Pastor's Blog: An Effort We Can All Support
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The second week of July at Mountain Brook Baptist Church always involves one of the most important activities we provide to our church members and the larger community – Vacation Bible School. In 1894 in Hopedale, Illinois, D.T. Niles, a public-school teacher, felt led to offer a daily Bible school in her community. That first school lasted four weeks, and sparked other such efforts throughout the country, which have continued to the present day.
No doubt some of you teachers and workers feel a small amount of gratitude over how our church’s VBS only lasts four days. But many of us can remember when we had two-week VBS campaigns, kicked off by a neighborhood parade to publicize the effort! Changes in American culture have reduced the week to a much smaller window, but the impact VBS has on children is no less significant.
As a young pastor, I can recall the Sunday School Board (now Lifeway) touting one week of VBS as equivalent to an entire year of Sunday School. I don’t know how they came to such a correlation, but I do know from my own life how formative those days were for my faith development. And I know from my experience as a pastor how formative it is for others as well.
This year’s VBS will focus on “Joseph’s Journey.” I don’t know of another story in the Bible that helps children understand God’s steadfast love more than the Joseph stories in the book of Genesis. Through every hill and valley Joseph traveled through we are told how “the LORD was with Joseph.” Joseph’s story reminds us that while there isn’t much we can count on in this life, we can be certain that God will always be there for us.
Many of you have already agreed to help with this year’s VBS. If others of you have suddenly seen your calendars free up some time when you can help, I’m sure Sharon could still use you. If you’re a parent, please make sure you register your children so that we can be prepared for them. All of us can be praying now for the teachers, workers, and children all to have a renewed appreciation for God’s abiding presence and how nothing can separate us from God’s love in Jesus Christ.
Yes, there will be lots of fun, fellowship, and snacks for everyone. But my prayer is that by the end of the week, souls will be filled with the promise that God is with us every step of the way, and to journey through life with that assurance is the best hope any person could ever hold, which in truth is a hope that will always hold them.
“All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant” (Ps. 25:10).