…is not a crusade, or a movie, or a Super Bowl commercial.  It is Vacation Bible School.  More people are saved each year because of VBS than anything else.

Saddle Ridge Ranch is the LifeWay theme and material for 2010 VBS.  As usual it will feature fun music, great activities, Biblical lessons, and it will be strongly evangelistic.  The materials by GROUP, David C. Cook, and others will be good.  Whichever you use, there are some things to remember.

VBS is best when it is planned early. You should already have your leaders recruited, and be talking about it in your church.  It is not too early, and although many wait till the last month to get the work done, the attendance and results of VBS has as much to do with early planning as with anything.

VBS is not planned for the convenience of the workers. You will be tempted to plan your VBS as soon as school is out so your workers will all be available.  Try this instead: determine which week will let you reach the most children and challenge your workers to be present and involved during that week. Usually this is later in the summer.

Training is available through the ABSC VBS workshops. Good people who know the material well will train you to use the material and conduct a great VBS.  And there will be one near you.

Schedule VBS for youth and for adults. These need not be simultaneous with the children’s VBS.  These sessions help make VBS a “big deal” for the whole church and if you plan them prior to the children’s VBS you can use them to recruit workers.

Pastor, be a part of each day’s VBS activities. Get to know the workers and the children.  You will be the only pastor some of these children ever meet.  They should learn that you love them and that you love Jesus.  Your relationship with these children will enable you to visit their parents.

Conduct the commencement on Sunday morning. Start promoting the “VBS commencement” on the first day of VBS and push it hard.  Send notes home to parents, give children responsibilities in the service, and ask your workers to call each set of parents and invite them to the commencement.  These families become great prospects.

Use prospects to help in VBS.  While you should not give them leadership responsibilities, by encouraging them to serve you make them feel at home in your church.

Mary, my wife, was led to Christ in VBS on a military base in the Philippines. A Navy Chaplain realized that lost children of sailors needed the Lord and he used the most productive evangelistic tool available to reach them.  Her mom was reached by the Chaplain following the VBS.  They were the first fruits of their whole family.

Allison Kizzia ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) can help you with your VBS.  This blog is posted every Friday.  You can request it in an RSS feed in the column to the right. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it