Dedicated to helping Kids Ministry leaders in their mission of making disciples
There’s a message hidden between the lines of this Sudoku.
Print out the puzzle, crunch the numbers until you have filled in all the blanks, and then start solving the mystery of LifeWay’s 2020 VBS theme.
The next clue is coming soon! Keep watch for the next clue here on the blog and save the date for our official theme reveal on June 5 at 1:00 p.m. CT.
RSVP here!
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Melita Thomas (VBS Specialist) and Bill Emeott talk about why VBS is worth doing for any kids ministry.
Melita Thomas serves as a Ministry Specialist with LifeWay Kids. Melita holds a masters degree in Christian Education/Childhood Ministry and a passion for kids ministry that infuses both her work at LifeWay Kids and her leadership in the local church. Melita is a member of First Baptist Nashville, where she enjoys teaching kindergartners and preteens.
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Jana Magruder & Landry Holmes share research supporting why VBS is worth the time, energy, and expense to reach the families in your ministry.
Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Kids Ministry that Nourishes and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.
Landry Holmes is the Manager of LifeWay Kids Ministry Publishing. A graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Landry served on church staffs before joining LifeWay Kids. He is a church leader, writer, workshop facilitator, and publisher. Landry also teaches children at his church in Middle Tennessee. He and his wife Janetta enjoy spending time with their 2 sons, daughters-in-law and grand babies.
Want to dive deeper into VBS? You’re invited to our VBS Preview Events this January!
Register for one of the VBS Preview Events today by visiting online registration HERE! See the dates and locations below!
Brr! It’s cold, and winter is coming soon! The lower the temperature drops, the more I wish it were my favorite time of year in kids ministry: summer. Summer is the BEST because of VBS and the other amazing KidMin activities pointing kids toward Jesus. You can help beat your own winter blues and prepare for an amazing summer at VBS by attending one of the LifeWay VBS Preview Events this January! Let’s go “In the Wild” together at VBS Preview!
Here are 5 reasons you can’t miss a VBS Preview Event!
Register for one of the VBS Preview Events today by visiting online registration HERE! See the dates and locations below!
Churches across the world have embraced Vacation Bible School as a ministry strategy for over a century. The rich history of VBS points to why many churches continue to put the work and effort into what it takes to swing open the doors and invite an entire community to hear the gospel. Simply put, the opportunity for evangelism is the number one motivating factor and heartbeat behind VBS.
Millions of children participate in VBS every year—and while we only know what churches report—the number of decisions to follow Christ, go into ministry, and pursue a life in missions are staggering:
2.5 million participants enrolled in VBS (2017)
65,000 professions of faith (2017)
835 decisions for vocational ministry (2017)
These statistics alone are evidence of the value and heartbeat behind VBS.
From its beginning, we can see the “why” behind VBS. Some of the first “schools” began for the sole purpose of Bible teaching. Dedicated teachers felt they did not have enough time with children to teach them the Bible only on Sundays, so they created summer programming built on an intensive time in God’s Word.
Some of the earliest daily schedules on record show the school activities as:
Memory Work
Bible Work
Calisthenics
General Assembly
Mission Work
Recess
Stories from Church History
I dare say that VBS has morphed into a more fun and exciting version of this historical schedule, but you can still see the thumbprints and motivation behind the “why.”
Most of us would agree that teaching the Bible is what VBS is all about—including memory verses. We might also agree that VBS should have a missions component. In fact, the most current numbers say that over $7 million was given to mission organizations last year alone. And though “recess” is usually more organized into games and crafts, the idea that kids need to move and have fun is still baked into a typical VBS day. This allows for friendships to develop and strengthen, creating an environment where church community can develop and grow.
Whether in 1919 or 2019, a worthwhile VBS experience requires an “all hands on deck” mentality from the broader church congregation. This starts with the senior pastor and trickles down to the individual members. When everyone throws in their time and gifts to create something with the potential for such a large impact, the Lord will knit hearts together as the body of Christ works together for His glory. This too is the heartbeat behind VBS.
By looking back at the history of VBS while taking the time to evaluate why VBS is worth doing today, it’s important to recognize that the original heartbeat has not changed.
