I had some questions heading into this year’s Vacation Bible School. Our town has been hard hit by the economy and I know many who have lost at least one of their income sources. Plus, our church giving has been weaker than expected this summer. Thinking ahead, I wondered how these factors were affecting other churches and their summer outreach programs.
What follows is some observations based on the post VBS survey I ran here on the site. I hope to run a similar poll next year and track the differences over time.
VBS Attendance Was Up
This was the case at our church and seems to be the case elsewhere. According to my poll, 60% reported Bible School attendance was “up” or “way up.” While only 15% said it was “down” or “way down.”
Here’s my theory. With the economy down people stayed close to home this summer. I also know of some paid sports programs that were down. So, parents were looking for free activities for their kids. VBS was a winner.
VBS Spending Was Steady
We were a little more conservative at our church, but nothing drastic. Our budget was set for VBS long ago. Plus we had some designated money on hand if needed. The poll results were the same for our readers. The most common response was “same” and the other options were evenly divided.
Leading Publishers Still Strong
I was not surprised to see LifeWay and Group at the head of the pack. They keep improving their product and marketing. As denominational identity breaks down, more churches will simply choose which product seems to best fit their needs. That means harder times for smaller publishers that still depend on loyalty to sell their curriculum.
Alternative VBS Options Growing
Increasingly, churches have tired new ways to do VBS. Some are doing sports camp, art programs, and anything else they can dream up. This is a good development because it generates fresh ideas for everyone. But I am concerned that we might let “enrichment” replace “discipleship & evangelism.”
One upside to this is the Holy Land Adventure produced by Group Publishing. They seem a little more intensive to organize, but I’ve heard such good reports that I might consider it myself. Two of our writers wrote reviews about it. Read it here and here.
Share Your Thoughts
Please leave a comment below to share you opinion about 2009 VBS. What were your impressions? Does you experience line up with my conclusions? Use the form at the bottom of this page to post your thoughts.
Looking Ahead: Check out 2010 VBS themes and the latest news. Or get some practical ideas for planning Vacation Bible School.
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We used Answers In Genesis- Operation Space.
Our adult volunteers received such a blessing
with program.
Why don’t churches capitalize on the week of vacation between Christmas/New Year and the week of vacation mid-spring (Easter) when the kids are often stuck inside and the parents are often trying to stay sane? A three or four day mini-vbs would be a God-send to many parents, many of whom must take off to care for the kids and therefore would make great volunteers!