The following (as will be obvious) was written directly for PRBC. Perhaps it will spark those of you from elsewhere to pray for our upcoming Vacation Bible School. And, perhaps, it will spark you to do a little reaching out where you live. Just insert the name of your church, your neighborhood, and your particular opportunities to share, reach out, and invite people to Jesus...
Vacation Bible School begins in just 20 days. As always, this is one of our main outreach and evangelism events of the entire church year. Through VBS we generally have the chance to share the gospel (quite thoroughly) with several dozen kids. And – just as vitally – we get to interact with, get to know, introduce our church to, and share the gospel with most all their parents. No other single event in the entire year provides us with as much meaningful contact with our community. So, if you are concerned that PRBC reaches the world around us with the message of Jesus, Vacation Bible School ought to be a very large blip on your radar screen! I hope that, even if you are unable to work VBS, you will be praying (more on that next week). And I hope that, even beyond praying, you will do the one physical thing that is most needful over the next two weeks – INVITE CHILDREN! Without large numbers of kids (and their parents), this event – no matter how prepared the workers are – will not be as far-reaching as it could be. So please be brainstorming ways to INVITE CHILDREN. Here are a few ideas for how to use those nifty, colorful VBS handbills on the foyer table:
Invite your family. This is simplest of all. Grandchildren, nephews, nieces, etc. These should be the easiest children to get involved. So make sure that you do all in your power to get them here – including offering to transport them when necessary.
Bring the neighbors. If you are a parent of small ones (or even if not), there are probably kids in your neighborhood or in your school group that would be thrilled to tag along with your family to VBS. If you don’t know who they all are, sit down with your kids and ask them to help you make a list. Then turn your kids into missionaries and take them around one evening inviting the whole lot! Then make follow-up calls the weekend before VBS to remind the moms and dads and arrange details.
Invite your co-workers’ kids. Take a few flyers to work and give them to the parents that work with you. Offer to ride along with them the first night or two to make them feel more comfortable (and maybe give an opportunity to talk to mom or dad about the Lord, too!).
Pitch in at Ridge Day. As always, we are going to have a presence at the community parade and festival on July 12. Could you come along and hand out VBS invites to families with small children? Who knows what might begin with a smile, a flyer, and a warm greeting!
Post some flyers in public places. Would anyone be willing to make the rounds of the shops and stores around Pleasant Ridge, Kennedy Heights, Gold Manor, and Reading – getting permission to post our flyers on community boards? Again, who knows who might see them and be triggered into a chain of events that would end up someday in heaven, worshipping Jesus?
Just a few ideas. You may think of others. But would you serve the Lord the next few weeks by letting the little children come to Him?
Vacation Bible School begins in just 20 days. As always, this is one of our main outreach and evangelism events of the entire church year. Through VBS we generally have the chance to share the gospel (quite thoroughly) with several dozen kids. And – just as vitally – we get to interact with, get to know, introduce our church to, and share the gospel with most all their parents. No other single event in the entire year provides us with as much meaningful contact with our community. So, if you are concerned that PRBC reaches the world around us with the message of Jesus, Vacation Bible School ought to be a very large blip on your radar screen! I hope that, even if you are unable to work VBS, you will be praying (more on that next week). And I hope that, even beyond praying, you will do the one physical thing that is most needful over the next two weeks – INVITE CHILDREN! Without large numbers of kids (and their parents), this event – no matter how prepared the workers are – will not be as far-reaching as it could be. So please be brainstorming ways to INVITE CHILDREN. Here are a few ideas for how to use those nifty, colorful VBS handbills on the foyer table:
Invite your family. This is simplest of all. Grandchildren, nephews, nieces, etc. These should be the easiest children to get involved. So make sure that you do all in your power to get them here – including offering to transport them when necessary.
Bring the neighbors. If you are a parent of small ones (or even if not), there are probably kids in your neighborhood or in your school group that would be thrilled to tag along with your family to VBS. If you don’t know who they all are, sit down with your kids and ask them to help you make a list. Then turn your kids into missionaries and take them around one evening inviting the whole lot! Then make follow-up calls the weekend before VBS to remind the moms and dads and arrange details.
Invite your co-workers’ kids. Take a few flyers to work and give them to the parents that work with you. Offer to ride along with them the first night or two to make them feel more comfortable (and maybe give an opportunity to talk to mom or dad about the Lord, too!).
Pitch in at Ridge Day. As always, we are going to have a presence at the community parade and festival on July 12. Could you come along and hand out VBS invites to families with small children? Who knows what might begin with a smile, a flyer, and a warm greeting!
Post some flyers in public places. Would anyone be willing to make the rounds of the shops and stores around Pleasant Ridge, Kennedy Heights, Gold Manor, and Reading – getting permission to post our flyers on community boards? Again, who knows who might see them and be triggered into a chain of events that would end up someday in heaven, worshipping Jesus?
Just a few ideas. You may think of others. But would you serve the Lord the next few weeks by letting the little children come to Him?
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