How do we keep it thriving? Keep doing what has stood the test of time:
Share the gospel with kids and families in the community
Teach the Bible in an intentional way
Foster friendships and memories that last a lifetime
Build a stronger church community
Together, let’s acknowledge that from a kingdom perspective, VBS is worth it because the souls of our kids and families are worth it.
Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Nothing Less, Kids Ministry that Nourishes, and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.
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Over the course of this summer, many churches will be hosting VBS, or Vacation Bible School, at their church. It’s an incredible outreach event, but what is the next step after the last kid has gone home for the week? Melita Thomas, joins the podcast this week to share encouragement and 5 tips for follow-up after a week of VBS.
I’m thrilled to share new insights about VBS coming out of a brand new study from LifeWay Research, commissioned by our Kids Ministry team. When we set out to conduct the study, we wanted our researchers to uncover how the general American population remembers VBS growing up and how those memories affect them now in their own parenting journey.
The results were even better than we thought! Not only do most Americans recall going to VBS—they have positive memories of their experience! You may be thinking, “well, that was then and this is now—VBS has served its purpose, let’s move on.” Hold that thought. It turns out, the positive memories from the majority of Americans who attended VBS growing up translate into them wanting their own children to experience it—now.
Kidmin leaders and VBS directors should be encouraged that 69% of American parents say they would let their child attend VBS with a friend if invited—this includes parents who do not go to church. The tried and true strategy of “invite a friend to VBS!” still works. How can we equip our church family to invite friends to VBS? Here are three ideas:
The LifeWay Kids team will be sharing more about this extensive research in the coming weeks and months. This is only the first sneak peek and the results are looking good, friends. VBS is truly still worth it!
To see the first round of research, check out this article from Facts and Trends magazine.
Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Kids Ministry that Nourishes and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.
Recruiting VBS volunteers is a challenge but the rewards are worth it.
For many churches, Vacation Bible School is one of the most important and exciting times of the year. It’s when many children hear the gospel and commit their lives to Christ. And in most congregations, it takes an army of volunteers.
Recruiting them is no small task. Sometimes it’s a struggle to find enough volunteers to work with children on a normal week—and that’s asking people to help for only an hour or two.
For VBS, volunteers often have to give up a week of their time. VBS usually takes place in the summer, conflicting with vacations and summer activities. And more volunteers are needed—as many as three times the number needed for a regular week.
Despite all those issues, it’s worth doing. It’s worth it for the kids and families who will hear the gospel, and it’s worth it for the church family to serve alongside one another for the greater purpose of kingdom expansion.
Vacation Bible School and other large-scale events can be a great opportunity for an all-hands-on-deck mentality that can strengthen entire congregations, with multiple generations playing a role. Here are some ideas to consider when recruiting, training, and rewarding those who choose to say yes to serving.
Begin with the “why.” Tell your church why VBS matters. It’s not about entertaining kids for a week. It’s not about silly songs and games, even though they’re fun.
It’s about creating an intentional time and space for kids of all ages to hear the gospel, learn Scripture, and tell their friends about Jesus. Most pastors agree VBS is the most evangelistic program a church can offer to communities. Churched and unchurched kids get a full week of diving into God’s Word.
Is it a lot of work to put on? Yes. Do we need everyone’s help to accomplish this? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
Create a systematic way for people to sign up to serve. After the vision for VBS has been presented, be ready for what’s next.
Some churches devote multiple Sundays to enlistment, decorating tables with VBS promotional items in heavy foot traffic areas. Friendly faces greet people and ask if they would like to sign up.
Other churches have online sign-ups with emails going out for the call to action. Electronic applications can be used to capture information. Some churches use both methods.
Many people assume serving in VBS means they have to teach kids. Not everyone feels equipped to teach, and that’s OK. There are many ways to serve in VBS.
Be sure to present all the roles—snack coordinators and servers, set builders and decoration installers, greeters, worship leaders, registration helpers, T-shirt organizers, and the list goes on. Everyone has a way to use their gifts during VBS.
