We are smack dab in the middle of VBS season. Churches all across the country are spending ridiculous amounts of money to make their church look like anything other than a house of worship. Volunteers have spent countless hours learning dance moves and making costumes for this magical week. Teenagers have been recruited as leaders to chaperon kids to their classes. Some poor woman has been gilt tripped into supervising the arts and crafts class this year. May God have mercy on her soul.
Some of the kids are starting to repeat the same VBS themes. Try as they may, churches have limited options for VBS materials. Not every church can be the first one to do the jungle, the desert, or the arctic. Even you were the first, somebody else had pony rides after you. Grumbles of “We made this at the last church” and “I’m tired of singing this song” are becoming common among 7 year old seasoned VBS veterans. Don’t let those complaints of “the last church had better snacks” get you down. Just know the mom’s and dad’s everywhere are thankful for your sacrifice so they can enjoy a few quite hours around the house each evening. Bonus points if you fed them supper.
Let’s not overlook the economic impact of this religious rite of passage. It reaches far deeper that the millions made by the publishers. Grocery stores are selling out of the weird ingredients used for snacks. Now we need to gas up and drive to another Walmart for our polar bear poop cookies. The USPS is also cashing in as dozens of different mail-outs are being sent to every home within a 20 mile bus ride of the church. Oriental Trading has hired temporary help to handle the increased demand for their trinkets. Better throw a new set of tires on the church van while your at it. Many volunteers have called in sick to work and some have taken the whole week off.
I anticipate that some of you are fighting mad about my negative comments pertaining to your sacred cow. That’s alright, I’ve been called a Scrooge before. I’m only saying what millions of worn out church folks wish they could say. Oh, I hear ya “We are doing it for the kids” or “If it just saves one then it was all worth it.” Nice try, but it’s not about the kids, it’s about traditions and keeping up with the other churches. Secondly, if you spent $1000’s of dollars to save one child, Christianity is a failure and not financially sustainable.
Be honest and call it what it is, a Vacation. Just drop the words Bible School because they have become irrelevant in this week long waste of God’s money. I know there are exceptions to what I’ve said but you know that they are few and far between. Bible School is cheap and easy to do. Vacations not so much.
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