Planning, preparation vital to successful Vacation Bible School, leaders say

When students in Alabama’s Baptist churches attend Vacation Bible School (VBS) this summer, they will be participating in a week of activities that could make a difference in their lives forever.
   
The theme for VBS this year is “Truth Trackers and the Secret of the Stone Tablets.” But while the week is over almost as quickly as it comes, planning for it takes months on the part of church leaders and volunteers.
   
“If they don’t start by January or February, they’re going to miss a good opportunity for leadership development,” said James Blakeney, associate for preschool and children at the State Board of Missions (SBOM) office of Sunday School. “Vacation Bible School is almost a year-round investment.”
   
Blakeney said promotion of Vacation Bible School comes before the event, along with recruitment of leaders and scheduling activities. But he said work continues long after that in the form of following up with decisions made by children at VBS.
   
“You can start the week before, but it’s mighty hard to be prepared for the most evangelistic event that Southern Baptists have if you start at the last minute,” Blakeney said.
   
“Vacation Bible School is one of the biggest events in Southern Baptist life and in order to do it well, we have to have advance planning,” said Pam McDaniel, minister to children and preschool students at First Baptist Church, Huntsville.
   
The impact VBS can have on a child’s life is something a Montgomery minister said cannot be taken for granted.
   
“More children are led to Christ through VBS than any other single event in Southern Baptist life,” said Steve Brown, minister of education at Taylor Road Baptist Church.
   
Brown said an estimated 350,000 children were led to Christ last year during Vacation Bible Schools held at Southern Baptist churches. “You can see it’s a very powerful program,” he said.
   
McDaniel echoed Brown’s comments, saying VBS offers an “extended time” for sharing Christ with children.
   
One of the first decisions Blakeney said has to be made is the choice of a VBS director. Once that is done, Blakeney said the director has to work with Sunday School directors to enlist teachers.
   
For Taylor Road, which has scheduled VBS for June 18–22, planning began almost as soon as last year’s VBS was completed. Brown said the process began with selecting a date and director for this year.
   
Brown said the church has already recruited half of its age group directors and teachers.
   
Blakeney said there also has to be planning for activities that include missions emphasis, music, crafts, recreation and snacks, with each area relating to that day’s lesson. “Everything done that day (at VBS) comes back to that same Bible emphasis,” he said.
   
Curriculum is available, according to Blakeney, that helps teachers with relating the lesson in the area of snacks and recreation.
   
An advantage of VBS for churches, Brown explained, is it helps them find potential teachers to work with children once VBS concludes for the year.
   
“Many of them decide that’s something they’re gifted in and want to continue with,” Brown said.
   
“We encourage churches to do Vacation Bible School, but that they do it well and prepare ahead of time,” Blakeney said. “The importance of preparation is paramount.”
   
Blakeney said a series of workshops in associations throughout the state are scheduled to help churches with their plans for VBS. Churches can obtain information about the clinics by calling Blakeney at 1-800-264-1225 or by visiting the SBOM Web site at www.alsbom.org.