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The first words out of my 8 year old son’s mouth this morning were, “Mom, can we go to VBS right now? I LOVE it SO much!”  Did I mention that it was 6:30 am? I reminded him that it was actually still a little early. “Let’s eat breakfast and get dressed first.  We actually have a few hours before it starts,” I said.

You see, this is the first year my son has attended VBS.  And honestly, it’s been 30+ years since I last attended one.  While I grew up attending a Christian church and VBS, this has been the first year my family has been able to attend since settling into the East Mountain community.

And oh this VBS experience…it’s been such a fulfilling week!  As a first time volunteer here are the key takeaways I have witnessed so far:

• This week will make a significant impact on these children’s future. Memories will be made and believers will be strengthened or even created.  When you consider that 43% of Americans who commit to Christ do so before the age of 13 and 64% of born again Christians do so before their 18th birthday, you realize that MCC’s investment in VBS has a direct impact on children and our future.
• Volunteering for VBS has provided me with the opportunity to connect with others in the church. I have spent more time connecting with other Men and Women of Christ, building relationships and witnessing servant leadership this week than I have in years!
• Volunteering for VBS is good for the mind and body. Giving my time to these kids has been an incredibly rewarding experience and now that I’ve gotten a taste of it I want to do it even more.  The bible says that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and that principle is especially true as we volunteer for VBS.
• VBS impacts the community. MCC’s VBS has the opportunity to impact our community by setting an example of organized and safe fun for kids.  But much more than that, while we invite children to attend, the less visible impact is on families of these kids.  Some kids who attend VBS don’t belong to a church and this is an opportunity to expose these children and their families to the gospel. 

So, as I anticipate my son waking tomorrow with the same request, I am thankful for the members of MCC and ‘I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” – 3 John 1:4

“But Capri is so far away! I will be separated from my family….”  The dilemma that Severus Liberius of Rome was faced with today during the VBS drama was a hard one indeed. To obey the Emperor and leave to build a villa on the island of Capri as chief architect, or stay with his family and the home he knows so well.  Today’s lesson of “God’s love is always with us” was definitely prominent throughout the kids morning.

As the Roman messenger who brought the message to poor Severus, I was able to ‘rome’ the room (my apologies for that overly used pun!) and talk to the shop owners and the children at various booths. Of course, being Roman, they were a little fearful to know what I’d do about Christians if I ever caught one. I was so excited to see so many of these children get it. As I went into one booth to inquire about this ‘Jesus whom the Christians worship as a God’, I was surprised by some of the responses. Some quickly shook their head, knowing that as a Roman, I might just throw them in prison! Some would tell me I could get a copy of the bible in a place called America (which, unfortunately for me, was all the way across the world). And some were quick to jump at the opportunity to witness to this Roman messenger. The best part, though, is that they didn’t just tell me about Jesus. They asked me deep and thought provoking questions about my Roman gods that I worshipped or what I thought would happen when I die. It was amazing to see the excitement and joy on their faces as they agreed with me when I made the point that Jesus died but that they knew there was more to the story- how he rose again so he could save us from our sins. 

Who doesn’t love enthusiasm when it comes to talking about our precious savior? If you’ve ever spent much time around a kid, you’ll quickly discover something they’re enthusiastic about – be it sports, school, fun activities, etc.  But when you get a room full of kids, full of energy and excitement, and they begin hearing about God’s love for them, it’s something else entirely. Some of these kids have already come from homes where they’re learning, daily, about Christ’s sacrifice and love for us. The ones who don’t come from that background still get to hear the same message and all of them soak it in like little sponges. As they traversed through the marketplace, they were excited to participate in the various activities to choose from: leatherworking, metal working, wood working, learning to write with ink and quill from the scribe, wreath making, and building fun projects with the Architect Severus. 

Each child was given a few coins to spend at their shops, which helped to limit so that everyone will get a chance to do each activity throughout the week. The beautiful part was when they spent their money on snacks to try to give to the Roman soldiers to show them love; or when they gave their coins freely to me, the messenger, to give to the Emperor himself. Or, perhaps the best one yet, when they wrote a note simply reading ‘God loves you and his grace is free’ and handed it to me to give back to the Emperor.

They were even enthusiastic to tell me that they were visiting Paul during his house arrest and to talk about Jesus. These little guys had no doubts in their mind about the greatness of their God, the one true God, and the amazing love He has for them. It brings to mind Matthew 21:16
"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "'From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise'?".

The affirmation and biblical truths these kids get to learn while at VBS is tremendous. Every seed planted, every word spoken, and every sight seen leaves an impression on these beautiful children. May we continually shine a light for Him that they may see so that theirs will grow stronger each day! I pray for the remaining days of VBS that the children will continue to learn and that we will continue to be blessed by their wonderful enthusiasm and their boldness for Christ- and maybe we’ll learn something from them about that, too!  

As I told a friend last night, I was truly feeling like an ANCIENT Roman after the first day of VBS!  But what a joyous, busy, happening place VBS is – I am so incredibly blessed to hang out with these people for a week.

There is something about seeing my brothers and sisters in a different setting than Sunday morning that makes me appreciate them even more. 

I believe we have a very ‘real’ church - don’t get me wrong – we will pray and cry and rejoice right in the midst of Sunday service. 

