Is VBS Good for Kids?

Jesus understood the importance of reaching out and ministering to children. As He says in Luke 18:16, “But Jesus called the children to Him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’”

As a pastor’s kid, Vacation Bible School was a big part of my life. From as early as I can remember, I attended, helped prepare for it, and eventually assisted with classes and taught younger age groups. It was an event the entire church seemed to look forward to every year. Individuals volunteered and families invited their neighbors and family members to come.

Growing up as a PK (pastor’s kid) comes with all sorts of fun opportunities to be involved at many levels with VBS programs, offering me many wonderful moments that played a huge part in deepening my faith. My memories include faithful church members dressing up and creating fun presentations to invite kids to VBS, stirring up anticipation and excitement for the coming week-long event.

Then, as a pastor’s wife, I was already trained to join in on the pre-VBS excitement and preparation. I remembered my own wonderful experiences, and as an adult, I observed how much it meant to the kids who attended. Some formed long-term relationships, while others had a once-in-a-lifetime impression.

It was a joyful privilege to see some of the kids who attended VBS start coming to church on a regular basis, but there was also sadness at seeing others go out into the world again.

What Is the Main Purpose of VBS?

VBS answers the call of Proverbs 22:6 to “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

One week in VBS can enrich a child for his or her lifetime and transform their faith in a way that helps lead them in the way they should go. It has the potential to teach them what Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

No doubt, VBS is an evangelistic outreach. There is time for Bible teaching and gospel presentation to encourage growth and maturity in a child’s faith. Biblical truths and principles can be applied through fun and creative methods in ways that help kids understand, relate to, and apply them to their lives, leading some to faith in Jesus Christ and encouraging others in their faith.

However, it’s not only an outreach to church members, their family and friends; it is also a way to reach the community. VBS provides adventure, creativity, friendship, fun, and so much more.

What Are the Benefits of VBS?

VBS is a summer outreach that leads countless children to faith in Jesus Christ, proving to be an effective evangelistic tool by changing and transforming lives. It also has the potential to nurture spiritual growth and maturity in kids’ lives that lasts a lifetime.

Here then are 12 benefits of VBS.

1. VBS fosters church unity, bringing members together from all age groups to plan, implement, and carry out ministry to children.

2. VBS gives church members an opportunity to volunteer their time and resources. It teaches the church as a whole how to give their time and efforts to a joint outreach.

3. VBS stirs up church members to take on ministry opportunities they may not have otherwise. Some individuals aren’t sure how to serve in the church and VBS opens up new and unique areas.

4. VBS meets a real spiritual need in the lives of children in the church and also in the community. Kids have a hunger and desire to learn, and it offers them extra time set aside to meet those desires and help them grow in their faith.

5. VBS is an outreach to working parents, too, who are often looking for programs and camps to occupy their children during the summer. Even parents who don’t take their kids to church will often be in favor of sending them to VBS. It gives them something to do, helps keep them busy, and helps parents save on summer childcare costs.

6. VBS offers the opportunity to help fulfill God’s call in Deuteronomy 11:18-21 to: “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates,  so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”

7. VBS gives the opportunity to teach biblical foundational truths to kids who might not otherwise ever hear the Gospel or hear that God loves them. It’s evangelistic in nature and based around Jesus’ commandment in Mark 16:15 to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

8. VBS offers a place for kids to release stored-up energy, giving them a place to go where they feel welcomed. They have other kids to talk with, they can participate in group activities, and they get to spend time away from everyday routines.

9. VBS offers adventure. Various programs are often geared towards an adventure theme, offering an opportunity for kids to escape their daily schedules and face new, challenging, and exciting activities that stretch and help them to grow.

Additionally, because many kids don’t get to go on a vacation during the summer months, VBS helps to fill that gap.

10. VBS offers socialization, giving kids an outlet to be around other kids. In our high-cost economy, often both parents have to work, so many kids are left on their own at home, which can seem isolating and lonely. VBS offers opportunities to meet and make new friends, along with spending time in group activities.

