BY STEVE DUNN
One of the most popular
forms of outreach for a local church is that of the Vacation Bible School. With
more and more working parents looking for meaningful experiences for their kids
during the summer, the potential for VBS remains undiminished. It is clearly the front door to the church
that even secularized parents appear willing to open.
Some people within the
church resent being used as a babysitting
service and even seed the soil
negatively by expressing that thought within the church.
Resist that feeling. It comes from hell and smells like
smoke. Do we think Jesus resented the
people who came to him in crowds out of their unspiritual needs? No, Matthew 9:38 says clearly, “He saw that
they were harassed and helpless … he had compassion on them.” He prayed for more harvesters.
VBS is important for these
reasons—especially within an increasingly unchurched culture. (1) People like Jesus but not the
church. It is a chance to let them the
love and joy found in the real church. (2)
It allows people to learn what’s in the Bible and find practical applications
for life. This may be the only time
these children receive any Bible teaching (and God’s Word does not return to
Him void.) (3) This babysitting can be the first step in building redemptive
relationships—building bridges to the Bridge.(4) VBS is not a tool of church
growth—it is a resource for evangelism and discipleship. (5) VBS gets your
people interacting with the community in practical ways. (6) VBS gives your people practical ministry
experience as a team. (7) VBS says “children matter God” and they matter to us
as a church.
(c) 2014 by Stephen L.Dunn
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