One of the biggest events in the life of our church each year is vacation Bible school (VBS).
VBS at Berean has a long-standing reputation within the community and has had an impact on children for decades. As I am writing this, we are heading into Day 4 of VBS 2019. It has been another incredible year. One of my favorite things about VBS is seeing so many people from within the church come together. They give tirelessly and selflessly for the sake of helping children develop a firmly-rooted authentic faith. We have had so many volunteers take on their roles and absolutely knock it out of the park. They both encourage me and challenge me. We are a blessed faith family.
VBS has been a part of American culture within churches for a number of decades.
Most churches take a week out of their summer to invite kids from all over the community to come for fun as they learn about God and what it looks like to follow Him. So when it comes to Berean’s VBS, what is the main goal? We invest an incredible amount of time (planning starts in earnest in January) and resources. Why do we do it?
For me there is a simple answer: we want to help children take the next step in their faith journey. For some, that is hearing about who God is and what He did through His Son Jesus for the very first time. For others, that is hearing and learning something they have encountered before, but grasping it for the first time or gaining a clearer understanding that they didn’t have before. Some are ready to take the step of faith and repentance in response to the message of the gospel entering into a relationship with Jesus as forgiver and Lord. Others have the opportunity to grow in the faith that they already possess.
I love that with VBS we see kids (and parents!) at all different stages in their faith journey. Our hope and prayer are that each individual is challenged to take the next step. It is easy to only focus on people taking the step toward salvation (which we want to celebrate in a big way), but I think it is just as important to celebrate every step that is taken.
I continue to pray for each child that has been at our VBS this year and for their families.
I am overjoyed that hundreds of children and families are hearing the gospel clearly expressed and that they have the opportunity to grapple with the truth of God’s Word. It has been a great year, and I can’t wait until next year!