I went looking through old devotionals and articles I’ve written since coming to North Heights. For the record, our goal for our 2019 VBS was to have 300 in attendance. On the first night, we had 279. In 2022, our first night of VBS saw us host 300 people and we peaked with close to 350 in attendance. Last year, in 2023, our first night had almost 350 here and we peaked with almost 400 in attendance. This year, on night one, we had over 400 in attendance, and held that number every night. Do you see that? 279—300—350—400…

That’s growth.

That’s the result of people putting in work to decorate, invite, teach, and serve in a hundred different ways. On that front, the list of people to be praised is long: The Lord knows your names and smiles on your willingness to do kingdom work. It’s also the result of our congregation developing a reputation in our community. We are seen as a place where people are loved, encouraged, taught, and helped to grow. We are a family and people know it. That kind of reputation can’t be bought, it can’t be manufactured over a weekend, and it can’t be faked for a few days leading up to a big event. It is earned, slowly and steadily over the years. People come to us because we’ve created an environment worth coming to.

Last year after VBS, I wrote this:

As we speak, the devil is sitting on a tack.

This year has been record-breaking. Every time I think about it, I shake my head in amazement, but maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe I should have expected exactly this. After all, hard work does tend to be rewarded with success. Still, I’m blown away at how successful this VBS was. I’ve never before seen numbers like we had. Anywhere. But that just means the bar has been raised. Let’s take 45 or so weeks to recharge and then get back to work.

Still true.

Next year, let’s just go ahead and set a goal for 500 to attend our 2025 VBS. Let’s aim high. Let’s dream big. Can we do it? Absolutely. If we work, and serve, and keep being the kind of Christians God calls us to be, people will be drawn to us like moths to a flame.

God willing, it’ll happen.

See you then!

~Matthew