To Fail is Easier than to Succeed!
In over 20 years at doing VBS, I have discovered a slippery slope that is just waiting to send you plummeting down—success!
Indeed, I have found it is much easier to fail at something than to achieve a success!
Surprised?
The reason is simple in my mind. Once you have a successful year at VBS, undoubtably you enter into the “I need to top it next year” struggle.
To this struggle, I say, “Let it go!” To quote our favorite Frozen song.
Rather than strive to “top” something, I like to think about what are the core values or ideas that provide the foundation of our VBS. This is what this Web site and model of doing VBS is all about.
When folks say to me at the end of another week of VBS on our closing day or VBS Sunday, “I don't know how you will top this next year” I will usually reply with a smile and say, “the theme next year is X, (whatever we decided it to be months ago) and you can count on crafts, decorations, snacks, fun, and God’s love!”
This is not to suggest that I do not have my favorites or cannot list them in some sort of order. For example, I think our most over the top decorations was the second time we did Harry Potter. My favorite decorations of all times was Toy Story. And probably my most favorite VBS…(drum roll please)
Muppets!
The Muppets added a bit of magic to VBS that is hard to describe. In fact we have used a couple of Muppets with Music time ever since our Muppets VBS. That VBS Sunday when the Muppet presided at the Sunday morning worship and shared in the preaching with me was a profound time of worship for everyone in attendance.
Yep, Muppets is still my favorite, and to this day, I have never been temped to “top it” or even attempt to recreate it.
Rather than chase success, I suggest we stay true to our foundation and when we do, our VBS just works out in the wash in which, usually, everyone has a great time being a community of God’s love!
So, success or failure, here is to another summer of sharing God’s love!
Indeed, I have found it is much easier to fail at something than to achieve a success!
Surprised?
The reason is simple in my mind. Once you have a successful year at VBS, undoubtably you enter into the “I need to top it next year” struggle.
To this struggle, I say, “Let it go!” To quote our favorite Frozen song.
Rather than strive to “top” something, I like to think about what are the core values or ideas that provide the foundation of our VBS. This is what this Web site and model of doing VBS is all about.
When folks say to me at the end of another week of VBS on our closing day or VBS Sunday, “I don't know how you will top this next year” I will usually reply with a smile and say, “the theme next year is X, (whatever we decided it to be months ago) and you can count on crafts, decorations, snacks, fun, and God’s love!”
This is not to suggest that I do not have my favorites or cannot list them in some sort of order. For example, I think our most over the top decorations was the second time we did Harry Potter. My favorite decorations of all times was Toy Story. And probably my most favorite VBS…(drum roll please)
Muppets!
The Muppets added a bit of magic to VBS that is hard to describe. In fact we have used a couple of Muppets with Music time ever since our Muppets VBS. That VBS Sunday when the Muppet presided at the Sunday morning worship and shared in the preaching with me was a profound time of worship for everyone in attendance.
Yep, Muppets is still my favorite, and to this day, I have never been temped to “top it” or even attempt to recreate it.
Rather than chase success, I suggest we stay true to our foundation and when we do, our VBS just works out in the wash in which, usually, everyone has a great time being a community of God’s love!
So, success or failure, here is to another summer of sharing God’s love!