What will Vacation Bible School look like in 2020?

This year will be remembered for the COVID-19 virus. We will remember working at home, wearing masks and worshiping with others as we live-stream the services. Families are also making memories for children. Families are playing games, eating meals outside (I mean really outside—not eating out at a restaurant!), and reading the Bible together. These are the memories our children will take with them into adulthood. Hopefully, parents are being careful about being positive with their children and demonstrating their dependence on God. Now is the time to model that dependence.    

Churches are also being forced to “think outside of the box.” Let’s take advantage of this and think about what VBS 2020 could look like. There are no right or wrong ways to do VBS in 2020.  If you have ever wanted to try something different, this is the year to do it. If you have wanted to have an evening VBS—go for it! If you have wanted to have a weekend VBS—you’ve got this in the bag! If you have wanted to do a “Backyard Bible School,” this is the time!

For free Vacation Bible School materials, Texas Baptists have two years of VBS materials available online. You can download these resources at no cost at baptistwaypress.org.

I have talked with ministers across our great state and these are some of the VBS ideas they are considering for this summer:

• Make VBS the huge finale to the summer instead of the kickoff of the summer.
• Hosting Fall VBS during fall break.
• Once churches are open for Bible Study and worship, have VBS during Sunday School the month of June. It will be a fun, yet enriching time that will be easy for churches. 
• Use VBS materials during the summer fun days.
• Make packets for families to do a family VBS at home. Deliver the Bible Stories, mission stories and crafts to families to use during their family devotion time. 
• Have Family VBS at church. Have the opening session in the worship center, including the Bible Story and mission story during the opening, then children can go to the rotations and parents can have a parenting study, or Q & A with the pastor. The last hour is spent writing the scriptures that have meant the most to the families during this season at home.
• Give VBS packets you make with the Bible Story, mission stories, crafts and Bible Skills games to families to have a Front or Backyard Bible Club for the neighborhood.  

More ideas can be found on this LifeWay blog: https://tinyurl.com/rdmlq89.

Remember: God is in charge and you are His instrument in reaching people for Him—you’ve got this!