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Wed PM Programming at Crestview

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CRESTVIEWkids

We kicked off a new year of our school year programming at Crestview Bible Church last night, 6:30PM.  We use the Gospel Project curriculum.  The night looks somewhat like VBS and somewhat like Sunday School.  Specifically, we open with a Scripture Memory verse, some singing, and a preview of the lesson (which at this point makes some connections to Jesus out of Old Testament history).  We go into classes and study the lesson, then some rec time.  Finally, we wrap with a video of today’s story and we’re done.  We’re hoping this intentional time of engagement with kids will produce fruit of belief in their hearts and lives.  If you’re interested in this, join us next Wednesday at 6:30PM.

CrestviewKids Recap – January 2013

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As January comes to an end, at CrestviewKids, we have a Parent’s Night, which highlights the amazing truths we’ve seen in a given month.

Our Memory Verse for January was 1 Peter 5:5.

Our song was The Gospel Song.  Here’s a video of it:

For the teaching, our three lessons looked at the final days and hours of Jesus’ life.

When Jesus was betrayed and abandoned by His disciples in the Garden, we reminded children that He endured all of this for us.

When Peter denied Jesus, we helped children see that we are desperate sinners in need of grace from God.

When Jesus offered salvation to the thief on the cross, we helped children see that forgiveness is available to anywhere, anywhere at anytime.  It’s been a rich month.

CrestviewKids: Parent’s Night

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At CrestviewKids tonight, we are having a Parent’s Night at 6PM.  This means a meal followed by singing the songs we’ve taught the children, the memory verse and summarizing the lessons under one big heading with a craft that supports it.  I love Parent’s Nights.

This night, in particular, we are looking at two months: November and December.  The November verse was 2 Corinthians 9:7 on giving and the December verse was 2 Corinthians 13:14, a clear verse on the Trinitarian flavor of the Bible.

The five lessons we will summarize are:
The Triumphal Entry – Jesus entered as a king; people plotted to kill Him.
The Widow’s Offering – Man looks outward; Jesus knows our hearts.
Jesus Washes The Disciples’ Feet – Jesus came to serve and calls us to do the same.
The Last Supper – Jesus is our Passover Lamb to be slain.
Jesus Promises to Send The Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit reveals to us who Jesus is.

There’s a lot that can be said about all of these lessons, but if we take their message together what rings true is that Jesus came on a mission to serve by giving His life.

His Triumphal Entry positioned Him to be in Jerusalem and even though He was hailed as a king, people were plotting His death.  His dealing with the Widow’s Offering assures us that He’s God and He knows our true selves, pointing us to our need of atonement.  His washing the disciples’ feet shows His life was meant to serve.  The Last Supper clearly connects Jesus’ work to dying.  And in promising to send the Holy Spirit, we’re shown that God wants us to understand why Jesus came to earth.

I hope you will look to Jesus this holiday season and find Him to be the One worthy of your belief and worship.

VBS Isn’t Just For Kids…

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Here’s an article I wrote for our church’s newsletter…

There was a day when Saturday morning cartoons were a reality for some of us.  One of the staple commercials you could count on was that silly rabbit trying to get a bowl of Trix, which always ended with the children chiding the rabbit and saying, “Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids.”  I fear that when it comes to thinking about Vacation Bible School, many in the church have that same feeling.  We hear about ministry opportunities and say to ourselves, “VBS is for kids.”  And, while it may be true that much of the energy is directed to serving children, I’m hoping to show today that VBS isn’t just for kids.  There’s much benefit to be had by the church at large through VBS.  Here’s some reasons:
1) VBS helps bring people together in service.  Most of us know that the law can be summed up as loving our neighbor as ourselves.  We know that we are to, through love, serve one another.  And, VBS is a great opportunity to come together with other like-minded believers and serve.  This, in turn, helps build the unity of our congregation.  When you are “in the trenches” with another believer seeking to serve, you will begin to be drawn close to that individual.  This is what makes the church strong.
2) VBS builds consistency in your relationships with others.  VBS is a week-long event.  So, rather than just bumping into others in our church on a Sunday, you get the opportunity to fellowship with others day after day.  Each night will present its own opportunities to glorify God and your consistent involvement in this will encourage you spiritually.
3) VBS looks outward.  Much of our difficulty in the church comes when we are inward focused.  We can become so intent on what we want and we would like to see happen, that our joy becomes tied to whether or not our desires are happening.  Each year, however, VBS is a call to remind you that church life doesn’t revolve around you.  There are others who need served.  Specifically, we get the opportunity to serve children. 
4) VBS communicates love for our neighbors who are younger than us.  When you think about church life, you probably devote most of your energy to things that don’t involve children (unless you’re a parent of a child and/or involved in an ongoing ministry to them).  What I love about VBS is that it gives adults and teenagers the opportunity to show children how dearly loved they are.  We rightly feel this in our hearts.  But, VBS puts feet to those feelings, showing children that we are excited to make known eternal truths to them.  VBS allows us to tangibly love not just in words but in actions and truth.
Finally, 5) VBS allows you to practice a spiritual gift.  Most of us know the importance of exercise or at least moving around so that atrophy doesn’t occur.  God has uniquely gifted every believer in the church to serve.  How often do you use those gifts?  Are you looking for an opportunity to use a gift you don’t use as often as another?  VBS is a great way to jump in and serve, employing your spiritual gift for the good of others.
So, those are a few reasons why I would encourage you to be involved in our VBS, June 10-14.  There is more info on it in other parts of the Edifier.  VBS isn’t just for kids, it’s for people like you and me who want to be a part of something that glorifies and enjoys God, forever.