First GO TELL Ministries’ 4G Girls Retreat Draws Nearly 300
Nearly 300 young women, including 50 leaders, attended the first 4G Girls Retreat of GO TELL Ministries in Georgia.
Of that number, many made spiritual decisions at the retreat on March 25-26 at the Georgia Baptist Conference Center in Toccoa.
Encouraging the teens and women in their identity, purity and influence, the retreat was conceived and hosted by GO TELL founder and evangelist Rick Gage with substantial assistance from his wife Lynne and their daughters Sara and Anna. The Gages already are planning next year’s retreat on March 9 and 10 and “encourage everyone to mark their calendars to attend.”
Lynne Gage says, “We felt led to create an intimate retreat for teenage girls and/or their moms that would be focused on their relationship with the Lord first and then their relationships with each other. This weekend proved to be an awesome time with wonderful speakers, music, breakout sessions and the late-night bonfire.
“Our meals included a ‘Meal and Mask’ event Friday evening and a ‘White-out Brunch’ on Saturday morning. It was a beautiful thing to see the girls remove their masks spiritually and receive new life in Christ,” she adds.
Gage’s alma mater Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, sent a team of 20 Women’s Ministry students, who were led by Dr. Monica Rose Brennan. The students taught, counseled and mentored the young women. They also participated in behind-the-scenes administrative duties and performed a 45-minute drama on modesty.
“My greatest joy was observing the Liberty University Women’s Ministry students using their unique gifts in reaching young women for Christ. They are becoming educated in the classroom; but at this event, they had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience,” said Dr. Brennan.
The Department of Ministry Teams from Liberty University also served at the 4G Girls Retreat. “Awaken,” the all-girls praise band, led in worship along with Liberty University alumnus and national recording artist/worship leader Meredith Andrews.
Christy Kuberacki, church secretary from Grace Church in Greenville, North Carolina, wrote, “All our girls loved the retreat and are looking forward to next year. We really enjoyed the music and the speakers. Both helped us feel connected to the reason why we were there – to worship and learn from God. Thank you so much for doing the retreat on behalf of all the girls!”
Group leader Denise Anderson from Pine Grove Baptist Church in Gillsville, Georgia, commented, “If there was one thing I can say about our weekend at 4G, it would be lives were changed and friendships were made. I had comments from mothers and one from the youth leader who said they could definitely see the difference the retreat made in the girls, the relationships that were built and the passion that was started.”
Girls Ministry Associate to Students Beth Beverly of CrossPointe Church in Duluth, Georgia, also wrote, “The retreat was absolutely amazing! I was talking to one of my girls on the way home Saturday about the retreat, and she was just going on and on about how much she enjoyed it.
“She made a couple of key statements about the weekend. One was: ‘I can't wait to tell all the girls in my small group about the weekend, so they will come next year’; and the second one was: ‘I realized that I wear a mask at school in order to fit in with the popular kids; [but] in doing that, I wear the mask of an unchristian. I’m going to take the mask off and start living for Christ at school.’ This was from a sixth grader, and I just thought to myself how impressive that she realizes that.
“Overall, it was an amazing weekend. We are looking forward to next year. The speakers and interns were wonderful. I loved how they did not shy away from the girls but were interacting with them outside of sessions. But I must say that my favorite part of the weekend was worshiping our Creator around the bonfire. It still gives me chills to think about 230-plus young ladies singing under the stars.”
