Winter usually brings cold, dark days, but this year it was filled with shining faces, fun, and the light of God’s Word at the first ever Shine simulcast. On February 1, over 1,100 girls ages 12 to 18 met for this virtual event, livestreamed to 29 locations across the country. Groups of varying sizes joined in from 15 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. One attendee defined the event as “a super-fun Girl’s Day Out with a spiritual purpose.”
Since 2015, Shine has been the branch of Free Will Baptist Women’s Ministries (WNAC) that seeks to disciple teen girls. Shine’s motto “Know Your Worth” highlights its mission to help girls see their value is in being God’s creation. In an age that defines women by false and unrealistic standards, Shine disciples young women in the knowledge of who the Bible says they are. Regional one-day events have been held for over ten years in various parts of the U.S.
A Dream Realized
This year’s simulcast was the culmination of many years of planning and prayer. Former WNAC Director Elizabeth Hodges wrote: “As I sat there today, many memories flooded my heart and mind. My heart and my eyes overflowed with Thanksgiving. God does immeasurably more than we could ask or think!”
Amy Johnson, longtime WNAC board member and chairperson, stated: “How awesome to think a dream spoken aloud so many years ago has become a reality. God is good!”
While the main event was livestreamed from The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, each satellite location hosted its own event with volunteers to provide decorations, lunch, crafts, and activities. The success of the simulcast was largely due to the coordinators at each site, with an average group size of 37.
The realization of this milestone is largely due to our Free Will Baptist mindset “Better Together.” Women’s Ministries applied for and received a generous grant in 2024 from FWB Foundation, which made this event possible. They were also aided by the expertise of the FWB Media Commission, which supplied tech support and advice. Other national departments provided resources and helped get the word out. Pastors around the denomination helped promote the ministry of Shine.
Shining Coast to Coast
Current Director Ruth McDonald said, “One of my favorite things about the simulcast was that it was accessible to churches and groups of all sizes. We encouraged each location to make it as big or as simple as they wanted, and without exception, the volunteers brought much passion and creativity to their local event.”
Here are some of the coordinator’s comments:
“Thank you for all your support for hosting an event like this. We have heard nothing but amazing things!! God is working.” — Jeri Morgan, Lebanon, Missouri
“What a blessing it was! From powerful worship to inspiring messages, God truly moved in our hearts.” — Amanda Jones, Ozark, Alabama
“We REALLY enjoyed it and hope to get to do it again next year!” — Lexi Wilson, Woodward, Oklahoma
“Our teen girls were challenged through messages reminding them their worth is found in who they are as children of God, not by the lies they hear from other voices out in the world. We praise the Lord for a great turnout of thirty teen girls with more accompanying adults. A blast was had by all!” — Kayla Newland, Florence, South Carolina
“Shine 2025 was a huge success! Thank you to every lady who dedicated her time to make this event happen! From decorating, making food, taking pictures, working all the stations we had set up, and even cleaning up, this could not have been possible without you! Thank you to every woman and girl who attended this event! We pray that everyone left knowing their worth is found in Christ and not in this world! — Sunshine Trimble, Ashland, Kentucky
“We had a blessed day. God was good! Our girls are already talking about next year!” — Brittany Young, Rosebud, Arkansas
“The girls responded well to the speakers; we had a very sweet time of fellowship. It was just good all the way around!” — Reba Thomas, Canyon, Texas
“Today our girls were a part of Free Will Baptist history! We joined the very first nationwide simulcast of Shine Conference. Hilltop FWB Church graciously hosted our location where we had a total of 65 for our area and over 1,100 nationally! The girls enjoyed a coffee and donut bar as they arrived, door prizes, lunch from Chick-fil-A, jewelry making, fellowship, and laughs. Most importantly, they learned their worth as daughters of God. They learned they are loved. They learned to turn off the outside noise and listen to God and His Word. Today was a very special day, and we are blessed our girls were a part of it.” — Grifton FWB Church, North Carolina
Shining On
Looking to the future, Women’s Ministries will continue to plan and sponsor annual Shine events. However, the goal is to grow Shine beyond an event into a movement. “Our dream is for Shine to become a discipleship movement for teen girls,” noted Ruth McDonald. “We want to encourage small discipleship groups, daily ‘Shine Time’ in the Word, and a safe community where girls can ask questions and receive sound biblical answers.”
Stay informed about the ongoing ministry of Shine by visiting https://shinefwb.com or by following @shinefwb on Instagram. At either location, you may access free resources for teen girls, including Fear Not: A Six-Week Guide to Knowing Your Worth written by Claire Ryan.
