A Cool VBS on a Hot Day
The mercury hit the 100° mark last Friday in Arlington, Texas, but we had some cool fun inside St. Barnabas United Methodist Church. Over 200 kids were participating in the last day of Camp E.D.G.E., the official Cokesbury Vacation Bible School program that helps children Experience and Discover God Everywhere.As the Almost Amazing Marko, I put on a closer show that reinforced the themes that the children learned during the week. I opened the program with a trick set to airy synthesizer music as I plucked foam stars out of an empty red handkerchief. The routine reminded the crowd of Day Two's Theme, "Trek to Bethlehem," the story of the wise men following the star to Jesus.
Next, VBS Director Cathy Smith recruited a girl to help me with a rope trick. She examined the rope to make sure it contained no trapdoors or mirrors. "This week, you've been studying some cool Bible stories," I said. "Still, with all these stories, the Bible is one book and one story—the story of how much God loves us."
The girl cut the rope in half, symbolizing the Old and New Testaments. Next, she cut the two pieces of rope into four, representing the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. After dropping the severed rope into a bag and some funny byplay with a collapsing wand, I pulled out the rope ... actually, four pieces of rope tied together.
"Remember, I said the Bible was really one story..." Then with a flourish I popped off the knots, revealing an unbroken rope!
My next volunteer was a boy who became Joshua, the mighty warrior who brought the children of Israel across the Jordan River. After I outfitted him in a balloon helmet and sword, he struck a heroic pose and shouted, "To the Promised Land!"
The final lesson of the week was "God Sends; I will Go." I brought out Henrietta, my rubber chicken in a pink dress—my "chicken in dressing." After some corny chicken jokes ("Henrietta's motorcycle-riding boyfriend calls her his "biker chick"), I urged the kids not to be chicken about their Christian witness. Then I produced a card with a large black circle on one side.
"Once upon a time, there was a girl named Dot," I said, "who went to church and heard about Jesus. She decided to follow him and invite others to church." I turned the card around again and again to show the dots multiplying, illustrating the influence that one Christian can have on others.
I ended the show by making a balloon doggy. "They say that a dog is Man's Best Friend. But there is an even greater friend than a dog, and that's Jesus! Let's hear it for HIM!"
The kids exploded in applause.
Pretty cool, I'd say.










