Vacation Bible school, known as VBS by many, has been a staple in the life of American churches for decades. From its beginnings in the late 1800s, the focus has been a ministry to children.
VBS has been a source of teaching, ministry, fellowship and outreach for more than a century. It began in most places as a program for children, to offer education, respite and care. As it grew, it became a place of discipleship and evangelism and a place of entertainment and attraction.
Sarah Boberg
I have been a part of VBS in many different denominations, settings and capacities since I was a child. Some of my fondest memories are from VBS at Faison Presbyterian Church. I remember listening intently to the Bible stories, putting together the crafts, sweating while playing the games and singing those catchy songs months after VBS was over.
I remember snack time, standing around the kitchen island in front of one square napkin with a few cheese puffs and a couple of round butter cookies, accompanied by a small cup of red Kool-Aid. I remember licking my fingers clean after eating the cheese puffs. (Thank you, immune system; who knows what kind of germs were on my hands at that point.) As a child, VBS was something I looked forward to every summer.
As a youth and adult, I volunteered at VBS. As a teenager, I remember feeling so grown and responsible as I led a class of children from one activity to the next. As an adult, I remember the hours of prep and excitement of the first day. I remember the happy faces, the many Band-Aids and tears, the fun and the excitement, the moving of the Holy Spirit. As an adult, VBS was something I looked forward to every summer.
“If you talk to almost any American who was raised in a Mainline or Baptist church, they will have memories of VBS.”
If you talk to almost any American who was raised in a Mainline or Baptist church, they will have memories of VBS. The power of this event is evident in the faith stories people share, in the church histories, in the photos posted in church buildings, and in the growth of publishing companies and suppliers for this epic ministry.
As a children’s minister and Christian educator, I still love VBS. I love the opportunity for the entire church to come together to worship, study and fellowship. For many churches, VBS is the closest we get to looking like the Acts 2 church.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
I love the excitement and smiles on the faces of children as they experience the presence and power of God through story, music and play. I love seeing adults and children come together, instead of being separated into their divided church places. I love the energy and creativity that often surrounds the planning, preparation and implementation of VBS. I love VBS.
But also, as a children’s minister and Christian educator, I understand there is a time and place for everything, and for some churches, the time and place for VBS has come and gone. For many churches, the energy and excitement that surrounded VBS 20 or even 40 years ago is no longer a reality.
Churches are different. Many churches are smaller with fewer resources. Churches are aging, which means volunteers are aging and some are no longer able to contribute the same time and effort. The model many churches use for VBS requires a lot of people and resources.
“Earlier in American church history VBS was the only program offered for children.”
Church programing is different. Earlier in American church history VBS was the only program offered for children. Now, most churches include multiple ministries for children throughout the year.
People and families are different. People travel. People socialize and learn outside their faith communities. VBS is no longer the first date or priority on people’s summer calendars.
So, what does all this mean for vacation Bible school? I think this means many churches need to take a long and real look at VBS.
- Some churches need to celebrate the VBS ministry and recite its eulogy.
- Some churches need to rethink the VBS model and create a model that works better within the reality of their church resources.
- Some churches need to evaluate their children’s programming as a whole.
- Some churches need to grow or evolve their VBS ministry and partner with other churches and organizations to meet the needs of their church and community.
At Campbell University Divinity School, I teach a class called Designing Church Programs and Ministries. In class, we reflect on traditional church programs/ministries and vision for present and future programs/ministries. The question we begin with is, “Why?”
The purpose of a program or ministry matters. If your why is, “We have always done it this way,” that is not an appropriate why. Unfortunately, VBS often falls into this category. An evaluation of VBS begins with, “Why?” Following the why, churches need to explore the effectiveness and efficiency of VBS in relation to the church’s vision and resources.
VBS has a beautiful history of ministering to children for more than a century. For many churches, VBS continues to thrive. For other churches, VBS has become a burden. As with any program or ministry, VBS needs to be evaluated. Holding on to programs and ministries for the sake of nostalgia and tradition often distracts churches from other ministry opportunities.
‘Tis the season for many churches to prepare a eulogy for VBS, and maybe a few other beloved programs and ministries. And ’tis the season for many churches to envision new programs and ministries.
For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)
Sarah Boberg serves as program coordinator for the Boundary Spanning Theological Education program and adjunct instructor for Christian education at Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, N.C. She earned a bachelor’s degree in religion and a master of divinity degree from Campbell, she earned a Ph.D. in educational studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her dissertation research focused on the call experiences of Baptist women in ministry. She also serves as minister of children at Ox Hill Baptist Church in Chantilly, Va.