VBS Review: “Back Stage with the Bible” from the Go Fish Guys

by Tony Kummer | Go Fish VBS,VBS 2010 Themes | Print | Email

I’ve heard of the Go Fish guys a few times, but didn’t know much about them. This year they sent me a copy of their VBS to review. What I found impressed me in many ways. “Backstage With the Bible” is a rock concert theme that will connect very well with kids in our American Idol culture.

Here are my review notes from this Vacation Bible School program. I would love to hear your comments about the theme, especially if you have used their music in your church. Just leave a comment below. For more information, be sure to check out their official website and YouTube channel.

High Energy Music

The first thing that impressed me about this VBS was the quality of the music. This program is built around several popular songs that the Go Fish Guys have been performing for years. This gives them a real advantage over other publishers who are forced to composed original VBS songs to fit a predefined theme. The music in this VBS is the same music that families flock to see at their Go Fish Guys concerts.

Excellent Supporting Media

The DVD that comes with this curriculum will bring the concert experience to your VBS. Each song video includes concert footage, fun animations, and real kids leading the choreographed dance movements.

Clear Gospel Focus

Sometimes the Gospel message gets lost in all the creative theme elements in a traditional Vacation Bible School. That is definitely not the case with this VBS. The teaching focus clearly moves the children through the basics of a Gospel outline. Here is a look at the daily themes:

Day #1 Superstar: God made you in HIS image (Psalm 139:14)
Day #2 Ten Commandments: Are you good enough? (Romans 3:23)
Day #3 The Cross: Find out what Jesus did for you (John 3:16)
Day #4 Saved: Saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8)
Day #5 Go Fish: Share the Good News! (Matthew 4:19)

Bible Saturated Teaching

Another strong point for this VBS is the amount of biblical content contained in each lesson. They have included far more Bible teaching in their lessons than in the typical Vacation Bible School. “Putting the Bible back into Vacation Bible School” is more than a marketing phrase. If you want meaty Bible content, this one won’t disappoint.

Simplicity

This VBS curriculum has all the normal activities including music, bible lessons, snacks, crafts, and games. One major difference is the intentional focus on simplicity. They don’t load you down with dozens of options, instead it’s all focused on having fun & sharing the Gospel. The directions in their manuals are very clear and to-the-point.

Concerns

With any new or self-published VBS some aspects will not measure up to the big budget publishers. One thing that seemed lacking with this theme was the preschool curriculum. I would like to see more preschool specific learning activities included. This is a small concern if you have experienced preschool leaders, but an 11 page preschool manual may be too simple for some churches.

Other churches may be uncomfortable with this theme for cultural reasons. The style of music and emphasis on dancing may put off some culturally conservative congregations. Without qualification, this VBS is using rock & roll to connect children with the Gospel. If that fits your ministry approach you will love it. But churches that are shy about accommodating pop culture will like this curriculum.

My Video Review of this VBS Theme

In just under three minutes, I unpack the starter kit they sent to me. You can watch it below or check out my Go Fish Guys VBS review on YouTube.

Back Stage with the Bible Video

Need More Ideas? Then browse our 2010 VBS reviews or find planning tips for Vacation Bible School.

Need More VBS Help? Then read my tips for planning Vacation Bible School. You can also browse all our VBS 2010 theme reviews.

{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }

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rina May 9, 2011 at 10:38 am

dear bro.tony kummer,
i just wanted to extend my gratitude 4ur kind heart to make me include as one of your subscriber.the tools and lessons you sent me wer really a great help im already using it weakly on my sunday school class.i can now also deligate teaching tasks to the youth.your material is really a great help.God will abundantly bless you for your unwavering service to Him.im praying for you.God Bless you….

Grace Vanausdall March 22, 2011 at 10:44 pm

We are doing “Backstage” in August 8-12th. Am very excited about this new VBS! I love the music! Would love to see pics of how everyone decorated. Please e-mail me some pics I’m on Facebook Thanks so much God Bless!!! Grace

kim merritt March 15, 2011 at 6:28 pm

I just ordered Backstage with the Bible for our VBS. I am really excited as are all of our children. Just a note: we have in years past decorated a different room for each of the stories on the Sat. before and torn each down at the end of the night. So by the end of the week everything was put back together without alot of work.

Liz Perez March 8, 2011 at 8:39 pm

I’m really interested in doing this VBS for this year, although I’m a year late! Does anyone have any pictures of your vbs, to get ideas on decorating and crafts? I agree with Pat about having to change the bible story room for each day. We usually just decorate once!
Is anyone else doing the newer one? I think this one sounds more interesting than the newer one. (my opinion – my husband loves the newer one!) Any ideas, info would be appreciated.

Tony Kummer March 9, 2011 at 7:58 am: In my podcast with Jamie (the Go Fish guy) he says to do Backstage first.

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pat lander February 28, 2011 at 5:43 pm

I am reading some of the comments above and am concerned about the lack of preschool curriculum. Are there any suggestions or comments on that. I realize that most of these posts are coming up on a year old but hope I can get some answers.

As well, any of you who have used this curriculum do you have any decorating ideas!!! PLEASE…we have always the sanctuary decorated and then each class room has a theme. Like the snack room may be a diner one year or a snack bar at a movie theater one year and a tiki hut the year the theme was beach related. The missions room has been a beach boardwalk, or I think a glacier one year. I see here that the sanctuary is to be like back stage at a concert – yet the ‘bible study room’ is to be decorated in a different theme each night. This sounds a bit hard to get done. We had used curriculum that had the rotations for each age group yet each age group had their own ‘bible study’ almost like a home room that the lead teacher was there at the beginning like a first period when the praise and worship opening was ‘homeroom’ and then after the bible study – period one they would change classes and then at the end come back to bible study to wrap up the lesson of the day. If I understand the little bit of this curriculum, the rotation sites include just one bible study that a teach would teach to teach age level as they rotate into that room and that is the one room that changes every day with the theme of the lesson. Can anyone speak to this? This is going to require much work and help if there is to be a ‘backdrop’ change every day – but hopefully it is only in one room! Apologies for having this as a post and a reply in a few spots – but since everything is old not sure how many people view this currently and how best to get replies.

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