By Matt Billiott, student news writer, Office of University Communications

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. -Rick Gage was a preacher's kid, and he shared some of that experience with Campbellsville University's FIRST CLASS freshmen on Sept. 10 in Ransdell Chapel. During his message, Gage said, “You'll never know God's plan for your life until you surrender completely to him. Many people struggle to know what God wants them to do with their life, but they must first surrender everything.”

Gage also said, “The Devil has an agenda for you.”

He talked about how after he was saved, Satan kept trying to throw different things at him to diverge his service to God.

Gage is an evangelist based in Toccoa, Ga. and led the GO TELL Crusade from

Sept. 10 to Sept. 12 in Campbellsville. The Crusade was held at the Citizens Bank Field, Finley Stadium with the exception of Sept. 9 when the crusade was at Taylor County High School due to weather conditions.

Four hundred decisions were made for Christ during the crusade, with 100 first-time decisions.

From fourth grade until he graduated college, Gage played football. When Gage got a job coaching football at Texas Tech University, he told the FIRST CLASS students, he was the farthest from God he had ever been in his life. He was the stereotypical and rebellious preacher's kid.

One night in January 1984, a 25-year-old Gage went to a revival and was saved. He was on fire for God and told almost everyone he saw the next day. He eventually got a job coaching at Liberty University, but he lost his passion for the game he once loved.

Gage also spoke at chapel Sept. 12. At the chapel service he talked a little more in depth about his life when he was far from God.

When he was eight years old, he got baptized. But for 18 years he lived as a fake Christian. He would party with other nonbelievers, then turn around and go to church on Sundays.

When he left for college, he had no desire to be close to God. His heart was not in a place for a spiritual relationship.

“We don't come when we're ready, we come when He is ready,” Gage said.
On Jan. 15, 1984, Gage was saved. He realized he needed God, and wanted to spend eternity with Him.

“The greatest days of your life are not behind you, the greatest days are ahead of you,” Gage said.

Cole Smith, a junior of Somerset, Ky., said, “The crusade was an amazing time. The Spirit was moving and authentic life changing occurred.”

Logan Hall, a sophomore of Elizabethtown, who counseled people who made decisions said,  “It's awesome to do what God calls us all to do which is counsel and disciple people with their spiritual walk.”Junior Tristen Rianes, of Winchester, Ky., said, “It was incredible to see decisions by people who have totally rejected the concept [of Christianity] in the past.”

At the end of the chapel service, Gage left the audience with one question, “when this brief life comes to an end, where will you spend eternity?”
Gage is the son of Freddie Gage, also an evangelist, and Barbra Gage.

Campbellsville University is a widely-acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 10,000 students offering over 90 programs of study including 20 master's degrees, six postgraduate areas and seven pre-professional programs. The university has off-campus centers in Kentucky cities Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset, Hodgenville and Liberty with instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Summersville, all in Kentucky, and one in Costa Mesa, Calif., and a full complement of online programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.