4th of July & Vacation Bible School

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Enjoy it, share it. But most of all, thank you for listening to the Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. Kingdom Pursuits, where you hear from ordinary people instilled with an extraordinary passion. Together we explore the stories of men and women who take what they love and let God turn their passion into Kingdom Pursuits. Now live from the Truth Booth, your host, Robbie Dilmore. We got a firecracker of a 4th of July Kingdom Pursuits for you today in so many different ways.

I'm so excited to share it with you all. I've got Virginia Miller and her husband, John, who are with West boro Baptist Church, and they are the directors of the Vacation Bible School that is going to be coming on here in July. What's the dates on that, Virginia? July 17th through the 24th.

That's right. That's a week. July 17th through the 24th. And I'll bet you your church is involved in Vacation Bible School. And oh my goodness, how many of the next generation of Christ followers will be happening this very summer when you think about the prayer that we can get involved and all this going on in the Vacation Bible Schools across the country.

Some of you are in Toledo, Ohio today, or maybe you're in Dayton or you're in Richmond, Virginia. We want you to think we're well representative and feel free to call in and talk about that because we're going to be talking about Vacation Bible School today. And then also, sort of in celebration of the 4th of July, we have Matt Christian here with us again with the Christian History Magazine and their latest issue is America's book, How the Bible Helped Shape the Church. Right, Christian? I mean, Matt, I don't know why I called you, but I guess you can go by your last name. Yeah, yeah.

It's a pleasure to be here, sir. So tell me again, it's America's book, How the Bible Helped Shape the Church? Yes, that's the main idea behind the magazine.

It primarily focuses on how the Bible was instrumental, obviously, to the great revivals as well as how the discussion around the Bible, whether it be on certain kinds of criticism or interpretations, how that influenced American culture. All right. We're excited about finding out about that. But, you know, since it's the 4th of July... Ah, yes, yes, yes. For those of us who grew up in the 60s, you know what that sounds like. Well, I got a special treat for you today since it's the 4th of July. Rather than have my normal dad jokes, I have a long format 4th of July dad joke. Whatever.

It really is a dad joke in its own way. You may have heard this, but it's probably not because it's a rare story, but I did find it recently. It's called George Washington and the Outhouse. Have you heard that, Cameron? No. Have you heard of it?

I know you're with Christian History Institute. You're probably familiar with it, right, Matt? It does sound familiar. So once, in the 1820s, a little boy named Sam, not coincidental to uncle, you know, but anyway, at this point in time, his name was Sam, a little boy, and he was playing a game in the backyard, and during his pretend fighting game, he knocked over the Outhouse.

This was the 1820s. They didn't have bathrooms out there. So Sam was upset and worried that he would get into trouble, so he ran into the woods, and he didn't come out until after dark. And when he arrived back home, his pappy was waiting for him, and he asked suspiciously, son, did you knock over the Outhouse in the afternoon? And pappy, no pappy, Sam lied. Sam, he told a lie.

I cannot tell you that I turned over the Outhouse. And so his father said, well, son, let me tell you a story. Once, long ago, Mr. George Washington received a shiny new ax from his father. Excited, he tried it out on the tree, swiftly cutting it down. But as he looked at the tree with his dismay, he realized it was his mother's favorite cherry tree. His pappy paused for effect, you know, and said, just like you, he ran into the woods. And when he returned, his pappy asked, George, did you cut down the cherry tree? And George answered his father, said, I cannot tell a lie. I did indeed chop down the cherry tree. And his father said, well, since you were honest with me and you spared me from your punishment, I will spare you from your punishment since you're honest, right?

I hope you've learned your lesson. That was George's dad, right? So then Sam's father asked him again, son, did you knock over the Outhouse? Well, pappy, I cannot lie anymore, said the little boy.

I did indeed knock over the Outhouse. Well, then his pappy father, you know, spanked Sammy boy red, white and blue. It was an American thing to do. And the boy whimpered. Pappy, I told you the truth. Why did you spank me? George's father didn't spank him. And pappy answered, that's because George Washington's father wasn't in the tree when he chopped it down.

Unforgettable, right? So that you wonder what happened with Uncle Sam. There you have it. So with the end of all those shenanigans, you know, I would actually have a riddle. We have a really spectacular prize for you today.

Really one of the best we've ever offered here on Kingdom Pursuit. So if you can answer this riddle, which is why are there no Fourth of July knock knock jokes? OK, that's our actual riddle today. Why are there no Fourth of July? Since it's a Fourth of July show, I can do this.

Why are there no Fourth of July knock knock jokes? And if they can answer that, Carmen, tell them what they'll win. Today's prize is four tickets to watch The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis at the Fletcher Opera Theatre in Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday, July 9th. The show starts at 8 p.m. Are you getting this? It's four tickets to The Great Divorce. I mean, this thing is spectacular. They go around the country doing it. And I'm trying to remember what Max's last name is. The guy that impersonates C.S.