11. VBS offers an escape from summer boredom. Kids can often get bored during their summer school breaks. Sadly, boredom can lead some to get involved in activities and behaviors that lead to trouble and destruction. These have a way of leading people astray. VBS helps to redirect kids to a right pathway, turning their focus and interest away from troublesome outlets towards planned activities, friendship, and a place to belong, if only for a week or so.

12. VBS offers a loving environment. Some children grow up with a lack of love in their homes, but VBS offers kids the opportunity to experience the love of God through godly leaders. Matthew 19:13 describes how people brought their little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and bless them. Although the disciples at the time didn’t see the importance of this, Jesus let them know they were mistaken.

Sadly, some today, like Jesus’ disciples, don’t see the value of ministering to children. They see it as insignificant, but as He explains in Luke 16:10, whoever can be trusted with a little, can be trusted with much. VBS gives us the opportunity to put that into action. As Mark 10:16 describes, “And He took the children in His arms, placed His Hands on them and blessed them.”

How VBS Helps to Grow Kids’ Faith

VBS is a time when God can work through leaders to help equip kids for a lifetime, where lessons, songs, games, and creativity can make lasting impressions that influence and lead children on a godly pathway. He is faithful and when we take the time and effort to teach biblical truths to children. We can be assured that God will use this time to have a lasting impact on their faith, just as Proverbs 22:6 describes.

Teaching children about God’s ways and His principles deepens their faith, just like our faith is deepened when we study and apply His word to our lives. VBS helps to plant God’s word in their lives to accomplish His will for them.

When we do our part, we can look to God to follow-up, trusting and believing that what we plant and water in the lives of children at VBS, God will nurture. As the Apostle Paul assures us in 1Corinthians 3:7 “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

Throughout Scripture, children play a vital role in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, with stories of God working through their faith in amazing ways. The following are a few whose faith made a difference.

An Israeli servant girl who had heard of the prophet Elisha told what she knew and led an army commander to be healed of leprosy. If she had not been taught and had her faith not been stirred, the commander never would have heard and been set free.

Miriam’s faith helped her to watch over her brother, Moses, in the Nile River. Her efforts helped preserve him from harm and led him to grow into the leader God worked through to free His people from slavery.

A child king, Josiah, served God even though his father and grandfather had turned away from Him. Through his faith, an entire nation was led back to serving and loving God.

As a boy, Samuel ministered before the Lord under the Priest Eli, and grew up to be a prophet and judge in Israel.

As young shepherd boy, David, trusted in God and brought down a giant that caused fear and trembling in the hearts of a grown king and army. His faith taught a whole nation to trust in God, too.

An unnamed boy shared his lunch of five loaves and two fishes with Jesus, which led to Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5,000.

Reading Bible stories, memorizing Scripture, singing songs that glorify God, and spending time with committed Christians, all influence children in godly ways that encourage them to want to be godly, too.

Related article: 5 Easy VBS Lessons

Are There Downfalls to VBS?

If there are any downfalls to VBS, it’s that it only lasts for a week or two, having just a short amount of time to reach out to the kids – some who rarely have the opportunity to attend church. That’s why it’s so important to teach biblical truths that will last and influence kids for a lifetime.

Yet, one week in a child’s life can set the course for their life, so even if it’s short and there is so much more to teach and offer, God can work in incredible ways through its influence, to transform the lives of children who attend, along with those who volunteer and serve.

Is VBS Good for Kids?

Some churches may ask if VBS is worth their congregation’s time, effort, and resources VBS takes, especially since many have discarded Sunday School classes altogether.

Church staff members and attendees’ full schedules also make it challenging to recruit VBS volunteers to serve. But even so, isn’t all the time, effort, resources, and maybe even sacrifices it takes to plan and offer worth it?

Yes, because the potential to impact children’s lives in the way they should go is of priceless worth. As Psalm 127:3 reminds us, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.”

Whether or not we personally have children of our own, as believers in Jesus Christ, we have a wonderful opportunity to teach the children who attend VBS, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/FatCamera 

Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.