Look at Your VBS with Fresh Eyes
By: Patricia Meyers

Do you know what time it is? It's vacation time! You're probably going to feel like you need a vacation after all the holiday plans and events - but we aren't talking about that kind of vacation. We are talking about Vacation Bible School .

It's time to plan out the all-important next summer's program. Are you ready to begin? Let's go.

Pull out your notes from last year's event and then let's consider VBS with fresh eyes this year. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and allow God to open your heart and mind to what your church and your community need this next year.

Step One

Let's begin with the overall picture. The first step is to decide what style you want to use this year? Your three options are 1) traditional, 2) contemporary or 3) radically different.

Remember, we are using fresh eyes. Fresh eyes need to be open to looking at all of the options before deciding.

Perhaps a quick definition and overview of each will help you choose:

Traditional seems pretty clear-it's tthe style of Vacation Bible School that has been done for years. It includes classrooms, crafts, Monday-Friday mornings, etc. There has been huge success with this format. Perhaps you have fond memories of the traditional style of VBS from your childhood. The materials are so varied now and are rich in both lesson content and visual impact.

Contemporary is simply a new twist on the traditional. There are some new companies with rich material with a unique approach. Contemporary also includes looking at a different time schedule or format for your actual event. Many churches are going to the rotational schedule, where the teachers are responsible for only one piece of the entire lesson and the kids move from station to station for 10 to 15 minutes at each location. (You can look up "rotational module" on the Internet for a full description of this method.) The materials available for a unique twist on VBS are growing each year. Once you begin looking, your head can start spinning from the exciting choices available.

What is radically different? Do you feel that your VBS has gotten stale, and your volunteers are somewhat less than enthusiastic? Or are they seriously less than enthusiastic? If so, consider doing something radical. Radical changes don't work for everyone; many churches like things to stay the same and see no reason to "mess with success." Other churches feel the rut that they are in is so deep that nothing but radical will do.

What might be included in a radically different approach? Well, how about doing VBS in the evenings so the entire family can be involved? How about holding your Summer Event on one Saturday each month as a "festival" feel instead of "VBS" to really attract the community? How about a Crusade approach instead of VBS where you bring in a special guest, a drama team or a puppet team and have a "revival meeting" for kids?

This is only step one. The decision shouldn't be made hastily. Stop here for a bit and do a little research. Pray, and ask God for direction. Talk to your pastor and your Children's Ministry Leaders. Listen to what they have to say. You will be amazed at what you can learn by listening to your main volunteer leaders. Open your heart and listen to them. It will bless them, and it could completely transform your summer program.

Step Two

Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses - regarding VBS or your Summer Program. By being brutally honest in answering the following questions, you will know what you need to focus on and perhaps what you need to avoid.

For instance, if your volunteer team is weak, you need to decide is it weak because they are bored, is it weak because you need to challenge them, or is it weak because you haven't stirred up the vision early enough?

If your volunteer team is strong, you need to decide if you need to keep things the same -are they strong because they l-o-v-e what they are doing and changing it would definitely upset things, or are they strong because they have a great leader and they would love to show off their strength by taking on a new challenge like reaching out more to the community, for example?

Some VBS materials require a heavy volunteer team, while others can be enormously successful with fewer workers. Be realistic about your team. Working within realistic parameters will help ensure success.

What does your team do well regarding VBS? Ask these questions:

•  Do you have a strong volunteer base? Rate your team on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being amazingly strong and needing no prodding and 1 being a team consisting mostly of you and a few coerced others.

•  Do you advertise well? Is this something that needs to be highlighted more to reach more unchurched kids in the community?

•  Are you extremely organized, mildly organized, or organizationally challenged? Being honest about this point will help you know if you can handle a huge change, enlighten you to the fact that you need to recruit an organized assistant, or let you know that you are an organized guru and are ready to take on another challenge or two.

•  Do you have great safety measures in place or would safety be a problem if you had a large influx of newcomers to your VBS?

•  Do you have a great music team so that you should highlight the music portion of your VBS, or do you struggle in that area and perhaps the music portion should be downplayed?

•  On a scale of 1 to10, how are you with exciting visuals like puppets, drama, skits, etc? Do a little review of the past few years--how have your big visuals been? Perhaps that would be an area to boost up this year if it has been weak. Or, if you are strong in that area, perhaps you should look at more big-group ministry time for your VBS. Kids love those big, crazy visuals.

