Good Planning Is the Key!

You might remember that I posted a blog in July of last year about the Pantai Baptist Church in Malaysia. This church held a VBS training event in June 2011 for themselves, First Baptist Church of Subang, and 16 other Malaysian churches with an attendance of 80-100 people throughout Malaysia.
First Baptist Church of Subang
Well, Mr. Poh Gek has informed us that Big Apple Adventure VBS was held at First Baptist Church of Subang in November of 2011, and it was a total success.
photos: https://www.fbc.com.my/101209/ministry/vbs (or www.fbc.com.my and then click on Ministry and select “I ‘heart’ VBS” to get to the Web page)
photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/34672620@N07/6375914981/in/set-72157628079616965/
He said, “This year, the Big Apple Adventure seemed so apt with everything else that is happening at our church. And all our VBS helpers were trained to share their faith and be a witness for Christ before teaching VBS. So we all have been greatly challenged by this VBS theme.
“One man dressed as Lady Liberty, and another church member dressed as Nicodemus.
“For Family Day, we had a Walking Tour of the Big Apple. We not only showed what the kids did during the week, but we also did a showcase of FBC Ministries and what we do at our church. Then we had the Times Square Musical. I think everyone enjoyed it so much, especially the kids.
“You should have seen the kindergarten children perform the Big Apple Adventure theme song! They were so cute…so young. When they sang, ‘Bi-bi-bi-big Apple Adventure,’ they did it so well.
“We had 189 children at our VBS. This was our first attempt without any help from Pantai Baptist Church, so the number of children was smaller, but we had a good response from unchurched families and kids from other churches. Excluding 46 kindergartners and the 50 Sunday School children who reaffirmed Jesus as their Lord and Savior, we had 76 children to say the Sinner’s Prayer for the first time on our ABC Day. Praise the Lord!”
Pantai Baptist Church
“Here is a glimpse of Big Apple Adventure at Pantai Baptist Church. Their décor, as always, is so professionally done.
photos: https://pbcvbs2011.blogspot.com/2011/11/phase-2-main-sanctuary-deco.html
“We had 10 classrooms for Bible study (190 kids total, half of whom represent non-Christian families). We have very staunch Buddhists, Taoist, and Hindu families here in Malaysia. Although we love to encourage these non-Christian kids to come back for Sunday School, as most of them said the Sinner’s Prayer on ABC Day, not many of them will return for Sunday services. Some do return annually, but only for VBS. We just pray that we have sown the gospel seed in these children’s lives so that when they are of age to choose their own religion, they will want Jesus as their Lord and Savior.”
VBS is a great opportunity to reach kids with the gospel. Otherwise, these same kids might never hear of His awesome love, grace, and gift of salvation. Sounds like God is doing a wonderful work in Malaysia, with the help of dedicated followers like Poh Gek.
Thank you, Poh Gek, for sharing your VBS stories with us. We look forward to many more great stories of your VBS work in Malaysia.
“Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6, HCSB^® Read to Me Bible for Kids).
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, HCSB^® Read to Me Bible for Kids).