VBS Day 2- Bernardo, Rain, Water Guns, and TWILIGHT: Eclipse

Last night was no less amazing than the first night. We ministered to and played with children ages 4-teen and had a great time. A brief but heavy rain shower changed our plans a bit, but all went well. The kids loved it when our drama team doused them with water guns! We had a chance to minister to a family and specifically to pray for Bernardo. Pray with us that he would be freed from the shackles of this life that keep him from seeing and hearing the Gospel.

Two nights; dozens of kids loved on; dozens of our Sanctuary families and people loving; about 200 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches served; 6 cans of bug spray. Let’s do it all again tonight- pray that Hurricane Alex doesn’t interfere!

Lastly, I know several of our members and students have already seen the movie Twilight: Eclipse. I will see it later this week- I’m a movie geek! Just a little something that I’d like to share: As we are all looking for genuine, sincere love and as we are desperate to become more than our flawed selves, I am constantly in awe of the love and changed lives that take place at The Sanctuary. I know, I know; I’m supposed to say that b/c I’m the pastor, blah, blah. But I really am amazed at how much and in how many ways our church family displays real, genuine, Gospel love as we are ourselves changed by that very love. The Twilight movies and books use fiction and fantasy to talk about love, the ideal man, spirituality, connection, altruism, personal transformation, ethics, and so much more. Where the Twilight saga fails in answering the core problems of man and resorts to unrealistic obsession as the stand in for love and becoming a shape shifter or vampire for personal transformation, The Gospel of Christ promises and empowers us to know Love (God), to experience love (the cross of Christ and salvation), and to give love (loving God and our neighbors). The Gospel of Christ transforms us daily (sanctification) into super-natural beings that can overcome temptation, desire, selfishness, pride, envy, self-preservation, revenge, etc.

I’m going to see the newest of the Twilight movies, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. But I thank God that I get to see what the world is desperate for in the lives and the ministry of The Sanctuary Fellowship every day. See you at VBS and at the movies!