During the hottest week in July country children attend Vacation Bible School each morning at an un-airconditioned local church. “Bible School” is a community effort led primarily by pastor’s wives and high school kids who reluctantly volunteer because they have nothing else to do and know they will be rewarded with a trip to Church Camp sometime before school starts. The responsibility of hosting Bible School rotates among the local churches. The pastor’s wife of the host church plays the piano and recruits Bible School teachers while the pastors’ wives of the non-host churches are responsible for recruiting women to make cookies and Kool-Aid and for reminding everyone that Bible School went much more smoothly the previous year when she hosted it. One church in town – the one in which the pastor’s wife and homeschooled daughters wear prairie dresses – does not participate because mixing with other churches is “against their religion.”
Bible School gives children ages 6-12 who do not regularly attend church an opportunity to learn about Jesus, God and the Bible. It gives young children who do attend church regularly an opportunity to make fun of the other kids because they don’t know any of the songs or memory verses. The week begins with a “kick-off” in which the male pastor of the host church leads everyone in pledges to the American flag, the Christian flag and the Bible. Then female volunteers perform “cool skits” that include at least two rap songs and talking vegetables. Finally an eager high school boy who people often whisper about teaches the children hand motions to traditional church songs.
The daily Bible Schools activities look like this. In addition to bible lessons and popcicle stick crafts, students rehearse their hand motions each day and bring a coin offerring “to help poor kids on an Indian reservation.”
The last day of Bible School is held off-site near a lake. Friends and family are invited to participate in the culminating “Bible School Program.” At the Bible School Program the children perform the hand motions they practiced throughout the week and take a final collection for poor kids on an Indian reservation. The male pastor makes his second Bible School appearance at the Bible School Program and tells all in attendance how to avoid hell. Those wishing to avoid hell are then baptized in the lake. A swimming pool is often substituted in communities without a lake.
I sincerely hope that this is more of an exception than the rule when it comes to VBS. There’s so much potential for the church with their children and their community at large with a good VBS ministry.
Oh, I also pray that this is rarely the case. VBS was, in my life, and has been in others’ lives, a powerful way to learn more about the loving character of Jesus. Ministry (whether VBS or other ministry) is never in vain if we can love and serve people, and tell others about Jesus!