The Vacation Bible School Ministry
Saturday, 19. July 2008, 13:33:00
I just completed a week of Vacation Bible School at my church. For the first time in recent years, I was home in time to be able to attend. VBS at my church is usually from 6:30pm to 8:30 pm for 1 week in July. Some churches have it in the morning form 9 to 12. Most churches whether they have it in the morning or evening will do it from 1 week to a month. The ministry of VBS is one of the greatest opportunities Christians have for reaching those living in the surrounding church neighborhoods. Children generally are the primary targets, but many churches include a class for adults. It continues to be one of the most productive special events in terms of both finding and leading people to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have seen entire families come to accept Jesus Christ as Savior through VBS. Check out the VBS at your church or at a church in your neighborhood.
I read last year that some churches are no longer having VBS due to unavailability of teachers. I also think it is due to the ever growing cost of materials per pupil. At my former church in Philly, I was an assistant/co-director for many years of a two week program. I understand about the cost of VBS curriculum materials. Church budgets for VBS stay the same or even get smaller as the price for the material packets increase. We did have to charge a one time fee of $ 5.00 per family for children that used our van transportation. I have experienced by this time, parents jump at the opportunity to send their children somewhere secure and beneficial in the evenings, whether it is in the city like Philly or a suburban borough like Lansdale.
Some of the cost cutting measures taken by churches are its church members creating the theme and materials for the bible classes and crafts instead of buying the costly packets per pupil. One creative edible craft that was done at my church for the early elementary grades was a partially hollowed out cupcake, a round cookie, chocolate and peanut butter icing and colored coconut shavings assembled to create an empty tomb which signified the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.
Finally, because I was able to be at VBS this year, my Sunday school teacher asked me to assist in the class of early elementary children which numbered 16. The teacher became very sick. So from Wednesday on, I was teaching the class. Go here to my post last year on this subject to get to the link about VBS decline/importance. Go here to read about protecting VBS from the Christian Law Association.
