Dear Friends,
Vacation Bible School is here! The planning for VBS has been going on since last winter. We have wonderful volunteers ready to serve the kids that will be coming, craft supplies have been purchased, a supper menu for Sunday night and a snack menu for all five nights of VBS have been set. Fun and exciting games have been planned, toe-tapping and hand-clapping music has been chosen, Bible exploration has been prepared, opening and closing exercises are waiting to be unveiled, and Chadder will help the kids know about Jesus in his special timid way. We’re ready! All we need now is for the kids to show up and bring a spirit of openness to what they learn.
Of course, what we hope they learn is how much Jesus loves them and how Jesus wants to be a part of their lives. That’s the basic, fundamental message of VBS. To be sure, this year’s theme, “Crocodile Dock – Where Fearless Kids Shine God’s Light” is filled with many fun activities – the kids won’t be able to help but have a great time. By the end of the week they will have many “gifts” to take home and many songs floating around in their heads and plenty of memories of having a great time at Whiting Community Baptist Church. And all of this we are extremely glad about.
But make no mistake about it – our primary goal is that they will hear about Jesus and see the love of Jesus through all of us. VBS is about making Jesus known to the kids. That is our mission. That is our hope.
To be honest, we don’t always know what our kids really hold onto in their hearts concerning Jesus when they leave here. Sometimes our leaders hear great questions from our kids that tell us they are hearing our message. And that gladdens our hearts. But whatever our kids are learning, whether it is making sense to them now, or will encourage them sometime later in life, we’re glad for. And we thank God for the opportunity to share Jesus.
The kids who come to our church need Jesus. They need to know how much He loves them. They need to hear the Good Friday story and the Easter Sunday story and what it means for them. Please pray that they will hear these messages.
The messages we will be presenting, and hoping the kids will hear, are the same messages that everyone needs to hear. Your neighbors need to hear the message of God’s love in Christ for them, as does your family and friends. The message of God’s love in Christ is not just for the young; it is for anyone who has never met Jesus and come to know Him. You may know someone like that. If so, God might be calling you to share the Good News of Jesus with that person. And if you did so, the same message we’re sharing in VBS is the message you would be sharing with that person. Again, it’s a message that everyone needs to hear.
Your faith is precious to you. Don’t be afraid to share it. It’s your hope. Help to make it someone’s hope as well.
Peace,
Pastor Jim
