By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
I love to hear the classic hymn, “Precious Memories,” especially the chorus:
“Precious memories, how they linger
How they ever flood my soul
In the stillness, of the midnight
Precious sacred scenes unfold.”
When I think of Vacation Bible School, I have precious memories that, do indeed, flood my soul.
When I was a kid 55-plus years ago, Vacation Bible School was the highlight of the summer for me and the other kids who attended Lima Baptist Church in Travelers Rest, S.C.
Back then, VBS was the “only game in town” or in our case the country. We weren’t going somewhere every night to play ball or take part in countless other activities. There were none.
Lima Baptist was a small church but they did VBS right. We used to have VBS for two weeks. We held it at night because most of the VBS volunteers worked during the day. I’m sure they struggled, as churches today do, to find workers, but there always seemed to be enough to staff our VBS.
I remember that VBS would kick off with a parade around the country roads where members lived as well as those who they wanted to reach in the community.
Lonnie Wilkey
I can still remember with pride when I was chosen to do something special like carry the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. It was a big deal for any of us to be asked to participate.
I’m so old that I can remember how exciting it was to get Kool- Aid and cookies for snacks. But the best day was the last Friday of VBS. Leaders would grill hamburgers and hot dogs. As a young boy who loved to eat, those were special treats.
I realize that people who are the age of my children (now in their 30s and younger) cannot understand that excitement. My children’s generation grew up with Happy Meals and pizza. Kool-Aid was something they had to drink when they ran out of soft drinks. But for those of us at least 55 years or older, Kool-Aid was a treat.
I also remember the men and women who invested themselves in the lives of us kids at Lima.
I remember people like Bootsie and Shirley Coggins and Jewell and Bill Bayne and Louise Edwards and so many others who taught us the Bible stories and shared the love of Jesus. I remember my mother, who was not the most active person in our church, but she came to VBS every year and helped with the refreshments. Precious memories — how they linger.
Vacation Bible School has withstood the test of time. It is as important today as it was when I was a kid. Now, it has changed and it had to because the world has changed. VBS has had to adapt because of so many activities and events that draw children and their parents from church. When I was a kid, all we needed were the Bible stories that were already known to most of us. The Bible was enough. Now, we need elaborate themes and videos and stage props to make it more exciting.
I’m not being critical. It is just the culture we are in today. I applaud our churches for adapting in order to continue making VBS a priority because VBS is still one of the greatest evangelism tools Southern Baptists and other Christians have had for years.
Only God knows how many boys and girls made their commitment to His Son, Jesus Christ, because a church, either large or small, cared enough to provide VBS for the children in not only their church but in the community as well.
Last year, VBS took a major hit because of COVID-19. There were some scattered in-person Vacation Bible Schools or smaller Backyard Kids Clubs, but most were held virtually.
This week’s B&R is filled with the good news that VBS is back and going strong, And, even better, children are accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives.
And, while the memories of today’s VBS generation won’t be the same as mine, they will, no doubt, be precious memories to them one day, just as mine are dear to me.
“Precious memories, how they linger.” B&R
