Jamie the Go Fish Guy

A Great New VBS Feature

This year we have partnered with an awesome company to provide churches with custom VBS indoor and outdoor banners!  CLICK HERE to check out the great designs, awesome prices, and custom features!

This Is Why We Do It!

This was an email we received today and I thought it was definitely worth sharing. It's truly amazing to think of how many kids are impacted through VBS. We couldn't do what we do without local churches taking the lead. We are blessed because of you!

Dear Go Fish,

This year we thought that because we had no budget, that we would have one of two things - either 1) No VBS or 2) a LAME VBS. We were soooo wrong! We didn't know that God was going to provide an AWESOME, affordable VBS through you GO FISH GUYS!!!

God blessed. We had 176 different kids that had a BLAST learning about the Savior in a super cool environment! We had at least 6 first time decisions for Christ and we had 4 baptisms Sunday morning. I had parents asking if they could pay for their kids to get a "good bible" (that meant something other than an old family KJV). We wanted to provide a NIRV for the kids who didn't have their own - and by God's provision we were able to hand out 25. Kid's were asking their parents to help them look up scriptures, and then their parents were arriving back and asking us to help them learn how to find things in God's Word!

I can NOT say thank you enough for everything. Thanks for keeping the crowd jumping and Bible thumpin'!!!!

Serving Christ along with you, (Same Lord different locations)

Jerilyn Winther

Director of Childhood Ministries Fortified Hills Baptist Church Dallas, GA

A Couple Of Fun Emails Today!

Hey Guys, I have been a HUGE fan of yours for years. I first saw a Christmas concert of yours, and you were showcasing your newly released children's music. I LOVE it! MY children LOVE it! And now, my church LOVES it! Walnut Hill Bible Church is currently doing BWTB VBS, and we are having a blast. I can't even tell you how much fun I am personally having, let alone the kids! Tonight we had about 220 kids. Our average VBS (in the last 10 years) has only been about 140! This is so AMAZING! God is working in our town and I am just so pumped! I love the curriculum, and am so grateful that you guys did this! And I love seeing all the kids learning the word of God and having such a fun time doing so! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know I say this on Facebook all the time, but I would LOVE for you guys to come to Wisconsin soon! we have given out 225 backstage passes so far and the kids are pumped to use them. There are also two churches nearby (within an hour of us) that are also doing this VBS. There is a church about 45 minutes from us that had 150 kids for their VBS this week! If there is any way I could assist in you guys coming here, I would do so. (I know you did a concert in Baraboo once :) Well, anyways, thank you so much for all you do for the kids! In Him, Angela McMurray

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I cannot praise you guys enough for your wonderful VBS curriculum! Our church has approximately 300 worshipers on a Sunday, and we had a whopping 165 kids at our VBS program this summer (the highest ever!) I have been leading the music section of our VBS program for the past 10 years, and in my opinion, this is the most solid Bible-based curriculum I have ever worked with! Our church used the "Backstage with the Bible" curriculum, and the kids absolutely LOVED the music, the skits, and all the activities. The parents were thrilled with the content, and one parent of a child not affiliated with our church even said we should make it a two-week program next year because her kids loved it so much!!! My sons were distraught on Monday of this week when they found out VBS was over!!! They wanted it to continue to go on!! My older daughters (12 and 14) worked with the music and drama teams, and they can't stop singing the songs. either!!! I seriously hear them in my head when I go to sleep! That's how catchy they are and how they stick with you!!! Thank you for the wonderful work you have put into this program and for bringing the Word of God to all these kids. Leading VBS has been the highlight of my summer vacation!!!! (P.S. My family and I are so excited to see you at your concert in Nappenee, IN, with our backstage passes!!)

God bless you and your ministry, Danelle Sturdy

Yes We Are

We've been getting asked the same question A LOT and for that we are thankful! The question is this: Are you going to have a new VBS for next year?

Our answer: YES!

We will be announcing our new theme shortly and the music is almost completely done. And let me just say - it's rockin'!

We are simply overwhelmed by how blessed we have been to partner with so many churches for VBS. May God get all the glory! Here are a few emails we have received this week that are encouraging us beyond belief.

I just wanted to let you know that we concluded our second year of VBS using your materials, and again it was a great success. The curriculum is solid and the music breathes life into each day. The "Kickin' It Old School" Theme was a hit. Each day I tried to give some background on the hymn of that day to make it a little more real. (i.e. This Is My Father's World" was written by a pastor who jogged everyday. The lyrics came from what he saw and felt as he ran. Also, the composer of Old Rugged Cross was born in our area.) With the updated musical arrangements, and the added info, it made the hymns more personal. I know many churches are trending away from using the hymns, but they were usually born of great tribulation or close spiritual experience with God, and the words carry a lot of wisdom. They are a treasure we should not lose. Again, thank you for your dedication to the Word, and the excellent music and quality of performance you bring. Pastor Bob Noble Locust Grove Baptist Church Salem, OH

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What a relief to hear you're working on another one.

