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Sam Bandela presents Susan Joyce and the church with the book “Standing on the Promises of God from Here … to Wherever … to Here,” which was written by the missionaries who led Sam to Christ. Photo courtesy Antioch Baptist
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ATLANTA – Pastor Susan Joyce was tired of using the same type of Vacation Bible School curriculum year after year and decided that this summer Antioch Baptist Church in Enfield, N.C., would do something different. This year they would focus on missions.
Form and Spark, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missions education resources for preschoolers and children, helped guide the curriculum, and the VBS leadership team chose to focus on the ministry of Sam Bandela, one of CBF’s Global Missions field personnel serving in India.
On July 22, church members began leading children on a virtual journey through India. With Luke 10:27 as their guiding verse, more than 20 children learned about what it meant to be a good neighbor. Each night, the children heard a piece of the life story of Sam Bandela – from how he became a Christian in India to how he became involved in ministries in India. They learned facts about India and even a song in Hindi. There were Indian snacks and games, too.
The journey culminated when Bandela came to speak. Joyce had invited him to come meet the children and share stories and photos about his work among tsunami survivors in India. The VBS concluded with a pool party following Sunday morning worship, in which Bandela preached.
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Children work on crafts during “Journey to India” Vacation Bible School at Antioch Baptist Church. Photos courtesy Antioch Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Antioch Baptist
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"It was sad for the journey to come to an end, but it was quite an adventure," Joyce said. "There is no way to truly tell how many seeds were sown from which God may one day reap a harvest."
The excitement about Bandela’s ministry quickly spread church-wide. After the children gave more than $250 to buy five sewing machines for an India ministry, church members contributed $530 toward evangelism and church starts projects in India.
"When you consider that Antioch Baptist has an average attendance of 30 people, you can see that they truly have a heart for missions," Joyce said.
The creative VBS concept worked so well at Antioch that Joyce recommends it to other churches.
"Why not try using the CBF missions [education resource] for children, Form and Spark, [and] with the creative genius of your congregation … travel with missionaries without leaving your church," Joyce said.
Spark, the missions education resource designed for school-aged children; Form, designed for preschoolers; and the adult resource, Affect, not only tell the stories of Fellowship missions personnel but also incorporate practical missions activities. For more information, to see a sample, or to order missions education resources, visit www.missionseducation.org.
CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.