Step Three

Take some time and consider your community's needs by answering the following questions:

•  Does every single church do a similar VBS in your community?

•  If the answer to the above is yes, does your community need another option somewhere?

•  Do you need to call the other churches and try to coordinate efforts to really reach the kids this summer by a varied, coordinated approach?

•  Where are the unchurched located where perhaps no one else is reaching?

•  Do you need to consider buses or vans this year?

And, what about the expectations?

•  Do your church and your community expect you to do the same thing?

•  Will it be upsetting if you do something new?

•  Will it be exciting and stir things up if you do something new?

•  Do they even have any expectations of you (i.e., do they even think about what you do?)?

•  Do you want them to think about what you do?

•  What do you want them to think when they think about your church (specifically, we are talking about in relation to your ministry to children)?

There is a lot of food for thought. Food for thought is good--it is what makes us think about the steps we take and the ministry we do instead of working robot-like.

Consider, pray, ponder, discuss. Let this next summer be a summer of extreme ministry. Perhaps it will be extreme by you doing exactly the same style of VBS you have always done, but you will do it because you have thought it out and decided it was the very best plan for your church and your community.

Perhaps you will tweak things slightly and excite your volunteers and your church. Perhaps you will work with the churches in your community a little more and build a few bridges and have some extraordinary fun sharing with those doing the same work you are doing.

Or perhaps you will shake things up and rattle your church's rafters this year.

Regardless of the approach you take, if you really spend time making the decision based on solid reasons and thorough thought, you will be able to share your vision with your volunteers more clearly, you will be able to recruit more enthusiastically because you will be so excited (deep inside) about what you have planned, and you will be able to maintain the excitement level more easily because the program is exactly what your church needs to be doing right now.

One last note - enjoy the time you spend pondering, praying and deciding. It, too, is part of the process. It is time well spent. It is a great opportunity for God to encourage you in this amazing ministry of reaching children.

Blessings on your Summer '06 program.

Patricia Meyers is the president and founder of Children's Church Stuff, www.childrenschurchstuff.com .

Product Roundup

Gospel Express by Augsburg Fortress
Aboard the Gospel Express , Jesus is the conductor of an unforgettable journey aboard God's Celebration Train. The theme verse is, "We will celebrate and praise you, Lord! You are good to us, and your love never fails." (Psalm 106:1) Kids experience Bible stories through a combination of music, art, snacks, interactive video, games, worship and drama. Kids celebrate Jesus coming to his people, surprising them, forgiving them, loving them and blessing them through the stories of Jesus' birth, the wedding at Cana , the banquet with Simon, the parable of the lost sheep and Jesus blessing the children. For VBS planning, Gospel Express has easy-to-follow guides and resources. New this year is the field-tested music and railroad rhythm site.
www.augsburgfortress.org

A Heart for Missions by Smyth & Helwys
A Heart for Missions is a Christian education resource that uses a medical motif to help children learn about missions and the importance of helping others, using a hands-on approach. Children don't just learn about missions, but they actually engage in missions projects. The purposes of A Heart for Missions is to help children learn from Biblical examples of missions, help them identify the needs of their own community, and involve them in a hands-on experience of missions. 
www.helwys.com

The Time-Stone Travelers Quest for God's 10 Commandments by Cook Ministries
Fill up the canteen, grab the map and take a trip this summer. Kids will be raring to go on a week-long, action-packed faith-adventure based on the popular children's series "The Time-Stone Travelers." From the depths of a Mayan jungle to the peak of a Hawaiian volcano, kids travel through time and around the world discovering the meaning of the 10 Commandments and how they guide Christians today. From the director's manual to a reproducible CD filled with original music and clip art, Cook provides everything needed to produce a life-changing VBS experience in one affordable, easy-to-use kit, available in KJV and NIV.
www.cookministries.com

Treasure Cove by Concordia
Treasure Cove resources are organized in an exciting site-rotation program. This new format overflows with Christ-centered activities and relationship-building fun. Kids will love learning about Jesus in rich new ways. Treasure Cove materials make it easier for VBS leaders to handle the continuing challenges of staffing, recruitment and space usage. Recruiting is easier, as people enjoy planning and leading one task. Volunteers do what they like best, and it requires less prep time. Leaders prepare one 20-minute session that they repeat several times. Space usage improves, since a separate room isn't needed for every grade. Each day begins with an opening session where kids sing, pray and find out about the day's treasure hunt. Then small groups rotate together to five activity sites for 20-minute sessions. www.cph.org