We just ended our week of VBS, and kids and leaders alike have commented that it was "the best one ever."

We had the best enthusiasm ever from our youth leaders, and we attribute that partly to the fact that they personally liked the music. (One of the older high school kids even sheepishly admitted to the leadership staff that he downloaded a song for his personal ipod.) We've never managed to get the numbers of guys (girls always volunteer!) on stage helping lead the singing/dancing/motions as this year. My 5th and 2nd grade boys LOVED seeing the high school and college guys up there "Kickin' It Old School." It takes a lot to get my 5th grade son engaged in music. He doesn't like to sing in church etc... He said to me this week, "Mom, I'm singing and doing the motions! I like these songs!" That blessed my heart as a mom and as VBS leadership. Thank you for your ministry.

Next year we'll be doing VBS June 18- 22... start putting Portland, Oregon on your tour for around that time! :)

Marci Reschke

The Power Of The Gospel

This past week we have performed in MN, CA, TX, then back in MN again. It has been a week so filled with amazing things that I'm having a difficult time translating it all into a blog post! I could tell you how fun it has been seeing churches do the "Kickin' It Old School" curriculum for the first time. I could tell you how incredibly fun our new show is with a live band. I could tell you how we've been blown away by the reports from churches on how God is moving in the lives of their kids and leaders during VBS. However, instead of focusing on those things, I want to give you a small sampling of how the Gospel is doing the work we could never do.

After our concert in Waco, TX last Thursday a family came through the autograph line. After his two boys had their stuff signed, the dad pulled me aside and had this to say: When you were sharing the Gospel tonight during the show, my son just dropped to his knees and started praying right then and there. I couldn't believe it. It was awesome!

What I love about that is I didn't ask people to pray a prayer. I didn't convince that boy into doing anything. The power of the Gospel was enough. (and it always is!) I found this to be an awesome reminder of how what we're called to do is simply proclaim the truth. The Holy Spirit will take over from there.

I'll wrap up this post by sharing an email we received just this morning. Again, it's another reminder of how blessed we all are to serve our great King!

We were at the Go Fish Concert last night in Mankato. Two of my four kids attended the VBS at Hosanna all week and it was nice to celebrate with the concert on Friday.

The best part of the night was when we got home both Rachel (9) and Sam (7) wanted me to pray with them. We say prayers every night so I asked them what specifically they wanted me to pray for with them.

Rachel wanted to tell God she was sorry for sinning and thank him for dying on the cross for her sins.

Sam was nervous because he said "shut up" when he was four and that was sinning and he was "so glad" Jesus died on the cross for his sins and please mom, let's pray so I can “go into the light” (his words, not mine).

A little history about Sam. Sam was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old. He has made significant progress in his development and he is very “high functioning”. We are active in church and Sunday school and talk about God, but I wasn’t sure if Sam was ever “getting it” if you know what I mean. Well last night when you guys talked, Sam LISTENED and he GOT IT!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Words can’t describe how excited I am about how Sam talked in his own Sam way about Jesus dying on the cross for HIM!

I’m just so excited this morning and I wanted to share with you guys (I’m not even sure if you actually will ever see this email, but thought I would try).

Thanks again, Tracy

The Minivan Music Jam

On August 3, 2011 the Go Fish Guys are taking a gigantic leap of faith in the city of Sioux Falls, SD.  We are unveiling a brand new event called the Minivan Music Jam - a FREE 2 hour event for the family.  The event will feature Go Fish, Denver & the Mile High Orchestra, and will be hosted by Dave the Horn Guy.

We have rented out the biggest venue in the city, the Sioux Falls Arena, and we are praying that area churches will help us pack it out!  Families will be treated to a huge show created specifically for families and in the process will hear the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed loud and clear.  In a nutshell, this event can be described as a cross between a rock and roll show for families and a Billy Graham crusade!  We believe that God is going to move in the city of Sioux Falls and we are on a mission to challenge American families to put God back into the center of their home.

We have never attempted to do an event like this.  We don’t have anyone backing this event financially.  We are taking a leap of faith knowing that we are following God’s leading while trusting that He will provide.

Please pray for this event.  If things go well, our hope is to do more of these in other cities next year.  We are asking that everyone who cares about Go Fish will start praying for this event right now.  Even if you live in another part of the world and can’t be there, please pray for God’s purposes to be accomplished on August 3^rd.  Pray for people to show up.  Pray for the gospel to be clear.  Pray for the costs to be covered.  Pray for the show to absolutely rock the house!

There is a need for an event like this for the family.  Music will be the tool to draw people in.  The gospel will be what changes lives forever.  It’s time to “Go Fish” and we are up for the challenge.  Stay tuned for more details as we seek to do God’s will for His glory!

Good Friday - Scripture & Song

Isaiah 53

 

The Old Rugged Cross