Conservative Minority

My pastor is on vacation as are most senior church pastors. At many churches, the Sundays in the month of August are filled with guest preachers and/or the church’s assistant or associates pastors bringing the message. Many folks like me visit other churches. From a recent post, you know that I am responsible for getting my twin nieces to our church’s 101 class (new member’s class) which is continuing this month. In the past that class went on hiatus during this month.

For August at my church, a member who is a former church pastor and presently a missionary director at Crossworld Missions is bringing a series of messages on the family. Last week, he talked about there being 3 in a Christian marriage. You all know there is a husband and a wife, but you may be wondering who is the third person? The answer of course is Jesus Christ. One interesting tidbit is that he revealed that when he and his wife (married 37 years) were courting, they prayed before they went out on their dates. How many of you married Christians reading this post prayed like that while you and your spouse were dating?

Today the message was on raising children to obey God. There was a powerful video clip at the beginning of the message. It was about a mother putting “her foot down” to her teen age daughter’s lying, as her younger daughter observed while waiting to tell the mother something. When the mother was finished with the older daughter, the younger daughter told her that grandma was on the phone. The mother told the younger daughter to tell grandma that she was not there. There was an audible reaction from the church audience to the video clip. What kind of an example was that mother being in front of her daughters?

The biblical scriptures were from Genesis 6 and Hebrews 11:7. The example of Noah was emphasized. Noah obeyed God, and when he told his sons to join him on the ark because God said so, they did not question their father; they obeyed. Statistics for families where given. If both father and mother are examples of obedience to the Lord, 75% of children from that kind of a family will grow up to continually follow the Lord. If it is only the father, 55% will continue to follow the Lord. If it is only the mother, than it is down to 15% that will continue in adulthood to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. The adult example of Noah for the home, in children’s ministry, and on a child related job is paramount.

Churches offering Vacation Bible Schools are declining. There has been about a 15% drop. The main reason given is the lack of teachers. VBS is still offered at Southern Baptists, mainline congregations, churches with large adult populations, and black congregations. This summer outreach ministry could be offered from a week to a month. It could be offered during the day or in the evening. You can read it here.

VBS has always been considered a very important outreach at the churches I have attended. I was the assistant director of VBS at my former church for many years. The parents in the church neighborhood sent their children to the two week mid July Bible School, which was held in the evening from 6-8:30 PM. The children were taught bible lessons and music, made crafts, and given snacks. Most of these children came from families that did not attend church. Usually by that time in July, parents love the idea of sending their children somewhere safe and constructive for a few hours in the evening. Some children made decisions to accept Christ as Savior. This attracted their parents to attend church. We had several families over the years attend the church as a result of VBS. While in church attendance, the parents came to see their need for Jesus Christ to save them from their sins. Thus you can see why VBS is an important ministry.

I can identify with the lack of teachers reason, because currently I cannot participate in my current church’s VBS due to my job. My work day ends when my church’s VBS begins at 6:00 PM; and that is if all the children at the center are picked up on time. Check out the VBS at your church or one in your neighborhood if you are not working into the evening. Most Vacation Bible Schools do have an adult class too.