your youth speak about the rally in front of your congregation, show the 2024 WELS International Youth Rally recap video, and pass the plate.
- Talk with your church to see if you can create an online fundraising link for youth to share with family and friends near and far.
- Provide snacks during Bible class for a freewill offering.
- Serve Advent/Lent dinners for a freewill offering.
- Host a spaghetti dinner or pancake breakfast, car wash, or bake sale.
- Partner with your local grocery store to host a brat fry.
- Offer a babysitting night to parents in your congregation.
- Do yard work for older congregation members.
- Check with local restaurants to see if they do fundraisers (where they donate a percentage of the sales for a particular day back to your youth group).
- Check out the Youth Leader Facebook group for fundraising ideas from other youth leaders.
How do I get a church group organized?
- Talk with teens and parents who may be interested in the rally. Talk with your pastor. Talk with members. Share how important it is to encourage and equip your teens in their faith life.
- Show the 2024 WELS International Youth Rally recap video after church to generate excitement.
- Gather interested teens and adults for a meeting.
- Choose a CYL who will be the main point of contact prior to and during the rally for your group.
- Ask potential rallygoers to commit by your deadline date. Gather names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers so you can communicate efficiently with them.
Starting March 9, the CYL can go online to register your church group and save an estimated number of spots for the entire group. The registration booklet is online, and the registration site walks you through each step.
How do we pay for our entire group with one check?
1. Each person needs to register individually and choose “pay by check/invoice.” This will allow them to finish registration.
2. Each registered individual should forward the confirmation e-mail to the Contact Youth Leader.
3. Gather the names, confirmation numbers, and write the check for the total amount for all attendees. Send that information along with the check, so funds are properly credited for each registered attendee.
I have someone who is out of high school, but not 20. Can this person attend?
Talk to your CYL and pastor to decide if this person should attend as a Y or if he/she can take the responsibility of a YL.
Can I add more rallygoers?
You may add more rallygoers prior to May 29. Before you do, consider if you have the proper ratio of 1 adult per 6 youth of the same gender.
CYL, please email [email protected] with your name and the new total number you are bringing. It is helpful to know how many will be in your group total (CYL, YL, and L). Additions cannot be accommodated after May 29.
Can I make substitutions?
Yes, substitutions of the same gender and type can be made until June 3. Please contact the event services team directly.
What’s the deal with the background checks for all Youth Leaders?
WELS and BGSU have the utmost concern for the safety of all minors attending the WELS International Youth Rally. WELS has partnered with a trusted third-party vendor to perform background checks on all adults wishing to attend this event.
Shortly after registration, prospective CYL and YL will be provided with additional information regarding the mandatory background check that will be performed. Adults who do not submit their information for a background check or do not pass the background check will not be able to attend the youth rally.
The safety of your personal information is also of utmost concern to us. Results of background checks will only be available to the WELS Director of Human Resources and HR Generalist.
For youth only
I want to go! What should I do?
Talk with your parents and pastor/youth leader. Direct them to the Youth Leader page. Share info with your friends at church. Stay up to date with rally news on Instagram. Get the adults and the teens excited and start planning, and we’ll see you in Ohio!
I’m a high school student and don’t have $450. How can I still go?
Talk with your youth leader. Together, your youth group can come up with a plan to fundraise. There are some great ideas on the Youth Leader page, plus with your creativity there’s plenty to get your group started!
Where do I stay? What do I eat?
The registration fee covers lodging from Tuesday night through Friday morning at the Bowling Green State University residence halls, seven meals, snacks, and all rally activities.
I belong to a tiny church, and I’m the only teen. Can I still go?
Yes, we call it piggybacking. Youth can join a group from another congregation that is attending. Talk with your parents, pastor, or youth leader at your church. There’s probably a nearby congregation that you can connect with!
I have special dietary needs. Will I starve?
The Bowling Green State University dining service accommodates all sorts of special diets. During the registration process you will have the opportunity to indicate your needs.
Will this be a week of religion classes? Is this any different than my Christian high school?
If you have the privilege to go to a Christian high school you are probably wondering if the youth rally is any different. Have you ever said the Lord’s Prayer and sung worship songs with 2,000+ teens? Probably not! The youth rally will be the chance to listen and discuss topics that you deal with every day from a Christian perspective (let’s talk dating, anxiety, witnessing to a sinful world). You can take notes, but there won’t be a test! On campus, there is plenty of fun too! There will be nightly entertainment; concerts; expansive recreational spaces for football, soccer, tennis, and sand volleyball (equipment will be available); FOOD; and spots to hang out with friends.
July 14-17, 2026
MISSION STATEMENT
The WELS International Youth Rally exists to ensure that the next generation knows Christ, trusts his promises, and is prepared to serve Christ’s church with a clear, confident Lutheran faith.
50 YEARS OF YOUTH RALLIES
The rally exists to provide youth and youth leaders from across the synod a large-scale worship, education, fellowship, recreation, and service opportunity that deepens commitment to Christ and his church.