Blog

In the spring of 2023, First Baptist Church of Plant City, Florida, began partnering with KiDs Beach Club^®. As the volunteers faithfully served at Springhead Elementary, Father has honored their efforts and been so faithful with tangible results. They have seen students get saved, and as a result, moms and yes, even teachers have accepted Christ!

Bill Bender, who teaches the Bible Connection time each week during Club recently shared an incredible God-story with us, and we can’t wait to share it with you! You see, each week in Club, Bill carefully shares the Gospel message and plan of salvation. He is careful to not push children into making a decision for Christ, knowing it’s the most important decision any child or adult could make in their lifetime. Instead, he explains the Gospel message carefully, gives an invitation to accept Jesus and His plan of salvation, and always leaves the door open for questions. 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when Olivia, a 4th grader who has been enrolled in Beach Club since last year, came up to Mr. Bill with a challenge: "I just can't believe someone died and came back alive."

Mr. Bill talked with her some more and explained that she was right, people don’t just rise from the dead. But Jesus was not just any person! He was and is God Almighty, and when He rose from the dead, He conquered sin and He conquered death forever, making a way for us to have a relationship with Him.

Skeptical still, Olivia left, having given Mr. Bill her objective decision on this whole “Jesus rising from the dead” matter.

But the story doesn't end there! Last week during Beach Club^®, Olivia once again approached Mr. Bill.

This time, she had just two words: “I believe.”

Mr. Bill asked Olivia to clarify. “What is it you believe?”

Olivia responded, “I believe He is alive. I believe He did rise from the dead!”

Mr. Bill then asked Olivia if she was ready to accept God’s free gift of salvation, and again, she responded with two glorious words: “I’M READY!”

So sitting on a table in the library of Springhead Elementary School, Olivia made the most important decision for herself that she could ever make in her lifetime. She prayed, telling God that she believed He rose from the dead and that He was the only way to heaven, and she asked Him to forgive her of her sins, come into her life, and save her.

Olivia is a beautiful testimony of the Holy Spirit’s power to call people to Himself, in His time. It’s also a reminder for the rest of us that we are not selling a Gospel message. Our job is to present it to anyone and everyone who will listen, pray that all will accept it, and understand that sadly, many will reject it. But praise God for Olivia, who worked through the questions and reasoned out the truth to realize for herself that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead! Because of it, those two words were life-changing: I BELIEVE!

Take a moment and pray for Olivia. Pray for Mr. Bill and the rest of his team as they follow-up with Olivia and her family. Friends, this is what it’s all about, isn’t it? The angels are rejoicing today over Olivia’s decision and those two powerful words: I BELIEVE!