News

5 Tips for Planning a Successful VBS Program This Summer

Looking for a way to make Vacation Bible School (VBS) a success this year? Here are five ideas from Candy DeVore, editor of Kids’ Ministry Ideas magazine, to help church leaders with their VBS planning.

 

1.     Start planning early. Identify who will be helping you with what and create a VBS planning calendar, with a list of activities, responsibilities, and deadlines. Plan activities that involve the kids in action and movement.

2.     Involve youth as leaders. Earliteens and youth make good leaders because the kids think they are cool and will emulate them. You can also involve the little ones in stuffing envelopes or making decorations.

3.     Let the relationship, not the program, drive you. Relax and remember that VBS is about building relationships with the kids and bringing them to Christ.

4.     Never underestimate the power of prayer. Start a prayer club with your planning group and pray daily for the success of your VBS program.

5.     Make sure each child goes home with a Bible in their hand and a copy of an outreach magazine like Real. You can request up to 50 free copies of Real by calling 301-393-4037 or you can subscribe a child who attended your VBS by going to www.ShareReal.org.

 

You can also go to kidsministryideas.com for more ideas and information about VBS.  “VBS is an important part of church ministry, we can never underestimate the power of this evangelistic tool and the receptiveness of our children’s hearts to Jesus’ love,” says DeVore. “It’s a great tool to bring kids to Christ.”

 

Review and Herald Publishing produces many materials to help make VBS successful. The new 2011 VBS kit is called Go Fishin’. This program teaches kids how to draw others to Jesus and become fishers of men.  Other materials available from Review and Herald Publishing are the KGCN VBS kit and various other activity manuals, music CDs, and leader’s guides. All are available at www.reviewandherald.com.

 

About Real Magazine

Real is a free bimonthly outreach magazine for unchurched and former Adventist young people ages 9-15. Real contains true stories, surprising facts, advice columns, Bible study pages, and more.

 

Real is published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, the flagship publishing house of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Developed by the editors of Guide, this new outreach magazine draws on Guide’s nearly 60 years of ministry to children.