Jungle Adventure - VBS 2005

VBS 2005 - an opportunity to teach boys and girls the One Great Reality.

Vacation Bible School started up Monday and our church has officially been transformed into a jungle. . . complete with a boardwalk, pond, Jungle Jim, 15 foot palm trees, live animals, and a huge pygmy hut. Amazing. We have been having a blast getting set up and now running the program for the kids.

We struck a gold mine this year for new children. A woman in our church got saved about 2 or 3 months ago and has just jumped in to our ministry. She is the apartment manager for a large complex in town that just happens to be full of kids. We have had blitzes and parties over there for weeks getting the kids excited. Boys and girls from over there have been getting pumped about this week for a long time, and they have come out excited.

We approached canvassing differently this year. Normally we worked the standby method of door-to-door, but we have had little to no fruit from a lot of effort with that, so we tried some new ideas. We held Wal-mart blitzes and pre-registration parties in an apartment complex and in our neighborhood. We rolled out our big blow-up bounce house, our gorilla costume, free candy and ice cream, face paint and balloon animals. The response has been very good - lots of visitors and excitement in the community. The kids have come ready for a great time.

Every night as I have looked into the eyes of many boys and girls that have never been in our church before, I am struck with the truth that this is why I am here. This is it. I am here to introduce boys and girls to a God that is huge and a God that has very important commands and plans for thier lives. Boys and girls need to know that God is the One Great Reality. There is nothing like giving the gospel to kids. They listen, they get excited, they are with you on every word.

They believe.

Christ spent a large portion of His ministry on children . . .and so ought we. A look at a child teaches us a lot. Our faith is small. God gives grace to the humble and lowly. The big things and the small things are important. His love knows no partiality. He is supreme over all creation.

He took time to scoop them in His arms and bless them.
Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God...he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. - Mark 10:14-16

He resurrected a child.
Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. - Mark 5:41-42

He healed a little girl's sickness with a word.
"O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly. - Matthew 15:28

He used a boy's bread and fish to perform an amazing miracle.
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." - John 6:9-10

Children praised Him in the temple as He came.
The chief priests and the scribes saw...the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" - Matthew 21:15

He used children to teach us about our little faith.
Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18:3-4

He said if you recieve children in His name, you recieve Him and His Father.
"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me." - Mark 9:37

Adapted from "Strong Enough to Care about the Weak," A Godward Life, Volume 1

Posted by jonkopp at July 27, 2005 12:01 PM | TrackBack