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What Would It Look Like to Take VBS Off Campus Next Year

VBS 3Vacation Bible School was the highlight of my year. It was an event that I was all in and extremely excited about.

One year we had a space theme, so I built a 16-foot tall space shuttle in our worship center.

Before we sent the kids off to their rotations, I would do a countdown and smoke would shoot out of the combustion chamber of the rocket.

Sadly, the smoke machine only worked half the time.

What I remember was hundreds of hours of preparation.

We would work a full week ahead of time decorating the buildings.

We were physically and emotionally wiped out before the day when VBS started.

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Are You an Activities Coordinator or a Children’s Pastor?

Are You an Activities Coordinator or a Children’s Pastor?Activity Coordinator

Summers were crazy for me with Vacation Bible School, camp, and summer activities. I had it in my mind that I had to provide a safe environment for kids at my church. Safe activities! The summer hit like a storm. We went to water parks, go-cart tracks, theme parks, movie Tuesdays, and much more. Then it hit me one day.

Parents can take their own kids and do fun things with them. I do not have to kill myself every summer being their activity coordinator. I had to make a change, and I did. I decided to make it serious fun! Instead of theme parks, we did mission projects. We moved VBS from the church into the community and let our kids take part in leading it. 

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Christian Education—The Spiritual Stumbling Block of the Church Today

unnamed 2I recently returned from our second preteen mission trip this summer. On this trip, the preteens (3rd thru 6th graders) were released to share the Gospel through music, sharing their testimonies, and teaching Bible studies, games, and crafts. Before they arrived on the trip, they went through special training to prepare them for their ministry.

One leader shared what she observed on Monday when Kenly (11-year-old) was teaching: “She told me after she taught that she was so nervous she forgot what to say. She prayed and said, ‘God, please help me, please help me.’ You could not even tell she was scared.” 

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I am done! I am not doing this anymore.

If you are like me, you find yourself collapsing across the finish line at the end of the school year in your children’s ministry. Before I1 FB could catch my breath, I quickly moved to Vacation Bible School, camp, and all the other summer activities.

In the midst of the craziness, is it difficult to find time to evaluate and process your successes and failures from the school year and your midweek program?

Here are several questions you might want to ask:

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