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LifeWay VBS 2019

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Enlisting, Equipping, and Encouraging VBS Workers

by Bill Emeott
Lead Ministry Specialist | LifeWay Kids

I hear the same concerns in church after church: “We don’t have enough workers!” In some cases, I’ve even heard of churches that have cancelled Vacation Bible School because they couldn’t find workers to serve. So, what is the answer?

I wish I had a magic pill that when placed in a glass of water a ready, willing, and trained worker would pop up. Unfortunately, I don’t ,but what I do offer are some principles that I think will help with your enlistment and even promote retention year after year.

ENLIST

  1. KNOW THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL. As much as you want to have a successful VBS, much more so the Lord Jesus Christ wants that for you, your church, and the kiddos who will be attending. Pray for workers. Pray for workers. Pray that God will lead your path to intersect with those He’s preparing to serve. Pray for people who need to be attentive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in regards to VBS. Pray, pray, PRAY!
  2. RECRUIT WITH A VISION. Everyone wants to be a part of something that’s important and VBS IS IMPORTANT. Start with the vision, the mission, and the goal. Start with the why of VBS. In most churches, VBS is the most focused evangelistic opportunity of the year. Lead with the dream of seeing boys and girls and their families come to know Jesus. That compelling mission is something for which folks will get on board.
  3. BE ORGANIZED. No one wants to be a part of a hot mess. Get organized and present an organized front. Know what your needs are and when asked, be ready to clearly present those needs. Organization makes a difference.
  4. BE ENTHUSIASTIC. You should be the most excited person in your church when it comes to VBS. Excitement is contagious. People get excited about what you’re excited about. Be the catalyst for enthusiasm when it come to VBS.
  5. SHARE THE JOY. You don’t have to do all the enlisting alone. Start by recruiting leaders of various areas within your VBS and empower them to enlist those who will be working with them. Enlist a VBS Preschool director to enlist lead preschool teachers who will then enlist the teachers who will work directly with them. The same goes for every major department within your VBS.
  6. USE A MINISTRY DESCRIPTION. I’m not talking about a three-page document that has to be read with an attorney. I’m talking about a half page, bullet-pointed list of what it is you are asking someone to do. People don’t live up to our expectations because they don’t know what we expect. It’s a lot easier to say yes when you know what you’re being asked to do.
  7. DON’T FORGET THE MEN. Kids need to see men serving. Don’t assume they won’t. Guys make great VBS volunteers. Keep in mind that men want to know their role is important. They’re not interested in serving in the middle of a hot mess, and they want to know what it is you’re asking them to do.
  8. CONSIDER THE BUDDY SYSTEM. Often, friends are more apt to agree to work together than if you ask them to serve alone. Consider best friends serving together or even sharing larger, more demanding roles. I’ve been surprised at the difference in response when I ask good friends to serve together.

EQUIP

Don’t just enlist and leave them hanging. Equip and empower recruits for success.

  • TRAIN THEM. A lot of people won’t volunteer because they don’t think they’re “teacher” material. However, most everyone can be taught, and part of your role as VBS leader is to train recruits for the tasks at hand.
    • Provide information and encourage workers to attend local training events. Conventions and associations of churches often pool their resources to provide training. Seek those opportunities and share them with your leaders.
    • Consider hosting a training/kick-off party at your church. Provide a themed snack or meal, share needed details regarding your upcoming VBS, and enlist your team leaders to lead their teams in training.
    • One-on-one training around a cup of coffee might be your best bet. Meet at a local coffee shop with those in whom you need to invest.
    • Online training is an option. Simple hand-held or propped up smart-phone videos texted or emailed to your team can be an effective way to get information and training out to your folks. Be creative.
  • EQUIP THEM. Not only do folks need training; they need equipping. Equip your leaders with the resources they need.
    • Curriculum. It’s been said that curriculum is only as good as the teacher teaching it, but I’ve found that many teachers (especially new teachers) are only as good as the curriculum that’s been provided. Make sure you’re choosing curriculum that is Bible-based, age-appropriate, and child-centered.
    • Resources. Provide the resources and equipment your folks will need. If your church has a supply closet, make sure it’s fully stocked and your volunteers know they can access those resources. If there are unique resource needs, agree to assist in providing necessary items. Budgets are limited, both at church and at home. Don’t let VBS be a financial burden to your leaders. Work to find a solution.

ENCOURAGE

Providing support and appreciation goes a long way toward a happy recruit. Don’t enlist them and leave them. Be there for your team. Encourage them with Scripture, pats on the back, emails, handwritten notes, and other fun ways to express appreciation. Remind VBS workers that what they’re doing is truly making a difference—an eternal difference. Cheer your leaders on to victory and success.

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Music Matters: How VBS Songs Help Kids Learn Biblical Truth

by: Jana Magruder
Director of LifeWay Kids

Most of us know that learning something accompanied by a melody will help us remember that concept.  Think back to younger years and chances are, a familiar tune helped you learn the ABC’s.  And if you close your eyes, you’ll remember that same little song is also the tune of a familiar nursery rhyme, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” which most anyone can remember the words of today. There are countless examples of how music has helped us learn and memorize important things in our lives—from the ABC’s to math formulas, from the “Star Spangled Banner” to that VeggieTales opening song!  Whatever it may be, music helps us memorize, but more importantly, it helps make a memory.

