DON’T BE

BY EMILY SMITH CHILDREN’S SPECIALIST

With all the twists and turns churches have experienced in their kids ministries these past few years, one may be wondering what’s their next move? Like playing your favorite board game, will we land on the spot that jumps us ahead or sets us back four spaces? There is a strategy that could be a game changer for your kids ministry this summer—Vacation Bible School! How could this century-old program be effective in our kids ministry today?

According to Lifeway VBS Team Leader Melita Thomas, VBS accounts for roughly 25 percent of baptisms in Southern Baptist churches. Think about your own church. If you incorporated

VBS in any form as part of your kids ministry, then one-quarter of the people your church reached were reached as a result of VBS.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Anna Blase at First Baptist Church in Dierks couldn’t imagine summer without VBS. So, they did what many churches did in 2020, they added a twist to their VBS strategy and offered a first-ever virtual VBS. As a result, Anna shared how a young boy in their community whom they had been inviting to church, participated in their virtual VBS and accepted Christ as his personal Savior on day four. Their first-ever virtual VBS had been a success. The turn they took in their VBS plan had been worth it! We know there will always be twists and turns in kids ministry and ministry does not stop when the last child leaves