Once you have enlistment complete—or even partially complete—get folks excited by throwing a party. This helps potential and committed volunteers feel more connected to the upcoming event. More specific training can come later for certain groups, like those who will teach.
Get creative and serve the snacks that will be served during VBS, decorate with theme-related décor, play some of the games, and engage with the crafts. Most importantly, talk about the Bible content and how exciting it is to share this with the kids who will come to VBS.
Close by praying for the week, asking God to work in the hearts of those who attend, and to do great things in the life of your church.
Let potential volunteers know they will be cared for: create a hospitality team with the task of serving VBS volunteers. Encourage this team to provide food, daily notes of encouragement and, if possible, a space to take quick breaks during the event.
This strategy allows another group of people to use their gifts while helping those who are working feel blessed and refreshed.
When VBS is over, the most important way to thank your volunteers is to celebrate what God has done.
After the last bit of glue has been scrubbed from tables and the worship pastor finally has the stage free from extra props and scenery, don’t forget to give thanks for the gospel being displayed and shared, for God’s name being made known, and for the work He accomplished in the lives of those who served.
Once volunteers see what happens when everyone rolls up their sleeves and serves alongside one another for the gospel to be shared, this joy can overflow into the next season of recruitment.
Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Kids Ministry that Nourishes and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.
VBS is almost here! For many churches, VBS is only weeks away. By now most of “the big stuff” is done and checked off the list—things like purchasing curriculum, enlisting volunteers, training teachers, promoting within the community, and opening registration. But now it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty details. These extra touches often are the difference between a smooth launch and a rocky start to VBS. To help with your last minute preparations, here’s a checklist organized by specific areas within your VBS. Don’t try to tackle all of these alone. Delegate responsibility for each area to a different person or team. After all, VBS is a team effort!
Registration Area
First-aid Station
Bible Study and Rotation Rooms
Resource Rooms
What else is on your list? Comment below to share your ideas with others.
Melita Thomas serves as LifeWay’s VBS and Kids Ministry Specialist. For the past 14 years she has also been an editor of LifeWay’s VBS resources. Melita holds a masters degree in Childhood Ministry from Dallas Baptist University. A passionate advocate for kids ministry in the local church, Melita enjoys teaching kindergartners and preteens at Nashville First Baptist Church.
Ever wonder if you should still plan a VBS for your church and community? Let’s be honest, it takes a lot of time, resources, and energy to put on a week of Vacation Bible School, Bible Camp, Bible Adventure—or whatever your church calls it! Some leaders debate if it’s worth it for a couple of reasons—“we’re just reaching our church kids” or “parents hop around from church to church to get free childcare.” I get the frustrations behind these reasons, but I want to challenge and encourage you to broaden your vision when it comes VBS.
VBS is not just for kids: we all know that preparing and producing a VBS of any size takes an “all hands on deck” mentality from the church. This is a time for parents, empty nesters, teens, college kids, and senior citizens to lock arms and go all in for the purpose of sharing the gospel in a fun and impactful way. Therefore, parents should be exposed to all the biblical content their child will be hearing which will help them have engaging conversations at home. You are equipping them without them even knowing!
VBS is a place for families: Even if parents are not volunteering due to work schedules or other reasons, VBS should still offer something for parents to be engaged in either daily or sometime during the week. It may be a kickoff “party” where the Pastor gives the heart behind VBS being about sharing the gospel or it may be a family worship night where parents get to worship with their kids. Corporate worship is so important in the life of the family because kids need to see Mom singing and Dad reading the Bible, all while sitting together and hearing a message about what was learned at VBS.
VBS is a launching pad: Families who experience VBS together should leave with a refreshed heart to live on mission together. Your goal as a kids leader should be to challenge them to live on mission in their neighborhoods, schools, and sports teams. Provide tools for them to share their faith and remind them that Jesus calls ALL of us to “go make disciples.”
If you broaden your vision to reaching families, not only kids, VBS can be seen in a totally new light. Vacation Bible School is for kids of all ages, their families, the local church congregation, and the community it serves. If all of these groups are engaged, and VBS is used to its fullest potential then it will surely have ripples of faith that last to eternity.
Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Kids Ministry that Nourishes and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.
