First Baptist Church Butler decided to change up their normal Vacation Bible School plan this year after Pastor Jason Moye had a burden to do something different.
“Most churches do the same theme around here, so kids were coming (to VBS at FBC) and they already knew the Bible studies and the songs,” he said. “It just wasn’t anything fresh for them.”
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After praying and searching for a different type of curriculum that would be unique to the church, Moye said God led him to the song “Same God” by Elevation Worship. By using this song as a framework for the VBS theme, they covered the Bible narratives of Jacob, Moses, David, Mary and Jesus.
The theme verse was Malachi 3:6 — “I am the Lord; I do not change.”
Moye said the fact that the song was biblically sound was key.
“We want to be excellent in what we do,” he said. “It’s not that we choose to do a VBS differently than everyone else because we are different — no, we wanted to do something unique to us because we have the resources available to do so and God led us to do so.”
New program for fifth and sixth graders
The VBS — held July 13-17 — included skits in which volunteers dressed up and acted out scenes from the Bible. It also included a mix of new songs and old favorites.
As part of the week, FBC also added a new program for fifth and sixth graders called VBX (Vacation Bible Experience).
Scott Wheeler, FBC’s associate and youth pastor, said the focus of VBX was a little different from the rest of VBS in that he highlighted the human side of each person from the Bible.
“I didn’t want them to think that God only makes promises to those people who deserve it, because nobody deserves it,” he said.
He said he “really focused on the fact that the grace of God changes people” and makes them a “new creation.”
Overall, FBC saw 160 students attend VBS and VBX, with more than 100 volunteers serving. Moye said the biggest point of celebration for them was that 14 children professed faith in Jesus, nine of which were attending VBX.
Wheeler said they are now walking with those kids to determine where they are in their faith journey and disciple them to walk with Christ.
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