So you've been getting to know your neighbors over the last several months. Maybe you had a cookout last fall, took Christmas cookies around in mid-December, helped a neighbor or two with they're spring project and have had several impromptu opportunities to chat as you see people out in the yard for a few minutes.
Ready to take it to the next level?
A safe but effective way to intentionally offer a spiritual next-step for your neighborhood is to invite your neighborhood kids to a VBS in your own yard.
Top piece of advice? Keep it simple, short and small.
My wife, 13-year-old daughter and I are in the midst of putting on our own neighborhood VBS right now. It really is a lot of fun! We are having a great time with nine kids, two moms and one grandma from our immediate block. Each morning at 10:00 a.m. (before it gets too hot) you will find us singing songs, doing crafts, playing games, and receiving what God has to give us in His Bible about the fruits of the Spirit.
The really cool thing is that not only are the kids learning a lot, the moms report they are learning right along with their kids!
We intentionally chose to keep the number of children smaller. It not only is easier to manage a smaller group, but we can be more personally involved with each of them. We can be more attentive to how well they are understanding and receiving what we are talking about and experiencing from God's Word.
We intentionally chose to keep it short. We are meeting for about 90 minutes. 90 minutes is sustainable for us (we are not exhausted going into day four) and the shorter time keeps the kids wanting more.
We intentionally chose to keep it simple. The children range in age from those entering kindergarten to those just finishing third grade. We are gearing it for the ones who can read (and the younger kids are so good because they LOVE being in the mix with the older kids). The songs are on CD's, the crafts are simple but fun (planting a seed, painting a picture of a fruit basket), we use tried-and-try storybooks to convey God's truth (the ones that worked with our kids when they were growing up), and the games are ones that any kids knows and loves.
So, today is June 8. Give yourself a couple weeks to pray, plan and invite. Then see how God uses something as simple as a VBS in your neighborhood to take your neighboring to the next level.
Let me know if you will give this a try!
Rev. Greg Finke, Executive Director
Dwelling 1:14
Rev. Greg Finke
I absolutely love the idea of putting on a Vacation Bible School for my neighborhood! I’ve recently begun getting quite close to my neighbors, and they all seem genuinely interested in my children’s ministry program. I think this would be a great way to introduce the neighborhood kids to children’s ministry. Thanks for sharing!
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