The Accidental Pastor's Wife

Sometimes I'm the sentimental type who feels sad that something big and exciting that I've planned for is done. I felt a twinge of that tonight at VBS--but mostly I'm just glad it's out of the way for the rest of the summer!! YIPPEEE!!!

We had 57 different children attend. Our highest night was 46 kids. I'm thrilled with these numbers, even though it's not all about numbers.

We were able to teach them that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and hopefully, one day they will decide to follow Jesus as their Lord. We are very careful not to manipulate them into making a decision. What do I mean? Take this scenario:

VBS teacher: Who doesn't want to go to hell?

Kids: Me! Me! ME!

VBS teacher: Who wants to go heaven?

Kids: Me ME! ME!

VBS teacher: You're all saved! Look how many decisions we had for Jesus at our VBS!

Or this one:

VBS teacher: If you'll just pray this prayer and mean it, then you'll be saved and will go to heaven when you die.

Kid: OK. [prays after his teacher]

VBS teacher: Welcome to God's family! You're saved! If you prayed this prayer and walked this aisle, then you know you're saved.

We could have coerced, one way or another, every kid in there to fill out a card, raise his hand, or walk an aisle. We could have inflated our successes and said, "We've had 25 decisions to follow Christ at our VBS!"

What we did instead was to preach and teach the Truth of Who Jesus is, why He came, and what that means for us as sinners. All we can do is tell the Truth and pray that the Holy Spirit will do a work in the hearts of these kids. God begins the work and finishes the work. He lets us in on it as a privilege.

I hope that our VBS will help us reach out more to our community. I plan on helping a lot with the follow up contacts.

In the end, I'm pooped and glad it's over (except we still have to undecorate the church!).