This week, the church where I’m interim pastor (Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC) is having Vacation Bible School. To be honest, it’s been a few years since I’ve been part of a church that has VBS, and I wasn’t sure how well it would go. It’s gone great, though, and I’m excited. Here’s why:
- We’ve met a lot of kids in our community we likely would not have otherwise met. Some attend other churches, but some come from unchurched families. Either way, it’s a joy to greet them, love them, and teach them.
- The kids coming teach us about our community. Frankly, they reflect our community more than our congregation does. We have work to do to reach the people and the nations among us.
- The energy kids bring to our building is invigorating. To be honest, it’s exhausting, too—but well worth it. A bunch of kids are reminders of our responsibility to reach all generations.
- I love watching our volunteers serve the kids. It’s especially encouraging to me to see our middle school, high school, and college students serving alongside adults in each classroom. And, I’ve seen giftedness in our teachers I want to build on in the days to come.
- The kids force us to tell Bible stories in a simple, clear way. We want them to know and understand the stories, so we adults must teach them at their level. I’m convinced adults who learn to do that will be better teachers regardless of their audience.
- Having kids around lets some of us be big kids again. I love getting on my knees and high-fiving the little ones. Our adults who are overseeing the games are having as much fun as the kids. After more than a year of COVID isolation, it’s great to play a bit.
- Some of the kids have invited their friends to join them. They don’t know the word “outreach,” but they’re doing it. They’re doing it better than many adults do, in fact.
- We have opportunity this week to introduce some kids—and by extension, their parents—to Jesus. We’re teaching the Word, and I trust God will use His Word to change hearts. We may not see all the changes this week, but we can sure plant the seeds.
I realize VBS may look different in other churches, but here’s my point: intentionally seeking to reach and teach kids can make a difference in your church. What are your thoughts?