• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer

VBS SHOP

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS Feed
  • Events
  • Curriculum
  • Training
Kids Ministry

Kids Ministry

Dedicated to helping Kids Ministry leaders in their mission of making disciples

  • Team
  • Blog

Making Continued Connections through VBS

April 1, 2014 | Kids Ministry

apr1_2wooley3Many times “VBS follow-up” is relegated to a postcard sent the week after VBS thanking kids for attending. Once mailed, we can joyfully check “follow-up” off of our to-do list and close the books on another successful year of VBS.

The problem is not the postcard – kids love to receive mail – but the reality that for far too many of us a postcard is both the beginning and end of our follow-up efforts. For this reason Lifeway’s VBS team has begun changing the term — and hopefully the mindset — from follow-up (a one-time action) to continued connections or continuing the connection (an on-going relationship).

Collectively, each year VBS allows us to discover and connect with over one million unchurched kids, teens, and adults. Statistics reveal that 10 percent of everyone registering for VBS represents an unchurched family. They come to us initiating a connection — bringing with them everything we need to continue and grow the connection (names, ages, contact information). Yet, the same statistics show we continue the connection beyond VBS with only about a third of the unchurched.

For too long we have made VBS “the event” of the summer. Connecting with millions of people but making a lasting impact with only a small percentage. To turn these numbers around we must change the way we think about VBS. Instead of VBS being “the event,” it must become in our minds the prelude to the “real event” — which is continuing the connections created as a result of VBS.

By changing our way of thinking, the success of VBS is not measured by the number of people enrolled during the week, but by the number of previously unchurched families connected a year later.

Continuing the connection must be intentional. It must be planned for and pursued with the same intensity and attention to detail as the week of VBS.

Jerry Wooley The VBS GUY!! He serves as the Vacation Bible School Specialist for Lifeway. Don’t expect to talk with Jerry for too long without him asking you about VBS. In addition to VBS Jerry serves at his local church in various roles (including leading the 4th & 5th Grade Life Group and Party Pastor) at Creekside Fellowship north of Nashville.

 

Category: Vacation Bible SchoolTag: VBS
Previous Post: « To Theme or Not to Theme (VBS) — That is the Question!
Next Post: Hand It Over: Making Generosity a Habit »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Lifeway Kids Newsletter

Get the latest news, events, and announcements straight to your inbox.

Sign Up
Kids Ministry 101 Magazine
Get The Digital Magazine
Get the Print Magazine
Kids Ministry Calling

Equipping Kids Ministry Leaders In Their Calling

Listen Now
ETCH with Chuck Peters

A NextGen Ministry Podcast

Listen Now

Subscribe to Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS Feed

Copyright © 2025 · All Rights Reserved · Lifeway.com

Cleantalk Pixel