“A PERSPECTIVE ON SUMMERTIME ACTIVITIES - MORE THOUGHTS ABOUT VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL AND SKITTLES”

As I type these words, we are in the midst of our annual Vacation Bible School. As you read this, we will be just about through, but let me invite you to the Thursday night Family Celebration at 7:00. Our theme this year is a Hawaiian adventure. You’ll get to hear a lot of fun songs, hear how much the kids have learned as they play our exciting “Wheel of Faith” game (I’m the host “Fat Haystack” assisted by our lovely letter turner “Banana White”), and get a packet of free “Skittles” candy. You’ll even see me in a grass skirt over my blue jeans. (Real men in the islands wear them. Maybe it will start a fad here. Maybe not.) I’ll do just about anything to have fun with the kids. I’m just a kid at heart. Always have been ... always hope to be.

Let me explain about the “Skittles” candy. I have some Gospel visual aids that I use at Vacation Bible School every year. (And at children’s church camps, too, for over twenty-five years now ... but that’s another column.) A friend of mine gave me a traffic light, another friend wired it up to blink sequentially or individually, and another friend gave me an old-fashioned bubble gum / candy machine. (Raymond O’Neal, Andy Anderson, and Don Walsh of Malvern ... thanks again, guys.)

During Vacation Bible School, I use the traffic light and the candy machine to teach what many churches call the “A-B-C’s of Being a Christian.”

“A” - “Admit” that you are not perfect (a sinner) and need God.
“B” - “Believe” that Jesus is God’s Son and can save you from your sins.
“C” - “Confess” that Jesus is the Savior and let Him be Lord of your Life.

The traffic light is to remind the kids (and the adults) of the “Christian A-B-C’s.” Red light: Stop and “Admit” your sins. Yellow light: Be sure and “Believe” that Jesus can save you. Green light - Go and “Confess” to everyone that Jesus is your Lord.

The candy machine dispenses a handful of red, yellow, and green Skittles. But, these are not just plain old regular Skittles that you buy in the store ... these are prayed-over and blessed “Scriptural” Skittles that the kids are to share with someone and use them to tell the “Christian A-B-C’s” similar to the red, yellow, and green of the traffic light. (Don't worry ... I supply the coins and you get enough “Scriptural” Skittles to share and have some left over to eat.)

Come to our Vacation Bible School program Thursday night at 7:00. Everyone present will get a free pack of Skittles and you can even visit the candy machine and feel like a kid again. England First Baptist Church is located at 201 E. Haywood Street, one block east of the Post Office.

And next time you see a traffic light or eat some Skittles ... think of the “A-B-Cs” of being a Christian and the importance of Vacation Bible School is teaching the Good News of Jesus.

This is just one pastor’s (and one really big kid’s) perspective.