Summertime means Vacation Bible School for many churches across the country. For more than a hundred years, VBS has provided children a week-long, faith-based experience combining learning with fun and fellowship.
Excitement filled the air at Kempsville Baptist Church in Virginia Beach on a recent hot Wednesday night in July, as children from kindergarten through 5th grade showed up for their 3rd night of VBS. Bible lessons combined with games, crafts, music and other activities engage the young people while helping them grow in their faith.
This year’s focus is magnifying the Lord.
Lifeway VBS Specialist Melita Thomas told CBN News, “It’s all about seeing the bigness of God in the small details of His creation. For a generation of kids that is plagued with isolation, that’s plagued with anxiety and loneliness and worry to have a message that the God of the universe is never too busy for you, that He sees you and knows you and loves you, He made you, you are not a mistake. He knows how many hairs are on your head. He loves you so much that He chose to die to pave the way for our relationship to be restored to Him.”
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
In addition to the activities, many children receive Jesus during their time here.
“I think at least every year we have one or two kids that come to know the Lord, and then we see them plant that seed to their families as they go back home also. And then we’ve had families come attend our church through this also,” Kempsville VBS Dir. McKenzie Miles said.
According to research, nearly 3 million children will attend a Lifeway Vacation Bible school this summer with about 70,000 making a personal decision to follow Christ. As for trends, Thomas says more churches are starting to customize VBS for greater reach and impact.
“And so we’ll see a lot of churches who are pivoting from a five-day traditional VBS setting to maybe doing that across multiple weeks in the summer for a midweek program. We’ll see them who will do it just in a weekend. Can we do it in three days or four days? Could we do even an all-day VBS?” she explained. “If you’re like me, I remember my VBS, it was all about crafts, and I can remember all of them that I made those kinds of things that we’re still hanging on, the macrame, we’re still hanging on the bird feeder, but now we’re seeing a huge trend toward music being the big thing that speaks to this generation of kids and students.”
And judging from their little smiles, there’s no place these kids would rather be on a hot summer night.
When asked what she loves about Vacation Bible School, Emmalyn Kessler, a 5th grader, told CBN News, “I love meeting new people and dancing to the songs. It makes me feel closer to God and Jesus, and it’s really fun.”
When asked what he has learned about Jesus this week, 5th grader Grandville Priest told us, “We need to magnify Him. It means I get to get closer to God and get to learn about him. follow Him.”
Vacation Bible Schools are held throughout the summer, and you usually don’t have to attend the church that’s hosting it. If you’re interested in your child attending, you can check with the local churches in your area.
Build a Christ-centered home and grow together in faith with this free 8-day devotional guide filled with Scripture, reflection, and prayer. Get your copy today!
