Well, this year’s Vacation Bible School has come and gone; much too soon for the kids, and a bittersweet blessing to some of the workers. It has been about five years since we held a larger-scale VBS, and for a smaller congregation, it was highly successful.
The number of our kids at the church has never been very large, but this year we came together, overcoming some very large obstacles, and determined to do everything within our power to pull it off. My wife prayed, and the Lord led her to “prepare for 50 kids.” At the end of the week, when everything was tallied, we had 45 kids enrolled. Not only that, but we had around 25 people helping in some capacity (teaching, assisting, working, or praying).
Commencement was held yesterday morning, and it was a delight to all who attended. My prayer was that we would be able to touch the lives of the children, and perhaps gain some more families to start worshiping with us. The Lord answered that prayer as well, and eleven people (families with children) have said they have a new church home, with several more saying they were thinking about it. God truly blessed.
I was able to see a lot of growth in many of the people who helped us out, this being their first VBS, or first in a long time. During the week, I was able to talk with many of the workers about my feelings on VBS and similar events.
My belief is that VBS isn’t so much about teaching lessons to children that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Instead, it is about making an impression that will last the rest of their lives. On Sunday, I delivered a Father’s Day message, and something I said about the role of a father (also applicable to a mother) fits with this idea:
Children seldom learn as much through words as they do through observation. Therefore it is essential we give our children the right footsteps to follow. Be firm, be consistent, but most importantly, be an example. Why? Because children will respond to, remember, and imitate your actions long after they have forgotten your words.
After 30 years (or even 30 minutes), those kids might not remember the lessons their teachers taught them at SonTreasure Island. They will probably forget the words to “If We Turn” and “Around and ‘Round,” but that’s okay. But after that time, they will remember that there was a time when they learned about togetherness and about the Bible. They will remember that God’s true servants cared about them and about one another. They will recall that there is a place where they can feel at home and hear about the good news of God’s precious Son.
I pray that will be our legacy. So, if your church is doing anything for the children, anything for community outreach, don’t be afraid to get involved. You don’t know what kind of impression you’ll make, and that impression might just be the key to changing a life … or changing the world.
The number of our kids at the church has never been very large, but this year we came together, overcoming some very large obstacles, and determined to do everything within our power to pull it off. My wife prayed, and the Lord led her to “prepare for 50 kids.” At the end of the week, when everything was tallied, we had 45 kids enrolled. Not only that, but we had around 25 people helping in some capacity (teaching, assisting, working, or praying).
Commencement was held yesterday morning, and it was a delight to all who attended. My prayer was that we would be able to touch the lives of the children, and perhaps gain some more families to start worshiping with us. The Lord answered that prayer as well, and eleven people (families with children) have said they have a new church home, with several more saying they were thinking about it. God truly blessed.
I was able to see a lot of growth in many of the people who helped us out, this being their first VBS, or first in a long time. During the week, I was able to talk with many of the workers about my feelings on VBS and similar events.
My belief is that VBS isn’t so much about teaching lessons to children that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Instead, it is about making an impression that will last the rest of their lives. On Sunday, I delivered a Father’s Day message, and something I said about the role of a father (also applicable to a mother) fits with this idea:
Children seldom learn as much through words as they do through observation. Therefore it is essential we give our children the right footsteps to follow. Be firm, be consistent, but most importantly, be an example. Why? Because children will respond to, remember, and imitate your actions long after they have forgotten your words.
After 30 years (or even 30 minutes), those kids might not remember the lessons their teachers taught them at SonTreasure Island. They will probably forget the words to “If We Turn” and “Around and ‘Round,” but that’s okay. But after that time, they will remember that there was a time when they learned about togetherness and about the Bible. They will remember that God’s true servants cared about them and about one another. They will recall that there is a place where they can feel at home and hear about the good news of God’s precious Son.
I pray that will be our legacy. So, if your church is doing anything for the children, anything for community outreach, don’t be afraid to get involved. You don’t know what kind of impression you’ll make, and that impression might just be the key to changing a life … or changing the world.
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