A season of spiritual growth, outreach, and celebration brought children and adults together as Ephesus Church in Gastonia, N.C., recently concluded its Cactusville Vacation Bible School (VBS) and continued its “Restoring Brokenness” series, culminating in the baptism of 27 individuals.
During VBS, Ephesus Church welcomed children for a week filled with Bible lessons, music, crafts, games, and activities designed to teach them about the love of Jesus. Volunteers worked together to create an environment where children could learn biblical lessons while building lasting memories. At the heart of Cactusville was a message organizers hoped children would carry with them long after VBS ended. Through each lesson, song, craft, and activity, volunteers demonstrated Christian love while encouraging children to develop a personal and lasting relationship with Jesus.
The lessons of Cactusville complemented the church’s ongoing “Restoring Brokenness” series, which focused on the biblical message that God does not abandon people when their lives are broken. Instead, He offers healing, restoration, and the opportunity to become whole again.
The series, led by Demar Felix Fearon, D.Min., Ephesus Church pastor, emphasized that restoration is not simply a message for adults but a biblical promise that children and families can embrace as they face challenges throughout life.
The church witnessed that message of transformation in a tangible way as 27 individuals made decisions to publicly express their faith through baptism. Church members celebrated each baptism as a testimony of lives changed by the Gospel, and individuals taking another step in their relationship with Christ.
Together, the two ministries demonstrated a shared mission. Cactusville focused on planting seeds of faith in the hearts of the next generation, while “Restoring Brokenness” reminded the congregation that God continues working in lives at every stage.
From children discovering that they can remain rooted in Christ to individuals entering the baptismal waters, the events offered the congregation an opportunity to celebrate a God who plants, heals, restores, and transforms.
For church members and ministry leaders, the season served as another reminder that the work begun through a Vacation Bible School lesson, a worship service or a simple act of Christian kindness can continue long after an event has ended — producing spiritual growth and changed lives.
South Atlantic | October 2026
Comments are closed.