GO TELL Camps ends 21st summer with more than 1,000 spiritual decisions
Rick Gage camps draw more than 110 churches from 16 states
Atlanta, Ga. (Aug. 28, 2009) – Evangelist Rick Gage has a burden for young people, believingthat if they reach adulthood without salvation, the odds increase exponentially with each year that they will never be saved. Now in its 21st year, Gage’s GO TELL Camps touched 2,467 students and leaders from 110 churches in 16 states over the summer, resulting in more than 1,000 spiritual decisions for Christ.
“Our camps were a reflection of God’s awesomeness. More than 400 of those precious young people’s decisions were for salvation and over 150 surrendered their lives to the ministry,” said Gage.
The GO TELL youth camp ministry for high school and middle school students also featured Rick Stanley, Clayton King, Ergun Caner, Ed Newton, James Merritt, Johnny Hunt, Ken Freeman, J.D. Greear and Jimmy Scroggins. Musical guests included Kristian Stanfill, Tenth Avenue North, Rush of Fools, Downhere and Ryan Wingo.
Forty interns from several Christian universities and colleges assisted with the camps which were held in June and July in Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky and Texas. “Go Tell was incredible! It was, by far, the most spiritually challenging event in Virginia that I’ve ever been a part of,” said Chris Palmer, youth pastor of Mt. Carmel church in Virginia. Palmer was called to the ministry while
attending a Rick Gage Go Tell Camp in the summer of 2004.
Pastor Rick Wright at Calvary Baptist Church in Connersville, Indiana, added, “We had another great year at GO TELL with three salvations and lots of other commitments. We came back and had youth night the Sunday after and had 30 minutes of teen testimonies. I did not even give a formal invitation for salvation and another teen came forward and got saved. Much fruit remains.”
Over the past two decades, GO TELL Camps have trained more than 87,000 teens and leaders in evangelism. “What an amazing thing God can do to us and through us,” said camp participant Joe Cotton. “When you spoke about how God would go ahead of us and prepare the hearts of the people we would come in contact with when we left camp, I had no idea it would come so quick.”
After leaving camp when his group’s van pulled over to get gas, Cotton was approached by an older man who asked if the kids would go into the store and get him a cup of ice.
In addition to getting the ice, Cotton witnessed to the man. “What a privilege to lead that man to Christ right there at the gas station. He left with a 27-cent cup of ice and eternal life in heaven, and I left with a blessing,” he said.
Gage received a note after one of the camps that sums up his feelings about his ministry. A “sister in Christ” wrote, “I just want to personally thank you for your ministry. Had you never had a vision over 20 years ago, I would have never gotten saved and had my life turned around. Had you not, I am positive my soul would be burning in Hell right now. If I am the only one, please know that it is all worth it because of this one soul that was saved because of your willingness to be used by God.”
GO TELL Ministries also recently completed two missions trips to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic with 35 campaigners handing out 10,000 Gospel tracts. As a result, more than 200 made spiritual commitments, according to Gage. “We also fed a village with more than $500 worth of groceries. Fifteen dollars will feed a family of four to five for a week,” he said. “The campaigners got a first-hand taste of missions work, and I guarantee you that their lives will never be the same.”
GO TELL Intern Leader Rob Hardy participated in the Costa Rica missions trip. “It was also very humbling to see just a small glimpse of the country’s poverty. I was personally challenged in my own relationship with the Lord through seeing how much they don’t have and how much I do have as far as possessions go,” he said. “Overall it was a very worthwhile trip that the Lord used in my life and the lives of others on our trip to open our eyes that God is at work everywhere, working all things to His own praise and glory.”
Frank and Sandy Gaskins attended the missions trip to the Dominican Republic. “I will never forget the first day at a sugar cane village school when the GO TELL team shared the Gospel with a group of kids and adults at a school,” he said. “Not only did dozens of kids pray to receive Christ that morning; the school principal and many adults did as well. Stories like this went on for a whole week.”
In addition to his summer camp and missions ministry, Gage, former college football coach turned evangelist, has spent the last decade filling high school football stadiums with crusades in small communities throughout America. Using Billy Graham’s strategy, local churches team to help organize the events and provide follow-up ministry.
For more details on Rick Gage’s Go Tell Ministries, visit http://www.gotellministries.com/.
