VBS CrossChurch-style is only one week away (July 10-14, 2016). Our 60,000 sq ft building will be crawling with kids for that week. They will enter a building transformed to look like a cave. Everyone will have a blast.
The question is, will we (our VBS staff & Children’s Ministry staff) use this opportunity to make a difference or will we just have an amazing week, and call it a day? We KNOW VBS CrossChurch-style will be amazing. There is zero question about that, but we connect with children in such a way that we can have an opportunity to make a difference in their lives in the years to come?
Let me ask a question to help you understand where I am coming from; Can you count the number of apples on a tree?
It sounds like the answer to that question should be “yes” doesn’t it? And of course, you can count the apples on the tree, you can even count the seeds in an apple, but who can count the apples in a seed?
The point of the question is we can never truly count the level of impact of our lives. We can see the person we impact, and possibly even some of the people they impact, but who can count all the people, decisions, and events that might be impacted by our lives as our impact is pasted down from one person to the next.
You never know the impact your one life can have over time. Only God knows the number of apples one seed can produce.
Now, for a apple tree to produce apples, that produce more apples and even more apple trees, there is a level of intentional care, nurturing, & maintenance that is required. They same is true with our level of impact as a church or as individuals.
As few months ago I posted a picture of the card where Billy Graham acknowledged his decision to believe on Christ as his Savior and follow Him. On that day, no one knew they were talking a 15 year old boy who would grow up to impact millions of people with the gospel. Read that blog post here.
Billy’s story was positive. I will close this post with an negative example. Below is a picture, like countless other pictures of a class of 2nd graders.
What makes this class picture unusual is the first boy on the front row, to the left. That is Lee Harvey Oswald. (ironically, the boy right behind him is wearing a sheriff’s badge hahahahaha)
Obviously, I’m not blaming Lee Harvey Oswald’s choices on his 2nd grade school teacher, but I am saying that there were many opportunities for him to receive a positive impact that might have changed his choices and the trajectory of his life.
He also faithfully attended church growing up. I’m not blaming his church either, but again, I am saying that we never know who is sitting in our classrooms and the impact we might be able to have on their lives.
Whether it be VBS, or anywhere else; invest your life, don’t waste it. Don’t just live “a” life, but keep your eyes on Jesus and live “the” life God has prepared for you, with perseverance. (Heb 12:1-3)
Live your life in such a way that you impact and inspire more Billy Grahams and fewer Lee Harvey Oswalds.