2 April, 2025

‘Cane Ridge Revival VBS’ Draws Praises

by | 29 September, 2018 | 0 comments

By Caleb Kaltenbach

CANE RIDGE, KY—Several Restoration Movement churches tried out the first “Cane Ridge Revival VBS” this past summer.

“There’s really nothing else like it,” said Tim North, who created the program. “The idea is to help children not only encounter Jesus, but also to experience what it was like to attend this August 1801 revival!”

“I’ve never seen a VBS like ‘Cane Ridge,’” said Frank Stone, minister with Ebenezer Christian Church. “There were no fancy decorations, take-home trinkets, crafts, or anything. They wanted these kids to have a true Cane Ridge experience, so they didn’t even need microphones.”

“That’s right,” North confirmed. “You don’t even need air conditioning, so you can save on the electricity bill this summer, and you can let the kids feel what it was like to have an outdoors August revival like in 1801. We even gave churches the option of meeting for six or seven days solid, like the original revival, but they all decided to send the kids home each night, and most churches met for five nights or less.”

“We followed the VBS instructions as closely as we could,” Stone said. “We brought in wooden wagons and scattered some tree stumps in the field behind the church, and then let volunteers just start preaching whatever they wanted to. The kids went from wagon to wagon to hear different sermons.

“When I picked up my child, he was hot, sweaty, and asleep,” reported Idela Swan of Ebenezer Christian. “The way I see it, ‘The Cane Ridge Revival VBS’ was a huge win. It took VBS to the next level!”

North reports he’s putting the finishing touches on next year’s VBS experience: “The Raccoon John Smith Roundup.”

Caleb Kaltenbach is just kidding.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Columns

Walk a Little Farther

Has your faith become complacent? Is your lifestyle a bit too predictable and comfortable? Is the Lord nudging you to do more, give more, or risk more? Don’t quit if the Lord wants you to walk a little farther.  

When “Your All” Isn’t Enough

One of the great dangers of the modern church is that we have come to rely on our thinking, strength, wit, and skill and believe we can strategize, market, and promote our way out of the place in which we and our churches find ourselves.

The Power of Repetition

One of the most significant things I learned over the course of more than four decades of preaching in the local church is people don’t need to be taught something new as much as they need to be reminded of what they already know.

Solutions for Ministry Stress

The fear of the Lord leads to a life of holiness and obedience, while the comfort of the Holy Spirit brings peace and strength amid trials. These two spiritual qualities enable us to be all God wants us to be as we seek to live out Jesus’ mission.

Follow Us