However, there is something about seeing people jump in, love on kids, give selflessly of themselves, dance and sing, and dig deep for Spiritual truth while presenting it in language that little ones understand or teens won’t roll their eyes at that makes me love them in a whole new light.

From the hundreds of hours put in by the organizational team (it definitely wasn’t built in a day), to the myriad sewing projects (whoa! not my skill base), to the prayer team covering us all, to the teens who could be doing anything else with their summer, to those dancing who never thought they’d dance (in front of people, in church, no less!), to those cutting their 1000^th flatbread for snacks – every one is invaluable.

God has used each of you to transform my life and heart.  I see your willingness to be humble, to work, to love, to serve, and I am filled to overflowing with gratitude and hope.  I want to especially thank Frank and Paul, who live out 1 Peter 5:2-3 ("shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; ³ nor yet as lording it over ^a]">[a]those allotted to your charge, but ^b]">[b]proving to be examples to the flock.") and are examples to us all of Christ’s love and sacrifice. 

MCC has a multitude of ministries, but if you haven’t participated in VBS, this ancient Roman beseeches you to try it out.

Today was MCC’s first day of VBS 2017……it was so much more than I expected! I thought I knew a lot about VBS; how it was organized, how it was run…..and mostly from behind the scenes.  After all, in the past seven years I’ve participated in VBS programs at five churches in three states! Seems like I would have a pretty good cross-section of how things work at VBS. But here at MCC, Vacation Bible School looks a lot more like a big family ministering to their children and their community than any other place we’ve been.

Before the children even show up, VBS starts with volunteers and their children. It’s more than just a planning meeting; it is a time of focused prayer, fellowship and modeled discipleship to ready our hearts and minds for the day ahead. Here, the children of volunteers get to see the inner-workings of how this ministry is organized and how this “family” works together to serve.

They get an insider’s view of ministry so that someday, when God calls them, they will be ready to serve! And I witnessed that today with a number of teams of young adults that had grown up in VBS, at MCC, and are now participating as volunteers and leaders. But it was not just the young people; we had volunteers of every age, from five to 75!

With nearly 100 volunteers, this pre-session was vital in setting the mood for the day and it impressed upon me the dedication to long term transformation and discipleship that is resident in the MCC family.  

It may be cliché to say that “it takes a village to raise a child”….but today at MCC I saw the village (family) that is MCC, transported back to the Roman era and impact children in the modern age, with God’s everlasting Word.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the Good News” ~Romans 10:15.

How about the privilege of taking the Good News to children right here in the public schools of New Mexico? Did you know that 85% of people who come to Christ do so between the ages of 4-14 and many of the children in our public schools are unchurched? Can you imagine getting to evangelize and disciple the children you see in the grocery store or standing at the bus stop?

Their hearts are open and ready to be transformed by God’s Word but how can we do that? How can we reach these children? There is a spiritual battle being waged in schools cross America for the hearts of children and through bible clubs across America volunteers are allowed to serve school children and share God's Word. Follow the Son Bible Club is just one of them. Serving children right here in the East Mountains and Albuquerque area.  Each child has a story; it’s special and unique and can be used by God for His glory. 

Take Emily for example, she came to a Bible Club at an elementary school in Albuquerque last year and told me after the first day, "I'm a Wiccan; but I'm a good witch; and I only do good things." What spiritual battles must be waging over this child’s soul! What could I do?  I asked her if she would keep coming to Bible Club and she said “Yes.” As she attended bible club the rest of that year we prayed for her, we poured God’s Word and as much love and attention into her as we possibly could. I wish you could have seen her face as she listened to God's Word and what Jesus did for her! Complete rapt attention! Before the end of the year she prayed to receive Christ with Pastor Charles and we watched her love for God grow.

Emily's brother, who always came early to pick her up, was very antagonistic toward his sister and us but we continued to try and engage him. We asked him to stay and wait until we were finished and by the end of the year he slowly did. FSBC volunteer Pam Oliva said, “I offered him a sucker while he waited for his sister, he took it and it was the first time he smiled at me, ever!” She said, “Isn’t it amazing how God will work through something as insignificant as a sucker! We are so hoping that Emily will come back this year!”  At last year’s final program, Emily, he and his mom stayed to hear what Jesus had done for them. We can’t know if their hearts were changed but we are praying that a seed was planted.

While some of the children will share their stories, for the most part we don’t have any idea about the home lives of the children attending our public schools. But, you can be sure that they need your prayers. Some have father’s in prison, others are being raised by their grandparents and still more in broken homes. True, some come from Christian homes but there is a spiritual battle and it’s being waged right in front of us! Emily’s is just one story…..there are so many more!

A mother at a parent program in Tomasita Elementary told us that her three children are now asking her to read the Bible with them at night instead of their chapter books. God’s word is good! Now, mom's hearing the Word too and a family is being transformed by hearing God’s word.

At another school, a Route 66 teacher shared that one little girl told her she always said John 3:16-17 to herself before she goes to sleep. (Two verses we have the kids memorize). How wonderful that she wants to be comforted with God's love through Jesus before sleeping!

Through FSBC, volunteers have been given a chance to transform the lives of children, families and schools! God gave us all these children to love! So will you step up as a prayer warrior for these children? As volunteer in these schools? Maybe you can donate suckers, meals or cookies…..the needs are great and there are so many ways to serve. Visit https://www.mountainchristianchurch.org/childrens-ministry to learn more the Follow the Sun Bible Club