The fellowship hall at Vinco Brethren Church smells faintly of floor wax and coffee, but every six weeks, the room fills with a different kind of energy. Tables are covered in bright piles of Pokémon cards. Kids lean over them in intense negotiations, trading a shiny Charizard for a favorite Pikachu, their voices echoing off the walls.
This is “Proverbs & Pokémon.” We started it as a simple way to bring the neighborhood kids together, giving them a safe space to open packs, swap cards, and just be kids. Pokémon cards can be expensive, and we quickly noticed how much this meant to families who want to give their children these hobbies but struggle to find room for them in the budget.
But the cards are just the invitation.
When the trading wraps up, the room quiets down. We pull chairs into a circle, and every child who doesn’t own a Bible gets handed one of their own to keep. So far, we have given away more than 1,000 cards and over 100 Bibles.
Together, we open the scriptures. We don’t lecture; we ask questions. What do you notice here? If you were standing in this story, what would you feel?
The depth of their answers surprises us every time. These kids are learning to hear, read, and really share the weight of these words. What started as a card game has grown into a space for genuine spiritual formation.
Maybe the most beautiful part of the evening happens along the perimeter of the room. The parents don’t just drop their kids off and leave. They stick around. They sit in the back rows, watching their children lean into a Bible lesson with the exact same excitement they had just felt opening a fresh pack of cards. We see a spark catching here, and we truly believe it has the power to change how our church connects with our community.
Join us in praying for our next Proverbs & Pokémon night as we welcome, mentor, and hand out the next 100 Bibles to the kids in our community.
Pastor Zac shares more about this exciting ministry.
Update from Sarah Wells
UPCOMING MULTIPLICATION ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
June 19 – Multiplication Team Meeting
July 21 – General Conference Multiplication Lunch
July 22 – General Conference Workshop: Multiplication 101: Moving Toward the World in the Way of Jesus
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