VBS is Fun, Games, and Serious Preparation for Life

It’s summer time. That means it stays light long, it’s hot, it’s time for family vacations, and it’s also time for Vacation Bible School.

My own small church is partnering with another nearby church for VBS this year. As I write this, I’m preparing for our 3^rd night of VBS. My daughter and I have the privilege of being in charge of skits. VBS is certainly a lot of fun. I love seeing all the smiling faces and hearing the children laugh and sing. But VBS is not only fun and games. It is a powerful way to prepare our children for the very real battles they will face in life.

The truths children learn in VBS are some of the most important truths in the universe. The truths kids learn in VBS are way more important than Einstein’s theory of general relativity, learning where to put commas (which I still get wrong!), or how to do long division. In VBS, kids learn truths like these:

Jesus loves me.

The Bible is true.

God is always with me.

Whenever I pray, God hears me.

God will protect me.

Our God is strong.

I should obey God even when doing so is hard and scary.

If these truths are deeply rooted in little hearts, they will bear a lifetime of beautiful fruit. These truths will be a source of strength and courage when our children face battles, temptation, and evil. And have no doubt about it, even though we do all we can to protect them, sooner or later our children will face dark days and terrible evil. And when those dark days come (o Lord, protect them), having a firm grip on these Bible truths will make all the difference.

VBS makes use of some powerful tools to get these truths into little hearts. Two of the most important tools are:

1.  Bible stories.

2.  Songs.

VBS songs have a way of sticking with you. And they are full of God’s promises.

The Bible stories are designed by God Himself to capture our imaginations and fill our hearts with faith in Him.

Tonight, we plan to cover one of the most famous stories in the Bible. We’ll be learning about the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. We’ll have fun, but we’ll also be teaching a lesson our children are certain to need. We’ll be teaching them to stand for what’s right and to obey God, even when the pressure is on and it’s hard, scary, and dangerous.

Some of the children will need this lesson far sooner than we wish they did. They will face peer pressure to do things they know they shouldn’t do and to go places they shouldn’t go. They will soon find themselves in settings where God’s truth is mocked and those who stand for it are in a small minority. And one day, some of our children may find themselves being asked to stand up for God when everyone around them is bowing to evil idols. In that day, may God use the truths that were planted in their hearts in VBS to strengthen them.

One more thing. It’s not just children who benefit from VBS. As adults, we need constant reminders of the foundational truths of our faith. We need to hear God’s promises over and over. Deep inside the armor of truth and faith which God has given us, we are still like the little children in VBS.  Twila Paris said this better than I ever could:

The next time the pressure is on, and you’re face to face with evil, and you’re tempted to give in or give up, I pray that God will remind you of the most important truths in the world. The truths you learned at VBS.

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .