Revitalize Your Church

Last night, we concluded Vacation Bible School with a BANG -- the thunder was banging as we drove home! The boys won the penny offering with a bang (although the girls are quick to point out they won three of the five nights.) We collected several hundred dollars in pennies, which will be given away to Mercy Ships, where children will receive life-saving operations. (When you look at the result, everybody wins!) I love VBS. It's an opportunity for me to get to know the children -- and to be THEIR pastor. I don't get to do that very often. The grown ups keep me too busy. Of course, the kids already have an outstanding pastor in Jeremy Mavis, who leads the excellent children's ministry of Hayward Wesleyan Church. He's fantastic. During VBS week, however, Jeremy gave me the privilege of showing the students a brief film clip (Chadder's Theater) -- and then leading them in prayer. That was the sweet part! I love the prayers of children. I love their faith. I ...

Michael Drown, our Missionary from Mercy Ships, recently reported on our Vacation Bible School penny offering we collected from a couple hundred enthusiastic kids a few weeks ago. The kids gave 121,400 pennies! (our goal was 90,000) These coins paid for the following: 2 Life Saving Surgeries (72,000 pennies) Agricultural Training for four people (18,000 pennies) Twelve Eye Exams (12,000 pennies) Ten Dental Treatments (10,000 pennies) 16 Bibles (6400 pennies) Six mosquito nets (3000 pennies) Michael writes: Over the past 5 years, the kids have brought in 389,080 pennies. These pennies have directly impacted the lives of 105 individuals and countless other indirectly with the good news about Jesus.

Diana Butler Bass recalls with nostalgia the sock puppet days before there were pre-packaged Vacation Bible School programs. I share some of her sentiments, but not all of her conclusions.