DAVIS—Are you willing to surrender everything for God’s anything?
That’s the question women will be challenged to ask during the 2014 Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) Women’s Retreat April 11-12 at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center.
“The simple word ‘anything’ has some powerful connotations to it,” said Kelly King, BGCO women’s specialist and coordinator for the annual event. “As women, we like control—control of people, situations, possessions and positions. It can be a scary thing to surrender our control, but when we do, it opens the door to saying yes to God’s purpose and calling for our life.”
More than 2,500 women are expected to attend the weekend event featuring keynote speakers Jennie Allen and Mary Kassian. The Cody Dunbar Band will lead worship, and Sophie Hudson, popular blogger and writer, will emcee the general sessions.
The theme for the retreat is based on Allen’s book, Anything, which came from a sincere prayer she and her husband prayed several years ago. Allen said, “If God is real and we are going to live with Him forever, shouldn’t He be the only thing? I believe we have an opportunity to see God move in our midst, to surrender in such a way that we would turn the head and heart of God.”
Kassian is an award-winning author, speaker and distinguished professor of women’s studies from The Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Her platform on biblical womanhood has gained a lot of attention over the past few years. She will lead an extended teaching time Friday morning and speak again Friday evening.
Hudson, known to her blog readers as Boo Mama, documents the hilarity of life, not only in her popular blog, but also as a regular contributor to HomeLife magazine and as a contributor to the Pioneer Woman’s blog. She serves as a co-emcee for LifeWay’s dotMOM event and is the author of A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet.
Dunbar serves as the worship leader for Bethany, Council Road. He has led worship during youth weeks of Falls Creek and continues to lead worship at churches around the state in addition to his responsibilities at Council Road. He and his band will lead a special acoustic set Friday morning, and he is writing an original song for the retreat.
Special features of the retreat include seminars, recreation and intentional time for church groups. King is excited about a new aspect for seminars, which feature top quality teachers from around the country.
Registration for the retreat is $75 per person by March 10. Teen girls (accompanied by a parent/guardian) and college age women are $35 per person. Registrations postmarked after March 10 are $85. For a complete list of the schedule, speakers and online registration, visit bgcowomen.org.
