Vacation Bible School

Our church is in the middle of an event called Vacation Bible School.  We started Monday morning and will finish just after noon on Friday.  Then on Friday night we will have a celebration with the children singing for their parents and showing off all they have done for the week. We will top that off with food, including ice cream, at the end of the evening.

            As best I can tell the origins of Vacation Bible School trace back to 1894 in Hopedale, Illinois.  A public-school teacher, who was also a Sunday School teacher, started a daily Bible school to teach children during the summer.  For Southern Baptists, the first VBS was held in 1923 in Washington, Georgia.

            I have been attending VBS for more than 60 years now myself.  My Mom was a VBS teacher every year I can remember, and since I have been a pastor there have been only two years I have not been involved in Bible School (my family moved from Georgia to Indiana the week of VBS, and the Covid year of 2020 when we did not have one).

I love being around the children.  I will admit that they exhaust me. In fact, I am the director for recreation, so I am running around with them, both teaching and also seeking to expend some of their energy.  I rest well every afternoon. 

            Vacation Bible School is just one more effort that churches make to reach out into their communities and to touch the lives of families.  I believe it has been a very effective tool in sharing the gospel, and I am grateful for those who started the program years ago.

            Jesus told us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), and we are to use every means necessary to do just that. I pray that you will find your place in serving the Lord in your church.  The call to make disciples is for every believer.