This is precisely why our VBS team puts so much effort into making VBS songs biblically-sound, full of teaching truths, and without a doubt fun and memorable.  For example, the 2018 VBS theme song “Game On” included the lyrics:

“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by  his own glory and goodness.”

You may or may not know that this particular section of the song is straight up Scripture (2 Peter 1:3) and anchors the entire message for Game On!™ VBS! The millions of kids, students, and adults who learned that song now know that “gearing up for life’s big game” comes from the divine power of Jesus who has given us all we need for life. That’s a big concept, but it’s easily learned through the power of song. If you were at a Game On! VBS last summer, I bet you are singing it right now!

Crafting these songs together each year is no easy task, but it sure does help to live in Nashville, TN! We are so fortunate to work with world-class songwriters, producers, and musicians who call Music City their home.  In fact, LifeWay VBS regularly makes the top 20 on the Billboard charts for Kids Music. It’s interesting to note that this includes ALL kids music—not just Christian music. It’s a huge honor to be able to serve so many listeners with biblically-sound and amazingly fun songs each year.  These songs are catchy to sing and move around to, but more importantly, they are valuable tools to help kids of all ages memorize Scripture and learn about God’s love.

Each year, our team hears testimonies from teenagers and young adults who say that a VBS song they learned as a child helped them recall Scripture they needed at the right time for a situation in life. Stories like these help us know that when it comes to VBS, music matters. While the songs may get stuck in your head to the point of delirium, God can use them in a powerful way to help all of us learn His Word in a fun and exciting way! So keep singing, keep learning!

By the way, you’re going to LOVE the songs for In the Wild™ this summer. They’re incredibly catchy and underscore each day’s Bible truth to help kids understand who Jesus is, why He came, and why that matters. That’s something we want to drill down deep into kids’ hearts and minds so that they can carry it with them all the days of their lives. If you haven’t already picked up your In the Wild music resources, you may preview all of the songs on our VBS website HERE.

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Decorating Dilemmas

by: Rhonda VanCleave
VBS Publishing Team Leader

I have a cousin who is an interior designer. I am not. She posts tons of Facebook photos of how her home changes to reflect the seasons. My home reflects the season changes based on what is dumped on the dining table or what shoes pile up by the back door. Yes, I indulge in a bit of home décor like the dollar store “Welcome” sign on the front door or an occasional what not, but that’s about it. Is my cousin’s home better than mine? Am I a slacker? No to both questions! The truth is, we have different personalities, priorities, and preferences. Both of us have homes that are places to be with family, gather with friends, and do life. It’s the same way with our churches. During the course of our marriage, my husband and I have lived in four states and been part of six different churches. And, guess what, they decorated differently for Christmas, for Thanksgiving, for Easter, and most assuredly, they decorated differently for VBS. Were any of them “wrong” or “better”? Of course not! Here’s what I’ve discovered first hand about decorating for VBS:

  • Decorating is as much a use of talents and gifts as any other act of service (teaching, music, etc.). When those who are gifted are allowed and encouraged to use their gifts, they blossom and grow, and the church benefits. Not only that, but it frees up those who are not so decorating-inclined to focus on that with which they feel most comfortable.
  • Not every church has someone who loves to go all out with decorating. Embrace that fact. If God wanted that sort of person in your church, He would have provided it. Use pre-made decorations, keep it to a minimum, and look for what God HAS provided for you. Maybe your church has an amazing snack team, or energetic recreation leaders, or really engaging Bible study leaders. Thank God for your strengths and don’t allow the enemy to focus your attention on comparing your church with someone else’s.
  • Even classrooms can vary. Some classrooms may look like Pinterest exploded. There are kids who will thrive in that environment. Other classrooms may have nothing more than items from the teaching kit. However, kids who struggle with overstimulation may find this peaceful environment perfect. Make each teacher feel appreciated and successful. And if you do notice a “beyond expectations” room, invite that person to help with your overall decorations next year!
  • Budgets can limit decorating options, but again, if you have a person or people with this talent, money is not usually an issue. One of our churches had a lady who could do amazing things with cardboard appliance boxes and cans of “goof” paint from the hardware store. Others can rummage through supply closets and imagine things I totally miss. Decorating shouldn’t consume the bulk of your budget, which may mean putting the brakes on some who are overzealous.
  • Kids rarely comment about the stage decorations or things they passed along the hallways. But they will often talk about the people who talked with them, who made them feel special, or who made the experience fun. Kids are usually more into what they are able to do, rather than what they see.

The bottom line is that we should look carefully at the people God has placed in our church and encourage them to serve God in their sweet spots. My pastor often teaches that one of the best ways to discover your gifts is to pay attention to what you enjoy the most and then think about how you can serve God with those gifts. Serving God with the gifts and abilities He has given us is rewarding. We are not in competition with the church down the street or across town. We are serving God where He planted us. Sometimes that means smoke machines and light shows, and sometimes it means cardboard and paint. But I can guarantee you this—regardless of our efforts, when a precious soul responds to the gospel, that’s when heaven rejoices.

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