Big Changes!

We are making a BIG change. This year we are substituting a One night Family event for Vacation Bible School. Here is part of the reason why we are doing this.

I've loved VBS both as a child and as an adult too. It was a difficult decision to make. I always want us to have a summer "out of the box" event for kids. But does it have to be VBS? The culture has changed ALOT for families since VBS was first introduced. For example, kids used to get together with their friends and walk to the church for the event. As little as 10-15 years ago we could pick up kids on a bus or in a van and get them to the church for VBS. But our culture has changed so much that most parents won't let their kids ride in the car with anyone they don't know well. They won't let them go into a building they've never been in as adults and they certainly don't want their kids supervised by adults they've never met. So what we've found is that our kids show up for VBS because they know us...and a few visitors from other churches will come if those visitors are well known to the adults who are working at VBS....but we get very few area kids who are not churched in some way. The reason VBS was started so many years ago was strictly for the purpose of getting unchurched into an environment and connected to people who would share the gospel with them.

It isn't good enough for me that the VBS event is simply fun and educational for our kids. See we do that each weekend in 4 services in 3 departments. We want to play with ideas to move towards reaching the original purpose of VBS which is to bring kids into a relationship with God and people who love Him. This year's event is transitional. We had already decided to shake things up for next year. This year's event is strategic to moving to next year's stuff.

The truth is, our kids can and often do attend other churches in our area for VBS and we welcome that. I don't think our changing our minds about it administratively keeps us from being able to participate in VBS which has been so meaningful to all of us as we've grown up. Does this irritate you? I don't mean for it to.

What I've shared with you is the strategic perspective, but there is also a path of spiritual insights God has been giving the leadership team for the past 6 months or so. Ask us about it.

This is kind of what the night will look like. It will start at 6:00 PM. You'll come with your kids and your visitors to the church for what we hope will be an out door time. This outdoor time will be an opportunity for your family to play with an Egyptian theme. There will be 15-20 booths set up around the church for you to choose to engage with. Then at about 7:30 we'll all come inside for some large group fun together. We will of course give people the opportunity to take a step towards having a relationship with Jesus Christ and we will see some drama and we'll sing and "dance like Egyptians". Sounds like fun doesn't it!

Selena
Pastor to Children