Vacation Bible School: 

There are two main reasons for a summer intensive for children:

1.  Bring new children into the church.

2.  Teach them more about Jesus.

Over the years VBS has become extremely creative, but the main goal of your summer program includes the two items above.  If you are worried about overworking your volunteers or are having trouble getting enough volunteers considering the following:

1. A month of Sundays!  Choose one summer month where every Sunday is a big incentive for children to come.  Pizza and Puppets!  World's longest Sundae!  Bounce house day!  Add a contest for Bible memorization and for bringing visitors.  Dollar Tree Sunday (in which you provide a dollar tree toy for everyone who brings a visitor.  You'll also give one to the visitor.)

2.  Kids' Crusade:  This is a 3 to 5 night (or day) event in which all of the children come into the main area for a show and in depth teaching using great visuals.  Hire an evangelist to do the work of all your upfront people (with the possible exception of music).  Plan 60 to 75 minutes in the main session and then add a snack, or fun contests to bring it to the time you want.  A side effect to a shorter session than the regular VBS is that parents are more likely to stay and enjoy the show.  For the best effect give the evangelist 10 to 15 minutes on the Sunday before the crusade begins, or start on Sunday night.

3.  Cool Classes:  Ask for new volunteers to come in and teach rotating groups whatever their expertise is.  Wiffleball, soccer, cooking, knitting, puppetry, piano, etc.  Children will sign up for a 25 minute class or two each day.  The cooking class will make enough snacks for everyone.  Add music and you have your own VBS.

4.  It's a Party Every Day!  Decorate one room for Christmas, one for Easter, one for Valentine's Day, One for birthdays, and one for the 4th of July.  Children will rotate through and will learn something new each day about each holiday or the theme (such as love) of that day.  Have party games, jump houses, drawings for gifts to open, and a decorated stage.  Add lots of balloons!  Not enough workers?  Don't split into the rooms.  Keep the party in one main area and have a Christmas "expert", love doctor, Uncle Sam, and others present from the stage each day.  Music taught is easily obtained.

-submitted by Tony Borders, children's evangelist and author   www.tonyborders.com