Life in the Youth Ministry Fish Bowl: Review: The Big Day of Serving Event

For this blog I thought I would do another review. This time on an event, The Big Day of Serving by Group. We recently took our group to the BDoS in Nashville and we had around 14 students sign up to participate. Nashville was not exactly a “local” trip for us since it is around 2 and a half hours away but the trip was defiantly worth it.

First things first, a lot of people have a negative view of short term and one day missions events. I want to put my two in, while this is a one day missions event it has long term effects and goals. The event is held every year in the same cities so once, or twice a year in some cases, the same community gets assistance from youth groups from around the country. Another thing I like about it is that it gets the kids feet wet in missions. Some students would not sign up for a week long missions trip to somewhere in the states because they were afraid or intimidated over what they might encounter, but a one day trip? No problem! I’ve had quite a few of my students say that they are now interested in doing a longer missions project after this trip.

Another perk of this event is affordability. The cost of the event itself is cheap. They provided lunch and our event had dinner food at the celebration at the end. Other than the initial cost the only money we were out was the cost of breakfast and gas.

BDoS Nashville was outstanding. The support crew from The Foundry was outstanding and very helpful. The crew from Group had the logistics down to a science. The crew from The Foundry were amazing. Not only from the worship service opening in the morning but all day long. Their excitement and enthusiasm kept us going even when the day was winding down and we were exhausted.

Our group was the primary landscaping crew. We divided into three groups, one groups project was to mow two fields over by the park that was near the worksite, another group went out to Joelton TN to help paint a cabin that had been donated to be used for ministry purposes, and the group I was in charge of was tasked to clear a lot behind The Fortress site of weeds. Our groups did an outstanding job and had a great fellowship time. I saw teens in our group who might not hang out together outside of youth group pitching in and having a blast doing it.

The only suggestion I would give BDoS is if there was a way to let the groups know beforehand what the project is going to be, it could have went a little smoother. If we had known about the weeded lot we were clearing we would have brought in an army of weed eaters and been done quickly. That way we could have done more or helped another group out.

But the BDoS is now going to be an annual event for our church, one that the students have already said they are looking forward to. If you have an opportunity to take a group of youth to one of these events you will not be disappointed and you may even be surprised, like me when your teens pour out their hearts into a local community and you see lives changed. Until next time, just keep swimming!