I am going to try and start this again and see what happens. It has been over a year since the last post. (June 7 2014) It was a repost of someone talking about Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer. click here to read it Sadly people are still following them and quoting them on FB and twitter. Anyway on to something else…
So what has happened in a year…tons but mostly the same things…As of today I have been at the BGCO for one year and 9 months 10 Oct. 1. Someone asked me the other day so how are you liking the change from church staff to state convention? I will say that the change is very different but I am really enjoying it. I am traveling a lot more now which is fine (except that my house needed some cleaning). I enjoy meeting new people. This summer I visited 22 different VBS’ around the state which was great. I visited from small to large churches. I have been asked what was my take away from those visits. Well first…GREAT Job Oklahoma!!! We have been collecting reports from churches and this is what we have so far…
Total Enrollment: 35,316
Decisions for Christ: 911
Unchurched Prospects: 2,974
VBS Total Offering: $102,628.33
If you have not turned in your VBS reports (whether you live in OK or not) turn them in! This is a great way to celebrate what God did this summer in VBS around our state and all states!
When it comes to VBS offerings those churches that had a goal and the offering when to something the children really could understand those offerings were blowing the goals set out of the water! They were talked about each day and the focus was on how the children were helping and could make a change. If there was no goal and not much talk about it the offerings were very low. Children can make a great difference and can learn how to give to others. They just need to be told and taught over and over. Children learn with repetition. Yes Preschoolers can do this as well! I am praying for our churches now that VBS is over that they will continue to follow up with those 2,974 unchurched prospects! When we say VBS is the biggest evangelical event your church can do…it is! See those numbers up there?! Don’t let this opportunity pass you by! Pastors if you are not actively involved in your VBS plan on being involved in 2016!
Another thing, are your people getting trained? Lifeway did a study and found that for every 1 person trained there were 1.1 salvations! So get your people trained and have training every year. Just because they have “done this before” doesn’t mean they can’t hear something new and get motivated each year.
Now more than ever we need to make sure we are teaching our children age appropriately and not doing children’s ministry to entertain the children. Yes we can have fun while learning but we must do it the right way! Too many children that were a part of an entertainment ministry move on to youth and adults and stop coming to church because they were not taught what church and worship is really about! It is NOT about what WE get and/or what we like it’s 100% about God and what He wants from us!!!
SO 2016 what will you do differently, same, not at all in your ministry, family life, personal life?
VBS theme for 2016 is Submerged; Finding Truth Below the Surface. Psalm 139:23-24 Let’s dive in together!
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Alyson's Passions 