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Advice From The Experts

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Advice from the Experts: Reaching Unchurched Families Through VBS

The best VBS leaders are learners, and the best learners enjoy sharing with others what they have learned through trial and error. Today’s advice comes from Ginger Owens, Minister of Childhood Education, First Baptist Church Panama City, Florida.

 

We just completed VBS “Journey Off The Map” with our focus being reaching those who are unchurched. We had 80 families mark the registration card that they do not attend church anywhere! That represents about 40% of the kids enrolled.

 

We had a total of 27 kids from unchurched families who made decisions to follow Christ. We counseled each child on an individual basis to give counselors the opportunity to gather more information about them.

 

One child from an unchurched family was baptized during Family Night. His father made his decision to follow Christ the following Monday night during our FAITH visitation.  Four children, again from unchurched families, were baptized the Sunday after VBS. God has truly answered our prayers!

 

OUTREACH AND EVANGELISM IS PRIORITY
In the last several years we have educated our church members through Sunday School that VBS is for the unchurched. FBC understands that VBS is a church wide event! We LOVE our kids at FBC BUT we need to reach our community for Christ and VBS is one of our best opportunities! Our pastor leads out by promoting the purpose and priority of VBS from the pulpit. No staff member is allowed to take vacation during VBS and everyone participates in some way.

 

PROMOTION IS KEY
We advertise on secular radio stations and community calendars as well as send out flyers through the schools (we go through the process at the district school office). Our church members have flyers and are instructed that they are to promote in their neighborhood, places they go and where they work. We also give out yard signs for our members to put in their front yards and businesses.

 

CHILDCARE GROUPS ARE WELCOMED
We have two day care centers and two after school programs that attend each year.

 

FOLLOW-UP IS INTENTIONAL AND PLANNED
In advance of VBS gift bags were packed for delivery to all the unchurched families. Each bag included a VBS Bible, VBS CD, and information about our church.

 

PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL
Since VBS is church-wide event, bags were packed and prayed over by our Senior Adult Sunday School classes. Our oldest WMU group also folded all the VBS t-shirts and prayed over them.

 

VBS SHIRTS OPEN DOORS
VBS t-shirts were worn during VBS follow-up contacts. Unchurched families felt comfortable opening their doors to visitors because they recognized the shirt.

 

PARENTING CLASS
The Sunday following VBS a parenting class was offered for all the unchurch families or parents who do not attend Sunday School. While their parents attend the parenting class, children attend an age-appropriate Sunday School class where and see some of their VBS friends. In the past this class has been the start of a new Sunday School class. This year I am teaching the class for the first six weeks because many of the parents know my face, but I have a co-teacher ready to take the class at the end of 6 weeks.

 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: What actions did you take this year to intentionally reach unchurched families through VBS?

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Advice From the Experts: Choosing VBS Curriculum

The best VBS leaders are learners, and the best learners enjoy sharing with others what they have learned through trial and error. Today’s advice comes from Dr. Diane Lane, Preschool and Children’s Specialist, Baptist General Convention of Texas.

You are looking for Vacation Bible School curriculum and it looks good—bright colors and childish– but is that important? Then you begin to wonder–what do I really want to have in a Vacation Bible School curriculum? Is it the splash or content? Is it the crafts or missions? Is it the music or the motions? Is it all or none of these things?

Children are the epicenter of Vacation Bible School. Children’s lives have to be changed. So, peering through children eyes…

  1. Curriculum needs to have a natural flow and relate to all areas of VBS. There has to be a natural connection with all areas of VBS. Bible passages, activities, recreation, mission stories, and Bible skills must be connected.
  2. Curriculum needs to include how to use the Bible during Bible Study, as well as a time to learn where and how to find the daily passages in the Bible.
  3. Activities are meaningful, age-inspired, and varied throughout the sessions. Activities need to be both active and passive, make the children think, and relate to the Bible passage.
  4. The Bible background information must be written to give opportunity for the teacher to deepen their spiritual understanding of the passages. This helps them be better prepared to teach the child.
  5. It has to be cost effective. Ministers will spend the money if there is value in what they are buying. Resources have to be more than “religious rubbish”.
  6. The plan of salvation is given simply and concretely.   If manipulation and pressure is used to force children to say words they do not mean, the child is spiritually harmed.
  7. Guidelines on conversations with children are given. VBS is a time when many adults are willing to volunteer, if they are given direction on conversation tips. This creates a more comfortable teaching situation for the child, as well as the adult.

When these things are considered, you will be on your way to finding a great VBS curriculum!

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: What do you look for when choosing curriculum for VBS?

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Advice From the Experts – Using BKC to Reach Your Community

The best VBS leaders are learners, and the best learners enjoy sharing with others what they have learned through trial and error. Today’s advice comes from Vicki Hulsey, Childhood Education Specialist, Tennessee Baptist Convention. Vicki helped develop, test, and train others to use LifeWay’s Backyard Kids Club resources.

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Acts 1:8 teaches that we are to share the Gospel everywhere and that begins in our own neighborhoods! Backyard Kids Club is an opportunity to take VBS off your church campus and to a location where people can be reached who would not normally come to a church building. Following are six successful tools our church has used in reaching our communities through Backyard Kids Club.

  • Conduct a Kickoff Event to pre-enroll neighborhood kids and to build excitement for Backyard Kids Club.
  • Pray before, during, and after Backyard Kids Club that children and families will to come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.
  • Provide an opportunity for parents to share the excitement of Backyard Kids Club by hosting a Celebration event that includes food, BKC music, games, and an opportunity for leaders to engage in conversations with parents.
  • Follow up with kids and their families, sharing information about your church. Be sure to including upcoming events for kids and families.
  • Connect with kids who made a decision to accept Christ. Consider offering a New Christians Class at the same location as your Backyard Kids Club.
  • Plan one or more simple events during the year to build relationships with neighborhood children and their families. 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: How has Backyard Kids Clubs helped your church reach your community?