Train, Deploy, Fight!

“Put on the full armor of God.”
Ephesians 6:11,13)

Vacation Bible School (VBS) has changed a lot since I was nine years old. In those days we lined up by grades outside the old sanctuary at Hunter Street Baptist Church. I can still remember our excitement and anticipation as we marched into the aged building proudly singing Onward Christian Soldiers. After our procession, we stood and recited three pledges; first the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America; then to the Christian flag; and finally, our pledge to the Bible, God’s Holy Word. We sang hymns from the Baptist hymnal, had a short Bible story lesson in our assembly, gave our offerings, and dismissed to our classrooms for crafts, snacks, recess, scripture memory, and another Bible story lesson before heading home for lunch.

Our VBS social media campaign didn’t include Instagram, Facebook, or X. Instead, we had a parade throughout different neighborhoods. Our moms loaded kids into cars decorated with VBS signs or streamers and slowly drove the VBS parade route honking horns while kids yelled, “Come to Vacation Bible School!”

At snack time we feasted on home-baked cookies and grape Kool-Aid from the church kitchen. During crafts we made paper flowers with pastel Kleenex tissues and pipe cleaners or worked with clay to make pots or ashtrays. VBS always ended with a picnic on the original church grounds. Popsicles or homemade ice cream were great incentives for scripture memory.

2024 VBS still had an overall structure consisting of a general assembly, crafts, story time, recess, scripture memory, and snack, but the means and methods have certainly changed. Teachers are now called Shepherds. Snacks are pre-packaged commercial products without peanuts to avoid allergy concerns. Kool-Aid has been replaced with cold water. Catchy kids’ songs complete with hand and dance motions have replaced traditional hymns. MinistrySafe guidelines and volunteer background checks are strictly enforced, and church accesses are limited for everyone’s safety.

Some things are still the same, however. Dozens of children and volunteers are required.  Our volunteers ranged from age 12 to 80 plus. One great grandfather shepherded a K4 class! Our Family Life pastor best summarized last week’s VBS declaring, “675 kids; 300 adult volunteers; 100 teen helpers; and one Raleigh Macoy (our VBS Director)!”  I was privileged to team teach an energetic group of thirteen fifth graders consisting of nine girls and four boys.

Some VBS changes are much improved! My VBS highlight was a daily drama written and performed by our Children’s Drama Team. Together the play’s characters told the story of King Ruhoole, an imaginary good King, who provides all the armor needed for his subjects to fight their enemies and complete a royal race up Victory Mountain. Each piece of the king’s armor is required to complete the royal race. The skit had costumes, sets, props, and a host of memorable characters that reinforced our VBS theme: “Put on the full armor of God.” (Ephesians 6:13) Throughout the week as the plot’s storyline advanced, we were pointed to the better story that we have as Christians. We serve a true and good, good King who doesn’t leave us alone to fight our spiritual battles. Instead, he gives us everything we need to run our own race. Those who are in Christ Jesus possess God’s full spiritual armor:

  • The belt of truth

  • The breastplate of righteousness

  • The gospel of peace

  • The shield of faith

  • The helmet of salvation

  • The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God

As soldiers in God’s army, we don’t fight for victory to earn our salvation; we fight from Christ’s victory. Jesus conquered sin and death with his atoning death on the cross, resurrection from the grave, and ascension to heaven. He now sits ruling at the right hand of God (Hebrews 1:3) and our victory is guaranteed. But much like soldiers in the D-Day battle of World War II, we must train, deploy, and fight with the armor has been provided.

As the Apostle Paul closes his New Testament letter to the Church at Ephesus, he gives them four commands as he exhorts them to “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10). Paul, sitting in a Roman prison and guarded by a Roman soldier, writes:

  • Put on the full armor of God

  • Stand firm

  • Take up (the shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the spirit)

  • Pray and keep on praying

Paul’s counsel is timeless and true. We must train, deploy, and fight with the equipment and weapons that God provides, but how many of us enter life’s daily battles without first putting our armor on?  When we fail to put on God’s armor, we are doomed to fail!

Put on, train, deploy, and fight!

Christian LivingDonna EvansTeaching the next generation, sanctitication, Discipleship