Set Sail! Spread the Good News by Regular Baptist Press
RBP's Set Sail! Spread the Good News challenges kids to take the good news to their world. With Paul as their example, kids will learn the importance of believing the Gospel and obeying God's command to share it. Exciting Bible lessons, fun games, delicious snacks, exciting crafts, new and familiar music, engaging puppetry, and entertaining skits reinforce the Biblical truths learned through the life of Paul. VBS kids will learn practical ways to share the Gospel in their homes, neighborhoods and schools.
www.rbpvbs.org

Fiesta by Group Publishing
Come celebrate at Fiesta-Where Kids Are Fired Up About Jesus. Each day, every activity--from snacks and crafts to Bible adventures--focuses on one simple Bible point. Kids also participate in Daily Challenges-specific ways they plan to live out their faith each day. This year, missions take on special meaning as kids work together on a new Operation Kid-to-Kid project. Children will learn what it means to help others as they create a hand-tied "Jesus loves me" fleece blanket and a personalized Spanish Bible Book to give to an impoverished child in need of warmth.
www.groupvbs.com

Lifeway's Arctic Edge
Trek north to LifeWay's VBS 2006, Arctic Edge, where daily excursions from Big Bear Lodge will have kids hiking across the tundra, exploring the seascape by kayak and skimming the backcountry in a float plane. As kids test their limits in the challenges of the vast Arctic wilderness, they will learn that God is always with them and find the courage required to follow Jesus in the everyday challenges of their lives. The motto of this program is: Be strong! Be courageous! Follow Jesus!
www.lifeway.com

Trading Places from Standard Publishing
Kids will travel around the world in five days with Standard Publishing's Trading Places--Where Jesus Makes a World of Difference! In Trading Places, kids will imagine what it would be like to trade places with kids from Mexico , China , Kenya , Poland and Brazil while they explore stories of Biblical heroes who traded one place in life for another. Every day kids will be issued a V.I.S.A- Very Important Service Assignment, so they can practice at home what they've learned each day. Standard Publishing's Trading Places materials provide options for you to do Vacation Bible School your way: Classroom-Based VBS, Modified Classroom-Based VBS, and Site-Rotation VBS.
www.standardpub.com

Gospel Light's SonTreasure Island
Explore a beautiful Caribbean island with glittering turquoise water, warm white sand, and cool ocean breezes at SonTreasure Island VBS from Gospel Light. There's treasure on this island. More precious than gold and more lasting than diamonds, it's the greatest treasure of all-God's love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. Make SonTreasure Island your destination of adventure this summer and help kids discover the treasure of a lifetime.
www.gospellight.com

Carson-Dellosa Publishing
Carson-Dellosa Publishing, a leading publisher for PreK-6 th grade educational materials for classrooms around the world, has produced the most comprehensive correlated resource. This Correlation Chart includes major VBS 2006 themes from LifeWay Resources, Standard Publishing, Group Publishing, Gospel Light and Cook Ministries. More than 200 resources are available to choose from to fit your church or camp theme this summer. Carson-Dellosa has the reputation for providing developmentally accurate educational materials that are teacher trusted and include the brightest of colors, for books, certificates, room decorations, bulletin boards and incentives. Visit their Web site and download the VBS Headquarters Correlation Chart of more than 200 stickers, bulletin boards, books, incentives, posters, notepads and more.
www.carsondellosa.com

Army Adventure Camp from Walk by Faith Press
Attention! You've been recruited in the Army! God's Army! There's a war going on, and you must stand firm! " Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" Ephesians 6:13. Army Adventure Camp will train, prepare and equip your soldiers to stand firm in their faith and fight the good fight in the battle against sin. Recruits will be prepared for life's battles by putting on God's armor. www.walkbyfaithpress.com

Adventure of the Treasure Seekers from Cokesbury
Adventure of the Treasure Seekers from Cokesbury uses the fun and adventure of an archaeology dig to help children discover and experience joy in knowing they are treasures in God's eyes and loved beyond measure. The real digging and discovery happens when the children enter Promise Point. Each day, the children will step into a Bible story that will lead them to one of God's promises. They will actually dig for treasures at the dig site at Promise Point. Every treasure they discover will be a link to one of God's promises and the daily Bible story.
www.cokesburyvbs.com