Another summer comes to an end. For most of my life summer has meant three things – Youth Camp, Family Camp, and Vacation Bible School. Three things that have brought so much to my life. Three ministries that many would say their ‘time’ or ‘value’ is fading. As I finish another ‘summer’, I amazed at the impact and life-change these events have brought and I want to share a few thoughts as to the value I see.
Who really likes hosting Vacation Bible School? I mean seriously – the noises, the whining, the germs, and the smells (don’t forget the smells – they can be potent). Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a ton of work and at times it feels like glorified baby sitting. What parent doesn’t want to have a week of having their children entertained most likely for free – that’s the best, but not if you’re the ones running it! And then, as a leader you realize that your dreams of reaching to community kids is for the most part not happening – you’re just entertaining kids from your church and other churches in the community – for real! So really – who likes hosting VBS?
Me! I love Vacation Bible School and while some may refer to it as a ministry of the past, I say they’re just not doing it right! I work at a church that I believe is moving forward. We’re growing and trying to be as relevant to our community and time as possible. Even so, as the years have passed I have found VBS to be only getting more meaningful to us. Here are three awesome reasons why it works for us:
1. We make a statement! VBS is a great opportunity for your church and kid’s ministry to make a statement. First – that children and families are important to you. Second – a statement about what your children’s ministry will focus on and prioritize. Through this event we clearly communicate we are about being a fun and safe place where children will feel welcomed to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. We don’t focus on what VBS has been historically – we focus on what we want to be for children and family.
We are creative in the way we communicate the gospel, but we are steadfast in communicating the love of God and His Word. It costs money because big, ridiculously cool things do, and we want this to be big and ridiculously cool. Children have a lot of fun opportunities over the summer, but if they’d rather come to our VBS than something else, we’re doing something very right.
2. We recruit new leaders! Children’s ministries need dedicated volunteers and often this is something that is hard to find. Vacation Bible School gives you a great opportunity to get new people involved in children’s ministry. Think about the pros:
- They only have to commit for one week.
- There are lots of opportunities to serve in low pressure roles (snacks, games, hayrides, inflatables, check-in, etc.).
- They get to be a part of the big cool thing happening that week.
VBS can be very attractive to volunteers and it is a great way to find new leaders who will often decide they like it and want to give even more time. Don’t be afraid to ask people to volunteer, this is an easy commitment. Always get background checks on everyone (ALWAYS). Allow people to see the joy in volunteering, they may catch the bug!
3. We build relationships! The biggest impact in ministry comes through relationships. But when you only see a child one to three times a week for just a few hours (if that), then building those relationships can be tough. VBS presents a huge opportunity to grow closer in just a short span of time.
Believe it or not, I have found that people like to check something out a few times, maybe even quite a few times, before they really commit to it – go figure! (Did you catch the sarcasm?) I have noticed that for many families that have connected to our church, it took multiple special events for them to “check us out” before they really committed. VBS is a great opportunity to build that connection and even speed up the process as it gives you a lot of time with a family. Build relationships with these new children and make sure to connect with their parents every time they pick-up/drop-off their kids.
We’ve created a Vacation Bible School that works for us. For us that means no crafts, but fantastic snacks (think cotton candy, nachos, Italian ice). We retired flannel-graphs and instead our Bible stories are shared through the use of costumes, videos, and mega-illustrations. We like hayrides, making a mess, and renting large inflatables. It’s not perfect but it’s pretty awesome. Yes it still smells, it is tiring, and it does cost money. But the statement, the new faces, and the relationships are well worth it.
justinleininger.com 