Dear Brethren,
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
Thank God for our Church VBS that was held last Saturday 1 June 2013. It was a joy to see the children learning the Word of God and given the opportunity to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. As we sow the Gospel seed, we trust God that it will one day bear forth spiritual fruits in the lives of these children who came for the VBS.
For who labour and serve the Lord at the VBS, let me encourage you that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58. Do not look at numbers and wonder why so few newcomers came despite giving out about 1500 handbills in the evangelism. One soul saved is sufficient for the whole heaven to rejoice and one soul saved is worth all the effort we have put in. Continue the good work of evangelism and reach out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for the next Church VBS to be held on 16 November 2013 (Sat) and God willing, we can reach out to more children with the Gospel.
My First VBS …
I have fond memory of VBS. I attended my first VBS in June 1976 as a young believer who just trusted the Lord Jesus Christ. I was a secondary one student then. The VBS was held in Life BP Church for a 5-day period. It was organized by the Gospel Letter & Tracts Department – a very vibrant young adult group – of Life BP Church then. This group later became the Evangelical Reformed Church of Singapore. The way of God is mysterious and amazing to use different people at different stage of our lives in enabling us to know Him.
My sec school teacher Jonathan Chan invited me for the VBS. A bus was chartered to fetch all of us to the VBS from our homes. I remembered vividly that I was late on the first day of VBS and missed the bus. I went home sadly as I could not attend the VBS. Suddenly my teacher Jonathan Chan came to my house to personally fetch me to Life BP Church for the VBS. Thank the Lord for his love and care for me in wanting me to learn the Word of God. I have learned that we ought to go the extra mile to help others to know the Lord Jesus and His Word. Let us make every effort to teach others the Word of God and to bring them to Church and any church activity.
“And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14:23
VBS in my house…
In the early years of Tabernacle BP Church, there was a sister Irene who has the zeal and love to reach out to children. She wanted to organise a VBS and would go to playgrounds to invite children to come. I opened my house for the VBS and it was a joy to see children coming to hear the Gospel and be saved. Perhaps there may be some in our Church who attended the VBS then in my house. Thank the Lord for the wonderful opportunity that you had to attend the VBS. The Lord can use anyone who is willing to serve Him. We can evangelise for Him; we can teach His Word; we can prepare the logistics; we can open our homes; we can buy the meals; and one thing we all can do is to pray for souls to be saved. Let us be vessels fit for the Master’s use. Let me conclude with this poem from C.T. Studd, a faithful servant of God :
Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Elder John Leong