What Can VBS Do For Your Church, Your Community?
Many times as Director of Leadership Development for Lexington Baptist Association I am asked the question, “What can this or that do for our local church and our local community? Or better yet, “How will this help us reach our local community?” These are great questions and ones that should certainly be addressed but I think perhaps even a greater question is, “What can VBS do in helping our church reach the cultures of our local communities and impact the Kingdom for the glory of God in the process?”
First, VBS is cross cultural in that it is designed to provide a broad invitation to the cultures of the community because the exposure of learning and participation is based on the ability of those participating to discover and learn about the Bible at a pace they can feel comfortable with. Preschoolers, Children, Youth and yes, even Adults are not expected to have a certain level of Bible knowledge to attend and participate. No one is expected to perform at a predisposed level of knowledge of the Bible and the truths of the scriptures. Therefore, VBS is designed to get people excited about discovering God’s promises to them, exploring those promises and excelling in a personal relationship with Him through the Lord Jesus Christ. What pastor would not want that for the church?
Second, VBS is vital to the ministry of your local church’s evangelistic outreach. It is a big endeavor but well worth the effort on the part of the church and its leadership in reaching their communities with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, VBS is the one tool used in churches that helps more people come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and develop a personal relationship with Him than any other single program or process offered by most local churches. It is where the local church makes a real difference in the lives of preschoolers, children, youth and yes, those adults also. Why would you not want your church to sponsor a VBS for your community knowing that more people are reached through this endeavor for the Lord Jesus Christ than most revivals, study courses, music events, even Sunday School, etc., than any other single event sponsored by your church during the year? Think about the love of Jesus for the souls of people and those results (peoples lives connected in a personal way to God through Jesus) and that should motivate your church to plan a VBS if not for this year then certainly for the next one.
Third, when the reporting is provided accurately as it is should be accomplished, VBS provides an excellent research profile of the community to the pastor, the outreach staff/leadership and the church in discovering ways to connect with the cultures in the community.
Lexington Baptist Association provides two clinics each year to offer training for VBS leadership. The Early Bird Clinic for Pastors, Staff, VBS Directors and Associate Directors is provided in March of each year and the Directors, Associate Directors, Leadership, Teachers, Workers and Helpers Clinic is provided during the month of April. Just watch the LBA Calendar or contact the Director of Leadership Development at (803) 356-2543 for dates, times and locations of the Clinics.
Please send VBS reports to the following three addresses:
Lexington Baptist Association
255 Two Notch Rd.
Lexington, SC 29073
Sue Harmon, Childhood Ministry Group
South Carolina Baptist Convention
190 Stoneridge Drive
Columbia, SC 29210
VBS Report Desk (MSN 177)
Lifeway Christian Resources
One Lifeway Plaza
Nashville, TN 37234
We rejoice with our churches with 11 churches reporting an enrollment of 2,478 with an average attendance of 226 and 60 professions of faith in Christ thus far!