Ask God to make His vision clear for reaching children and families through Vacation Bible School. Once God has given you a vision, write it down as a starting place. Your vision gives energy to your objectives and strategy.

God said in Habakkuk 2:2, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Notice what the prophet Habakkuk was told to do.

First, he was told to write the vision. You might have a vision for VBS, but have you written it down? It’s important that you write your vision on paper and keep it in front of you.

Second, Habakkuk was told to make it plain upon tables. In other words, make your vision simple enough that everyone can understand it. Any volunteer should be able to read your vision for VBS and get it.

Third, Habakkuk was told to write it down so that people could run with it. The last thing you want to do when God gives you a vision is to sit on it. He wants you to run with your vision and make it happen.

One of the greatest ways you can reach children in your church and community each summer is with Vacation Bible School. It’s the biggest thing we do at my church and it’s the highlight of my summer.

I learned early in ministry that it’s not enough to say, “I want to reach kids.” It’s not enough for a church to say, “We want to reach kids.” Those are simply words unless there is action. In order to take action, you have to have a plan.

Here are six tips to help you make VBS the biggest thing all summer.

First, choose to take the lead.

As a vocational children’s pastor, part of what I do is assess our current ministries. If they aren’t fulfilling the intended purpose, they get scrapped. If there is something new that we can do to better facilitate our purpose, it’s time for change.

Recently I was evaluating our summer ministries, specifically, Vacation Bible School. We do VBS each summer to fulfill the Great Commission (reach kids with the Gospel and make disciples) and to engage our community. I looked at other summer programming options—there are lots of new programs we could start to help us reach these goals. When I stopped to ask which new program would be best, it dawned on me: I already have a program that does what I’m after. Why should we start several new programs to do the work Vacation Bible School was designed to do? I left that evaluation session with a renewed passion to make Vacation Bible School the biggest thing of the summer.

If you have decided to use VBS in your church, purpose to step up to the plate and take it from good to great. Decide that you are going to take seriously this business of reaching children for the Lord Jesus Christ. Be the leader.

This week, I’m running a little behind. So it’s Thursday Talk. Please forgive me.

This week on Tuesday Talk:
Dienna Goscha answers the question, “How can a children’s ministry improve their special needs ministry?”

The majority of churches are smaller churches without the means to run a separate special needs ministry. These churches, however, can effectively minister to special needs kids.

Parents want to know that the church cares about their kids. Simply taking the time to sit down with the parents and find out what that child specifically needs speaks volumes about the love the church has for the child.

Also, research the particular need the child has. Visit national websites and personal blogs that shed light on the child’s challenges. Be creative in your own particular environment with the knowledge that you have gained to maximize the chlid’s experience. Make sure that all teachers involved with the child understand the special challenges the child faces and is equipped with specific solutions to these challenges that they can implement. If a child needs one-on-one attention, find volunteers and schedule them to be the child’s “buddy.” Be sure to stay in contact with the parents as the needs of the child will change.

Most importantly, surround the child and the family with love and compassion so they know that they are not alone.

Dienna Goscha, co-founder of River’s Edge Curriculum, has a passion for creating an environment where children can connect with Christ in fun, relevant ways. She has twenty years of experience leading children’s ministries in churches. She believes that church should never be boring because knowing and loving God is the most exciting thing a child can do. Her creativity is the cornerstone for developing and writing children’s church curriculum.

This week on Tuesday Talk:
Ryan Wolfe answers the question, “What are five ways that a video camera can enhance your children’s ministry?”

Using video in ministry is a necessity. I probably don’t have to sell that point. What some people may not realize is that something as simple as a video camera can breathe new life into your ministry. It can…

Take your ministry beyond the walls of your church. We filmed our children signing worship songs and our leaders teaching VBS style lessons. These DVDs were handed out to families along with craft kits and, bingo, we had a Backyard VBS in 12 different neighborhoods totaling over 200 kids.

Increase Bible memorization. Let me go one step beyond that. It can make Bible memorization fun! We teach our monthly Bible verse in sign language every Sunday on DVD. Kids are learning God’s words in 2 languages.

Make training meetings successful. What is more frustrating that having no one show up to a training meeting? Film your trainings and send them home on DVD with your Team Members or post them online.

Make your praise time come to life. Do you feel like your kids are zombies during praise time? Put a video camera on them and tell them you are making music videos. Then actually use those videos for praise time the following week.

Increase retention for vital announcements. Kids often “misremember” critical announcements because we don’t always have their attention. Film a child or a teen giving the announcement like it is an infomercial. Your kids will be glued and will not forget those important announcements.

Ryan Wolfe:
Married to a Superhero (Melissa)
Father to 2 of God’s finest creations (Rocco & Zoe)
Family Pastor at First Christian Church in Canton, OH for the past 7 years
He’s blessed to work with 500+ children every week
Where else could he go to get paid to be a big kid?
Training kids and equipping parents is his passion