Vacation Bible School
When I was eight years old, I made a huge life changing decision. I decided to give my life to God through Jesus Christ. I knew that God existed by faith. How could I admire so many created things in the world but believe there no ultimate Creator? To me, at eight years young, thinking the world came out of nowhere from elements that always existed was really stupid. But I had to choose which god to be loyal to out the many that I had heard existed. There was only one that made sense. There was only one that resonated. There was only one that was willing to sacrifice when He didn’t have to. That was Jesus Christ.
Of course, I could not articulate all that as I do now. But simplistically, it was in my head and had begun to penetrate my heart. It was not just fire insurance to keep me from hell. After all, hell was not some bad, flame-filled place. It was the place without the One who loved me the most. I knew that isolation without flames and darkness was bad enough. All these facts were built in me from those that walked authentically with Jesus Christ who were mentors and teachers in my life.
Some would say that I believed these things because I was conditioned to believe based on my culture and society. That cannot explain all those that grew up around me with the same adults but do not now believe. It also doesn’t explain all those who now walk with Christ that grew up in a humanistic society but began to learn as an adult that the dominating worldview of their society was nihilistic, broken, and oppressive.
When this decision was made before my 9th birthday, I was attending Vacation Bible School (VBS). Many churches host these in the summer for one week. They are all different, and I cannot speak for the experience of others. All I remember is that the adults were nice, the week was fun but more about learning something important, and it clicked in me that if it is true that Jesus Christ is Who He said He was and did what is recorded in scripture, then it made perfect sense to give my soul away.
The majority of people will not walk with Christ due to VBS. Yet, many in our culture will. Those that volunteer at VBS are not salesmen. They are not getting anything out of it other than the joy of giving their time to serve and invest. They are not attempting to further an agenda that benefits themselves. It is truly out of wanting to share how their journey with Christ is real.
If you are going to walk with Christ, don’t you want to do so in a way that makes a drastic noticeable difference in your life? I don’t want a Christianity that is boring, neutered, mediocre, American, and one size fits all. I knew that giving my life away meant risk, adventure, letting go, and joining Someone that was beyond time and culture. My allegiance was not to a local gathering but to a King that reigns over all ages and people groups.
At COR, we are having our first VBS this Friday and Saturday night July 14 & 15. We would love for your children to be involved. Our journey with Christ will be explained. The Creator of the universe will be introduced. Will you join us!