Lewis is spectacular. Anyway, those tickets are, if you go look at them online, they're over a hundred dollars right now per ticket. And there's four tickets. If you can just tell us this little Fourth of July riddle, why are there no Fourth of July knock knock jokes? You call us 866-348-7884, 86634 Truth and just tell us, you know, why there's no Fourth of July knock knock jokes. I mean, pretty easy, I would think. Don't answer it, you know, because we've got to make sure somebody wins tickets.

Very excited to give that away. So, 26 years, Virginia, you guys have been doing that so hard. You've got to tell our audience, how in the world for 26 years, how did you get started? Well, I grew up in Bible school because I've gone to church all my life and was always in Bible school. So, as soon as I aged out, I started teaching.

Really? And then, after John and I started dating and I started going to his church, I think we taught one year. And then after that, they made me director. So, I've been doing it ever since.

26 years. Oh, my goodness. So, John, from what I understand in this love story, you told her she was going to your church? Oh, yeah, yeah. That was a given. That was a given?

Yeah. My wife told me it was the other way around. I didn't go to church, so she was like, if you're going to update me, you've got to go to church. And so, that's how that happened in my story. So, Matt, how did it happen in your story? How did you end up going to the church you go to? That's a really good question. It was mostly conveniently placed close to my parents' house, which is where I kind of live with them.

And they met the pastor, and he was a really good man of God, very honest and very down to earth. And we've been loving it, and we've been going ever since. How many years has that been? Not very long. I just moved to Arkansas not too long ago, so since last August, essentially. Oh, wow.

So, it hasn't been long. I didn't know you moved to Arkansas. But anyway, so did you go to VBS when you were a kid? I did.

I did. I've moved around the country a fair amount. Lived in Washington State for a short time.

As well as California, Denver, and Colorado, Texas as well. So, I've been that old song. I've been everywhere. Wow.

I'm with you, Matt. Actually, when I came to Winston-Salem, I'd moved 27 times in my life. And at one point in time, I'd moved more times than I had years that I'd lived. Because my father was with Buick, and he got transferred every couple years. And then I got in the car business, which meant I got transferred all over the place, too. And so, yeah, I've lived in every place you mentioned except Washington, but I've got a few you haven't lived in. But Matt is with Christian History Magazine, their latest publication.

He's talking about America's, the Bible, and the role it had in finding America. And then we've got more on VBS, lots more on VBS. So, stay tuned.

And don't forget, man, you can win these tickets to the C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce, coming up at the Raleigh Coliseum there, 866-348-7884. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Welcome back to Kingdom Pursuits, where we hear how God takes your passion and uses it to build the Kingdom. And we are beyond blessed today.

I just love what we're doing. We're talking about Vacation Bible School with Virginia Miller and her husband, John, with West Ashboro Baptist Church, which happens to be in Ashboro, North Carolina. And their VBS is coming up starting July 17th. And it's going to be that week, as well as Matt Christian with Christian History Magazine and their latest publication, America's Book, How the Bible Helped Shape the Church.

And so, between the Bible and VBS, there's a whole lot of shaping going on. I'm telling you, I was telling Virginia before the show that we, you know, I've taught special needs at Calvary for years and years, and we would use the Vacation Bible School format because they have such neat themes and such neat music in order to reach kids' hearts, right? And so, this year's theme with you guys is? Food Truck Party. Food Truck Party. And so, I can hardly wait to think what… Give me some idea of where they're going with that idea. Obviously, being hungry for the Word, I'm guessing.

Right. Well, the main theme or Bible verse is the thank God for our daily bread. And so, each lesson, each night is about how God meets our needs and how we can look to Him for everything. He is a food truck party. I hadn't thought about that, John, had you?

No, I hadn't thought about that. Because, I mean, He's got the Word, and He helps you with your thirst, too. Hunger and thirst, it's a food truck party. And it's going on in your neighborhood, believe me. And so, it's really, really fun. And you guys have a big kickoff coming, right? We do. And I've heard this rumor about a watermelon seed spitting contest.

Yes, sir. On Sunday before Bible school, we always have a registration kickoff day. And it's like a fair. We'll have homemade ice cream, corn dogs, play games. And we have the annual watermelon seed spitting contest that even the adults get involved in. That's gotten to be a big thing.

We've done it now for about probably 12, 15 years. And so, I suppose you've got to get the seeded watermelons. Right. That's been a challenge sometimes. Get the seed-free ones. And so, you just have a whole... How does... John, you've got to tell us. How is this thing judged?

You take them out full of seed? We set up a 10-foot wide roll of plastic, and they've got to go for it. It's got to stay on the plastic, and whoever gets the distance. Well, there is no prize, but... Yeah, there's the championship. You have bragging. You have a t-shirt.

A t-shirt that goes around. It gets passed along to the current champ. So, do they load up their...

I'm trying to picture this scene. So, do they load up their mouths with seeds before they spit these things? Usually it's one at a time. We got a lot of people full out here.