# # #Rick Gage camps draw more than 110 churches from 16 states
Atlanta, Ga. (Aug. 28, 2009) – Evangelist Rick Gage has a burden for young people, believingthat if they reach adulthood without salvation, the odds increase exponentially with each year that they will never be saved. Now in its 21st year, Gage’s GO TELL Camps touched 2,467 students and leaders from 110 churches in 16 states over the summer, resulting in more than 1,000 spiritual decisions for Christ.
“Our camps were a reflection of God’s awesomeness. More than 400 of those precious young people’s decisions were for salvation and over 150 surrendered their lives to the ministry,” said Gage.
The GO TELL youth camp ministry for high school and middle school students also featured Rick Stanley, Clayton King, Ergun Caner, Ed Newton, James Merritt, Johnny Hunt, Ken Freeman, J.D. Greear and Jimmy Scroggins. Musical guests included Kristian Stanfill, Tenth Avenue North, Rush of Fools, Downhere and Ryan Wingo.
Forty interns from several Christian universities and colleges assisted with the camps which were held in June and July in Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky and Texas. “Go Tell was incredible! It was, by far, the most spiritually challenging event in Virginia that I’ve ever been a part of,” said Chris Palmer, youth pastor of Mt. Carmel church in Virginia. Palmer was called to the ministry while
attending a Rick Gage Go Tell Camp in the summer of 2004.
Pastor Rick Wright at Calvary Baptist Church in Connersville, Indiana, added, “We had another great year at GO TELL with three salvations and lots of other commitments. We came back and had youth night the Sunday after and had 30 minutes of teen testimonies. I did not even give a formal invitation for salvation and another teen came forward and got saved. Much fruit remains.”
Over the past two decades, GO TELL Camps have trained more than 87,000 teens and leaders in evangelism. “What an amazing thing God can do to us and through us,” said camp participant Joe Cotton. “When you spoke about how God would go ahead of us and prepare the hearts of the people we would come in contact with when we left camp, I had no idea it would come so quick.”
After leaving camp when his group’s van pulled over to get gas, Cotton was approached by an older man who asked if the kids would go into the store and get him a cup of ice.
In addition to getting the ice, Cotton witnessed to the man. “What a privilege to lead that man to Christ right there at the gas station. He left with a 27-cent cup of ice and eternal life in heaven, and I left with a blessing,” he said.
Gage received a note after one of the camps that sums up his feelings about his ministry. A “sister in Christ” wrote, “I just want to personally thank you for your ministry. Had you never had a vision over 20 years ago, I would have never gotten saved and had my life turned around. Had you not, I am positive my soul would be burning in Hell right now. If I am the only one, please know that it is all worth it because of this one soul that was saved because of your willingness to be used by God.”
GO TELL Ministries also recently completed two missions trips to Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic with 35 campaigners handing out 10,000 Gospel tracts. As a result, more than 200 made spiritual commitments, according to Gage. “We also fed a village with more than $500 worth of groceries. Fifteen dollars will feed a family of four to five for a week,” he said. “The campaigners got a first-hand taste of missions work, and I guarantee you that their lives will never be the same.”
GO TELL Intern Leader Rob Hardy participated in the Costa Rica missions trip. “It was also very humbling to see just a small glimpse of the country’s poverty. I was personally challenged in my own relationship with the Lord through seeing how much they don’t have and how much I do have as far as possessions go,” he said. “Overall it was a very worthwhile trip that the Lord used in my life and the lives of others on our trip to open our eyes that God is at work everywhere, working all things to His own praise and glory.”
Frank and Sandy Gaskins attended the missions trip to the Dominican Republic. “I will never forget the first day at a sugar cane village school when the GO TELL team shared the Gospel with a group of kids and adults at a school,” he said. “Not only did dozens of kids pray to receive Christ that morning; the school principal and many adults did as well. Stories like this went on for a whole week.”
In addition to his summer camp and missions ministry, Gage, former college football coach turned evangelist, has spent the last decade filling high school football stadiums with crusades in small communities throughout America. Using Billy Graham’s strategy, local churches team to help organize the events and provide follow-up ministry.
For more details on Rick Gage’s Go Tell Ministries, visit http://www.gotellministries.com/.
After a successful college football coaching career, Rick Gage launched his ministry in 1990 and has presented more than 500 evangelistic events nationally and abroad. An estimated 250,000 people have dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ. Many nationally known athletes, two former Miss Americas and Christian leaders Josh McDowell, Johnny Hunt and James Robison have spoken on his platform. His ministry has been endorsed by college football coaches Bobby Bowden and Mark Richt, Hall of Famer/former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar.
