By Sharon Mager
DERWOOD, Md.—Girls at Redland Baptist Church, Durwood, (RBC) and Ashton Baptist Church (ABC) will partner to offer a “Hot Mess” girls’ group for teenage girls in middle and high school. The group meets monthly at RBC for Bible-based study, bonding, and fun.
Redland Church members Dawn Kilgore and Ronda Mayberry, and Ashton Baptist Church Youth Leader Jennifer Williams, lead the group of about a dozen girls. Kilgore said the girls in the group are “invested.” They faithfully attend, participate and have fun.
Jennifer Williams, with input from the others, designed the name and logo for the “Hot Mess” group.
“We wanted something the girls would feel comfortable with in inviting their friends—not too ‘churchy.’” Kilgore said they wanted girls to understand that they needed to come as they are– “just bring your ‘hot mess’ here and let God work in you,” she said.
The group is using a workbook titled, “Head to Soul Makeover,” designed to help girls “become real in a fake world.” They study one character trait each month and compare what the world says to what the Bible says. Recent topics have included pride, fear, and self-control.
Kilgore said one big concept is helping the girls listen to what God is saying to them as opposed to what the world is whispering in their minds through the music they have on their phones, what they see online, on the television and at the movies.
Each session includes a self-discovery quiz. The adult leaders take the quiz along with the students. Kilgore said the girls appreciate the authenticity. Revealing the answers to the quizzes reveals the flaws they share and how the leaders, as well as the girls, must also continue to strive to listen to God’s voice above the world’s chatter.
Of course, in addition to studying biblical concepts, the girls have fun doing what young girls do, making yogurt facials, decorating cookies, playing games and snacking. They have a sleepover planned for the spring.