Vacation Bible School (VBS) isn’t just for the little ones with the Kool-Aid mustaches anymore.
It’s for people of all ages.
“It’s a great outreach tool for adults and youth to study the Bible just like children,” said James Blakeney, an associate in the office of Sunday School for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
“Some of our churches have found a very effective way of ministering to adults at the same time they are ministering to the children.”
And every year, there are churches that try VBS for adults and youth for the first time, Blakeney noted.
This year, in addition to its normal VBS for children and youth, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Moulton, in Muscle Shoals Baptist Association will offer VBS for adults and special-needs adults, as well as a missions VBS in Honduras.
“We need to teach the Bible more and more, and adults need more exposure to Word of God,” Associate Pastor Neil Carter said, adding that VBS is a great outlet for that.
Another reason to open VBS to older age groups is because even adults “are looking for activities,” said Carter, who serves on Muscle Shoals Association’s VBS team, helping lead adult VBS training courses.
“It never hurts to try new things, never hurts,” he said. “And after traveling the state, talking with folks throughout the state who are already doing a great job at this, (I know) it’s something that can really benefit a church.”
Carter said just like any other VBS, preliminary planning stages for adult and youth VBS include prayer, planning follow-up and worker training (see ‘When planning’ at left for more reminders).
“If a church is getting ready to start planning any kind of VBS, the first thing it needs to plan is the
follow-up,” he said. “Sometimes we leave it until the last thing and it gets neglected.”
Of course, recruiting and training workers is essential to having a great VBS, Carter pointed out.
“But before any of that — even the follow-up — start praying,” he said. “Praying first, then (planning) follow-up and then training.”
No matter which age a church chooses to focus on with VBS, Blakeney said it’s important to remember that “it’s just a new way to reach people.”
“I encourage that every year — find as many ways as you can to use Vacation Bible school to minister to people,” he said.
For more information about or resources for adult and youth VBS, contact your associational office or call 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 286.
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When planning …
• Establish a budget
• Coordinate staff, dates and times
• Build enthusiasm
• Recruit workers
• Divide workers into departments
• Schedule worker training
• Choose supplies and order materials
• Establish a rotation/schedule
• Bring in people to do new stuff
• Coordinate the schedule with rooms
• Look for unique ideas
• Publicize
• Decorate
• Show appreciation
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