How the Winter Retreat Gave Me Another Family
CHRISTEN SUMMERLIN // UGA ALUM
Hey there! It’s me, Christen Summerlin here to tell you why you should go to Winter Retreat.
First things first, who even am I? Well, I am a Watty College Grad who had her life so impacted by Watkinsville First Baptist Church that she decided to stick around after college. In all seriousness, I genuinely love WFBC and Watty College. Coming from a small town in South Georgia (229 represent), this church become my home away from home, and going on winter retreat my junior year solidified a bond that was growing between WFBC and myself.
So, why should you go on winter retreat? Here are four questions I think that will help you make the decision for yourself:
1. Are you searching for a home church?
If you haven’t already found a church home here in Athens, I highly recommend you do and that you choose WFBC. Yes, I know, this is supposed to be a blog post about Winter Retreat, but I believe that this retreat can be a stepping stone for you into the larger body of believers that is WFBC. Having this community around me over the past 6.5 years has been more impactful than any other involvement I had in college. Our church believes in generations impacting the world together through the gospel, and this is where you can begin that journey!
2. Are you searching for a community of believers who will help you in your walk with Christ?
Now, I will try to not get all sappy and sentimental here, but Watty College, and specifically the Winter Retreat, is where I have made my lifelong friends. But the thing is, these aren’t superficial friendships. These are friendships that help you in the sanctification process that we as believers are all going through. I can say without a doubt that I wouldn’t have the amazing friends I have now without going on Winter Retreat!
Me and Elizabeth Vice (aka my best friend) at my first Winter Retreat in 2014...
Me and Evice at the 2017 retreat! LOOK AT THE LOVE
3. Are you searching for more knowledge and understanding of the Gospel of Christ and the Bible?
This has to be the most important question that you could ask about whether or not you want to go to Winter Retreat. Vic Doss is one of the best gospel teaching preachers that I know (mainly because I don’t know Matt Chandler personally). But Vic and the teaching team of Watty College LOVE the Bible. They don’t shy away from hard topics and will dive head first into rich texts. I can guarantee that if you go on this retreat, you will walk away with more knowledge of God and His holy Word.
4. Are you searching for some GOOD food?
Okay, so if all of the above hasn’t enticed you to go ahead and sign up for the retreat, this is my last attempt. Guys, you DO NOT want to miss out on “Fancy” John Gilliam’s food. The man has a gift. Some might call it a spiritual gift, I don’t know. All I know is the food is amazing and home-cooked. You know good and well you aren’t going to get good home-cooked meals in the dining halls, so go ahead and sign up.
So, I hope that by now you’ve made your decision to sign up for the Winter Retreat. I promise you that you won’t regret it!