V B S

[pop pop]

Our VBS, for the kids, is starting in two weeks. Our safety team will need to be on the job. We always have neighborhood parents bring their children and just drop them off, leave, then come back to get them after it is over for the night. I have never understood that because you trust your kids with complete strangers. My wife and I never did that. Big responsibility to keep them safe while they are there.

We do get a chance to teach them and we have had older kids come back to church with us. In fact we just had a mother and father join our church. They had a first born daughter start attending, with one of our members daughter, and now the whole family have come to Jesus, and been baptized, for the remission of their past sins, in His holy name. God's word does still work on people's heart even today.

I just finished teaching a men's class on Spiritual Ignorance. At one time, in my life, I was the poster boy for spiritual ignorance. Our preacher wanted me to tell the men the details of my conversion. I was not a Christian when I met and married my wife. She was. It was her influence on me, and her patients with me, that first brought me to services, and eventually, as my faith grew, because of listening to God's word, I came to the Lord. I was a hard case!

Anyways it was a wonderful class and the men(about 60) now knows how to approach and help someone who is as spiritually ignorant "as I was". I obeyed the gospel at age 27 and started my walk with God. I have never regretted that day since. I am 71 and now know where my soul will spend eternity. That, my friends, is "Pure Spiritual Peace". Get your Bible and read (Luke 16:19-31). I will be in Abraham's Bosom(Jewish term for a place of great comfort in the hadean realm). Jesus tells of "the realm of departed spirits" in this writing. Only place, in our Bible, we get a small glimpse of where our souls will go, in the next life(realm) "Realm of departed spirits" if He(Jesus) does not come back to earth beforehand. If and when he does then we will all be going to another place in eternity. Do prepare you soul for eternity guys. If you haven't, do seek it out. The hadean realm, it is the place for believers, and non believers just after death in this life. 

Sad to say, but we have had several instances where our safety team has been forced into action lately also. Never needed a team until about 7 years ago. Violence in churches was unheard of before then. Oh, the times, they are a changing.

My attire will be the usual, 7 shot revolver in left front pocket, MP 2.0 9 MM IWB on right hip along with prayer that they will never be used. Mind you this will be for my sweetie's and my protection, ONLY. I am not a ninja cop. I leave that work to them, the Police.

To God be the glory in everything.

Edited June 28, 2019 by pop pop
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[DaveTN]

Good for you. The word TEAM says a lot.

[peejman]

Our church had a VBS first a couple weeks ago.... we expelled a child. Yeah.  Seems an adult tried to intervene when one child was trying to choke another child, and the adult got a bloody nose for her efforts. I'm told the kids were about 8 yrs old. Fun times. 

[pop pop]

peejman, we have not had that one yet. Eight year old chocking another! WOW! We have had several instances of disturbance in the past. Caught one neighborhood 15 year old boy going through the coat pockets, in our hallway, while people were in class and the hallways were deserted.   

Since the Antioch shooting we now lock our doors and keep a team member in the hallways at all times.  We observe everyone who comes in the church also. One can't be to careful these days. Even then we have had to handle some things. We are proactive on safety now. 

[Dirtshooter]

Pop Pop, sad to say but this isn't the world in which we grew up. Thank you for sharing your faith with us!! As for Church security, I believe that every church big or small should have a team that includes someone on the parking lot, someone watching the cameras that should be at all entrances and just keep your head on a swivel. We recently joined a Church and 1 reason was they have a security team. My SIL who lives in another state carry's a Kimber .45 on his hip every Sunday, he keeps it covered with his coat but it is there if needed. Sad but that is the facts. Church buildings didn't used to be locked either, but now are because people will steal and deface.

[gary_boom]

I can remember making a birdhouse in VBS a long time ago. I am thankful for those who sacrificed their time back then and now.

[Dirtshooter]

Gary consider yourself one of the fortunate ones. I grew up in a home where the only time we went into a church was when there was a funeral. Basically we were pagans. My parents were good providers and loved their kids, but church wasn't a part of it. I got saved as a Senior in high school, but really didn't do much in church for quite awhile other than keep the bench warm. At least I did get smarter in my adulthood, I did take my kids to church and them and all grandchildren will be joining us in Heaven some day. Yes I am thankful for my Church family that do all the VBS, plus many other ministries. Some children only hear about Jesus at a VBS somewhere.