VBS is for Teaching
One of the men I admire most in the world who used to be an associate pastor is now fulfilling his life's calling as a senior pastor. In his latest newsletter to his church, he gives a faithful reminder of what VBS is all about:
I wanted to say how encouraged I am as your
pastor to have my wife come home from a VBS
meeting and share with me a small but crucial
matter from that meeting. [She] told me our
Children’s Minister. . .challenged the
teachers to not place so much emphasis on
decorating; but, instead, focus on teaching! In
every church we have served, there seems to be
something of a competition to see who can out
decorate everyone else for VBS. Don’t get me
wrong…I love the themes and decorations, and I
know the kids appreciate the effort. It transforms
the normal into the abnormal and, perhaps, this
helps the kids learn better. At any rate, it is sad
to see so much effort placed on converting the
rooms while the conversion of souls suffers.
Teaching was the primary point of all that Jesus
did. He even rebuked the fickle crowds for
wanting signs and wonders but no
transformation. So when VBS rolls around, it
will be fun to see the transformed rooms; but it
will be infinitely better to see transformed kids.
I wanted to say how encouraged I am as your
pastor to have my wife come home from a VBS
meeting and share with me a small but crucial
matter from that meeting. [She] told me our
Children’s Minister. . .challenged the
teachers to not place so much emphasis on
decorating; but, instead, focus on teaching! In
every church we have served, there seems to be
something of a competition to see who can out
decorate everyone else for VBS. Don’t get me
wrong…I love the themes and decorations, and I
know the kids appreciate the effort. It transforms
the normal into the abnormal and, perhaps, this
helps the kids learn better. At any rate, it is sad
to see so much effort placed on converting the
rooms while the conversion of souls suffers.
Teaching was the primary point of all that Jesus
did. He even rebuked the fickle crowds for
wanting signs and wonders but no
transformation. So when VBS rolls around, it
will be fun to see the transformed rooms; but it
will be infinitely better to see transformed kids.
