I once heard it said that we put so much work into something (VBS) that provides so little on Sunday morning (in worship). As I remember hearing these words I still believe that they are wrong and show that the individual who said them was, and is, missing the larger calling of God in their lives.
Perhaps VBS is an invitation for us as leaders in the church to care for the children of our community differently?
Rudy Wiebe once wrote:
"Jesus says in his society there is a new way for [people] to live:
You show wisdom, by trusting people;
you handle leadership, by serving;
you handle offenders, by forgiving;
you handle money, by sharing;
you handle enemies, by loving;
and you handle violence, by suffering.
In fact you have a new attitude toward everything, toward everybody. Toward nature, toward the state in which you happen to live, toward women, toward slaves, toward all and every single thing. Because this is a Jesus society and you repent, not by feeling bad, but by thinking differently."
I think buried in this quotation is the formula by which VBS becomes less 'what we do' and more 'the mission we live into.' We learn to 'think differently' about what it is that we do as the church.
We may not have as many children at VBS this year as we have in previous years, and that might be a reality because of covid, but that does not mean that God will not be showing up next week and changing the lives of the children.
This upcoming week, whether you volunteer at VBS or not, whether you drop someone off or not, I invite you to join me in thinking differently about the program. And as you think differently about VBS, I wonder what God might say to you and what God might call you to do?
Blessings
Derek
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