Why VBS?
Why should a church invest time, energy, and resources in Vacation Bible School? Is VBS still even a relevant ministry? Before you begin planning a VBS, be sure that you understand the “why” behind having a VBS. Here are a few of the best reasons why VBS is worth it!
- Each year, VBS accounts for about 25% of all baptisms recorded in the Southern Baptist Convention! VBS continues to be one of the most effective outreach tools for many churches.
- The overwhelming majority of parents say they would allow their child to participate in VBS if asked.
- 95% of parents whose kids attended a VBS say it was a positive experience.
Choosing Curriculum and Theme
Often churches choose a curriculum for Vacation Bible School based on the theme the publisher has chosen for that year. We would suggest this practice is backwards and counterproductive. Curriculum should be chosen first, and that will supply your theme.
There are several things to consider when selecting your curriculum. We would recommend choosing a curriculum that has been created by a trusted Christian publishing house. Start with Biblical content and accuracy of doctrine and gospel focus. Also consider ease of use for volunteers and what helps are offered directors and teachers in the curriculum.
Our recommendation is to use the VBS curriculum published by Lifeway. Lifeway is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention. You will not have to worry about doctrinal alignment problems with Lifeway. In addition, IBSA will offer training opportunities for your volunteers within the state.
VBS Director
Many churches choose to designate someone as a VBS Director. This person helps to provide leadership and helps to recruit volunteers and teachers for VBS. Sometimes they are members of the church staff. Other times this role is a volunteer within the church. Either way, a VBS Director should be someone with a heart and passion to reach kids and administrative skills to help keep VBS planning and preparation on track.
Planning
Once you have chosen a curriculum and theme, its time to start planning. There are several things to consider in the planning phase.
Consider using a planning calendar. A planning calendar outlines the things that need to be done in the months leading up to your VBS a sets dates and deadlines to have things completed. Many curriculums will have a sample planning calendar in their director’s guide.
Determine what your budget will be for VBS. Think through the cost of curriculum and supplies and set a budget accordingly. Your church may have already established this figure for you in the church’s yearly budgeting process.
Set dates and schedule. Calendar your dates as early as possible to promote, plan, and train. Some things to consider included: Will you have VBS in the morning or evening? How many hours will your VBS last? Will your VBS run a five-day schedule or a modified schedule with fewer days?
Every VBS Director is reliant upon volunteers. You will need to recruit and train your workers. Start by thinking through your staffing needs based on the number of students you are anticipating. If your church does not have suggested ratios of students to workers, contact IBSA for a sample. Don’t forget to recruit workers for your non-classroom staff such as snacks, recreation, missions, music, and crafts.
As you enlist workers, assure them that they are not alone and that you will be offering training opportunities. IBSA offers VBS training specific to Lifeway curriculum. In addition, your local association may offer training for VBS. You can also conduct your own VBS training for your workers using the training plans that Lifeway offers in their directors’ guide.
You will need to promote your VBS well. The number of kids you reach is directly tied to how early and well you promote your VBS. Consider recruiting a promotion coordinator or team. Promotion needs to occur within your own church and in the community you serve. Start promoting early (at least 2-3 months before your VBS!) and be creative. Consider using a promotion calendar to keep you on track. Consider numerous avenues to promote your VBS such as: word of mouth, banners, flyers, door hangers, invite cards, social media, emails, ads, etc.
Think through registration. Look for strategies to pre-register as many students as possible. This will help in your planning. Consider using registration software such as Kid Event Pro to keep yourself organized. Share how parents can pre-register on your promotion materials and through your church’s website and social media.
Not everyone will pre-register, so be sure to recruit and train a team to handle registration the week of VBS. Be sure all your methods of registration collect ALL of the information you will need. Consider what actually needs to be on your registration forms.
Follow-up
VBS doesn’t end once you conduct the event. You must follow up with those who were a part of your VBS. Whether they are church members or community members that you have connected with, have a plan to continue that connection.
Plan a family night or connection even that draws your VBS to a close. It is a great time to engage the entire family of the students you served through your VBS. Make it fun and exciting, but make it have purpose and value as well.
Enlist a team ahead of time to personally contact all the families who attend from outside your church family. Be prepared to follow up (with your pastoral staff) on all kids who made a profession of faith during VBS. Plan ahead and don’t let the end of the event be the end of the connection!
As you work through the process of leading VBS ministry in your church, be to make prayer a vital part of the process. Create a prayer guide to help guide your church in how they can be praying for VBS (prayer guides can also be found in the Director’s guide).
Be ready for things to crop up that are not covered in this document as every situation is unique. Don’t hesitate to contact your partners at IBSA to seek answers to questions that you encounter along the way. We are here to serve your churches needs and provide you with resources that will help you realize the vision that God has given your church for VBS ministry.