It’s that time of year. VBS preparations are in overdrive, and as I write, the building is being transformed into a colorful, kid-friendly wonderland; volunteers are sorting tee-shirts, preparing crafts, and delivering snacks; and tabs are filling the computers of a dozen spreadsheet wizards who have volunteered their time and talents to make sure everyone has a place to go and a schedule to follow during VBS week. With the amount of work, time, and money our church invests in VBS each year, it begs the question, “Is it worth it?” I am here to offer an emphatic “Yes!”
I wholeheartedly believe in VBS, and I believe it is a whole-church ministry. Sure, I work in children’s ministry, so I may seem biased, but VBS goes far beyond just reaching kids. Here are six reasons why I think VBS is important and why you should care about it, whether you have members of your family participating or not.
VBS is an intergenerational ministry. It includes babies (even those growing in volunteer bellies!), toddlers and preschoolers, elementary campers, middle and high school volunteers, and adult and senior volunteers. We have both genders from every season of life participating in this incredible ministry. And everyone who is here during VBS week gets to participate in discipleship. What an opportunity that we don’t get every day!
All this intergenerational ministry creates an incredible sense of teamwork. VBS offers an opportunity for volunteers to work together to make something happen that they could never accomplish by themselves. In the months leading up to VBS, many adults use the opportunity to serve behind the scenes purchasing supplies, drawing scenery, and planning activities. During VBS week, over a hundred people ranging in age from 12 to 80 help with everything from snack preparation to delivering meals for coordinators to walking kids from station to station around the church. It takes over one-hundred fifty people at Fellowship doing their part to pull off something of this magnitude, and we are all doing it together.
VBS ministers to the future of the Church. It is our responsibility to teach children to “trust in God, and not forget His deeds, (and) keep His commands” (Psalm 78:7). We spend the five days of VBS teaching scripture and its application in kids' lives, while giving them a space that feels fun, safe, and joyful. (I think it is important that kids realize that God is fun!) We reach them on their level while sharing the Gospel, giving them a positive association with the church and teaching Biblical truth.
We get maximum time with kids. On a typical Sunday at Fellowship, we see kids for 75 minutes. During VBS week, we have kids for about 18 hours, which is the equivalent of going to church every week for three and a half months. And since most kids don’t go to church every week, the impact of this time is even greater. We make every minute the kids are with us count. Every rec game, every craft, and every song reinforces the scripture-based point of the day. It is the most focused opportunity we get with kids all year long.
VBS is highly relational. In a world where we all spend far too much time staring at screens by ourselves, VBS offers the opportunity for connection and relationship. Kids form new friendships, adults and kids create bonds, and adults work together to serve. Nothing about VBS is done in isolation, and we get plenty of opportunity to practice what we believe (that “together is better”).
VBS is one of the best opportunities we have for outreach all year. We typically have 1/3 to 1/2 of our campers indicate that Fellowship is not their church home. (As of this writing, 48% of our registrants do not attend FBC!) 15–20% indicate they do not have a church home at all. VBS provides an opportunity for parents to drop kids off in a safe place, and we get a chance to tell those kids about Jesus. It can be easy to forget that there are children right here in our community who do not know Jesus, but there are, and this is our chance to introduce them to Him. This is why we consider VBS a mission trip right here in our own backyard.
This Sunday, we will pray for and commission the VBS volunteer team. 47 adults and 47 teens have committed to ministering to almost 200 kids (195 and counting!), and we covet your prayers. There will be names in the lobby at both campuses this Sunday, and we ask you to please take a couple of them home to pray for during the week. (Don’t be shy...we don’t want any left behind!) VBS really is a whole-church affair, and prayer is the most important way you can participate. We invite you to link arms with us in this incredible, intergenerational ministry and ask God to do what only He can do.