They do good. So, have you ever measured... How far do they spit these things? I'm thinking one was like 87 feet, something like that. It's a long ways. It's huge. All the way across our parking lot.

Eighty-seven feet. That's unbelievable to me. It was. I mean, yeah. Of course, there's a lot of cheating going on, so you don't know.

I'm trying to figure out how you cheat with that. So, Matt, have you ever been involved in a watermelon seed spitting contest? No. I would say out of all the things that I've ever done that have been kind of goofy, I have never been in a watermelon seed spitting contest. Does the thought of 87 feet of spitting a watermelon seed just blow your mind?

I would say that is definitely beyond impressive. Maybe they had a CO2 cartridge under their tongue. Had to be something.

Maybe some help of some sort. Don't do that at home. You can get dead. I shouldn't have mentioned that. Not a good idea.

Don't everybody try that. No, no, no, no, no. But getting back to how the Bible was really instrumental, didn't have those kind of seeds, but a lot better seeds that you guys were planting. What's in that article that kind of caught your attention, Matt? In terms of what was on the magazine, one of the things that I would say, one of the articles that I really appreciated that this magazine covered was an article called Giving Sinners No Rest. It talks a little bit about the great revival that happened in America in around 1600s to early 1700s before the Revolutionary War. It talks a little bit about Jonathan Edwards' grandfather and how he impacted Jonathan Edwards before he took a very large part of that kind of movement into full fruition. Really?

Oh, yeah. Jonathan Edwards, his grandfather's name was Solomon Stoddard. He lived between 1669 to 1729. He preached for 60 years in one little, small church.

But in that entire time, he had Jonathan Edwards be his assistant in the last two years. One of the things that he said in that particular, in one of his writings, he said, Men are in a deep sleep, and flatter themselves, as if there were no hell or at least that God will not deal with them so harshly as to damn them. That comes straight from Psalm 36.2, whereas he says later on in that particular writing, Ministers must give them no rest for that condition, so they must pull them out of branch of the burning. So that comes from Zechariah 32. I think one of the things that I think that this particular article within the magazine talks about very interestingly, it talks about the conviction of sin that I think is really important in the Christian life and in the Christian walk. Obviously this kind of language that's very harsh and seems really hard to talk about, Edwards carried on to his very famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. But one of the things that I think along those lines is people need to understand how sin is so important to the Christian faith. Obviously it's not something that's desirable, but throughout John the Baptist's ministry, throughout Jesus' ministry, they always said repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And while we like to talk about verses like Jeremiah 29 and 11, it's important, especially during times of great revival, that the subject of sin is not neglected. And I thought that this article did a beautiful job in talking about that. Yeah, that's spectacular, Matt. It really is. And when you think about it, with little kids, right? You know, when little kids are hurting, when they've done something that really they didn't think they were capable of, got themselves knocked out of the outhouse, as the case may be, chopped down the cherry tree, and you know, you see their little broken hearts, like they need an answer right then. And being able to supply something that actually does cleanse them is a huge part of what you guys do, right, Virginia?

Right, right. We do try to meet the needs of the children in the community. Every year we collect food. This year it's food trucks, but even when it hadn't been about food, we collect either money to give to a group, or we found out that a lot of the children that come to our Bible school from our neighborhood get actual food and benefit from food out of our pantry at our church. So every year we collect cans of food and paper goods and stuff to put in the pantry for those children. So we try to meet their needs head on, starting with feeding them. Right, right, which that's, you know, it's pretty hard to hear the gospel or even hear about, you know, if you're hungry, or if you're worried about it, you know, where's my next meal coming from, you know, those things are clearly a big part of what Jesus did, right?

He certainly talked about repentance, but he also made sure that, you know, people got their immediate needs helped, I mean, looked at whatever the situation may be. But I can't get over 87 feet of fitness. The other thing I can't get over, and I'm totally shocked, because I thought my riddle was completely easy, why there are no 4th of July knock-knock jokes, because, I mean, I'm telling you, these tickets are awesome. You get to go see The Great Divorce, this C.S.

Lewis thing. You don't want to miss out on this, and you may even know, if you've listened to my show before, nobody has ever gotten a question wrong in the history of the show. So if you're wanting to go see The Great Divorce, and you may not have a real good idea of why there are no knock-knock jokes on the 4th of July, I might walk you through it. I'm just saying, 866-348-7884, 86634 truth, because we want to give these tickets away. What an opportunity for somebody to go see this spectacular thing.

It's in Raleigh. It's at 8 p.m. next Saturday night, a night you will never forget, and all you've got to do is just tell us, simple enough, why there's no knock-knock jokes on the 4th of July, and when you hear the answer, I promise you'll laugh. You will. I know that's coming. I know that's coming. And so I'm getting back to the VBS idea. I was telling you before that we used that theme for many years, and we would use what they call ABCs, which is Admit, Believe, and Confess, at the end of that to try, at the end of the week, where you give the students, as our case, these were special needs folks, some of them were in their 50s and 60s, an opportunity to do something, even if they were in their 50s and 60s.