Is VBS worth it? An Emphatic Yes!!

Author: Leah Busick
Director of Children’s Ministries Urbancrest Baptist, Lebanon

I am tired. Giant cup of coffee full of sugar just to make it through the evening. I am tired because tonight is our last night of VBS and there have been almost 400 kids and 200 plus adults running through this church the past four nights and I am the Children’s Director…so I stay until they’re all safely home every night. Our building has dings in the paint and a weird stain in the sanctuary carpet. I ate a real cricket last night and have spent more money on Band-Aids than any budget should allow. The question is….is it worth it? Is it worth getting all these volunteers trained and in order? Is all the publicity worth it? Is all this work and exhaustion worth it?

“I just can’t figure out why more churches don’t utilize VBS to see His kingdom expanded, and the local church engaging their communities.” 

Well, let’s think about Lucy, a fourth grader who said yes to the Lord this week. She emphatically told me she will NOT be getting baptized tonight because she wants to make sure her grandparents can come see her and hear her testimony because they don’t know Jesus yet. Is she worth it? How about Landon who brought his friend Grayden. They will both be getting baptized tonight…and Grayden’s family will be at church to hear the Gospel and see his baptism. Are they worth it?  There is also the example of Maggie and Tina, adult volunteers, who have been attending this church for at least two years, but only met this week. They have become support and accountability friends in just four days. Think about some of the teens who are calling the adults they have worked with the past few days “second mom” or “church dad”. Are the relationships built worth it? We have many men who volunteer at VBS as great role models to those who may not have fathers at home to look up to. The value of boys having men of God to look up to is priceless!

As my pastor, Tom Pendergrass says, “I just can’t figure out why more churches don’t utilize VBS to see His kingdom expanded, and the local church engaging their communities.” And I agree. VBS is more than just numbers, it is relationships! Relationships between people and the Lord, between kids and their leaders, between volunteers. In a culture that is crying out for community…real community…let’s gather together and show our neighbors what real community means! I can see no better way than the local church people sacrificing an entire week of time and resources to show a city of children what real community looks like through the love of Christ. I believe this so much, I’m gonna do it again next year...and the year after that!