September is full of fresh starts, new rhythms, and ministry momentum—and it’s the perfect time to start preparing for next year’s VBS! Here are three key steps you can take now to build excitement, strengthen your team, and set the stage for an incredible summer.
Evaluate
Take time to celebrate, reflect, and capture what you learned from this year’s VBS. Use these questions to jump-start your evaluation.
- What worked well? Celebrate every win—big or small!
- What didn’t work? Identify why it fell short and what you can adjust to make next year even stronger.
- Who needs a follow-up? Send a leader a thank-you note, call a parent to check on their child, or encourage a fellow staff member.
Pray
Prayer fuels every part of VBS—before, during, and after. Keep the momentum going with these prayer prompts.
- Pray that kids who responded to the gospel will keep growing in their new relationship with Jesus.
- Pray for kids who asked gospel questions but were not ready to become Christians. Ask God to place leaders in their lives who will answer their questions and point them to Scripture.
- Pray that your volunteers will continue drawing close to Jesus in the coming months.
- Pray for wisdom as you and other leaders consider changes and adjustments for next year.
- Pray for a healthy, unified VBS leadership team next year.
- Pray now for the volunteers God is preparing for next year’s VBS.
Prepare
A few simple steps now can create a strong start for next year.
- Tackle that last pile of VBS supplies in the corner. Don’t let this year’s leftovers become next year’s mess! Decide what to keep, what to share with another ministry, what to discard, and then take action.
- Pre-order your Directors Kit and get ready to plan! It includes everything you need to begin—Administrative Guide, Decorating Made Easy book, Music for Kids CD, and more.
Start strong today so you and your team are ready to joyfully Take Flight™ next summer!
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