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Free Vacation Bible School Curriculum: The Armor of God

Tony Kummer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:49:22 +0000

Download and print off this free Vacation Bible School curriculum to use in your ministry. Bible Boot Camp “The Armor of God” is a VBS theme based on Ephesians 6:11-18. The links below contain all the lesson plans, craft ideas, and directions you need. Just download the following three PDF files to get started.

Download this Free VBS Material

One of our readers, Tara Merrill, wanted to share this vacation bible school material. I was really impressed when she sent me the files. I could tell right away that put her heart into writing this curriculum. Here is how she described it in a comment on our site. Be sure to leave a message at the bottom of this page to let her know you appreciate her efforts.

I am 22 years old trying to follow God’s call in my life. I believe He is leading me to write low-cost, Scripture-driven VBS programs. By His grace and will, I wrote one this summer centering on the armor of God passage found in Ephesians 6:11-18. It is a full program and can be adapted for any church size, as long as people are willing to volunteer. I provide craft and snack ideas, but do not include the actual materials as I believe it is cheaper to purchase the necessary items in one’s own hometown. I also provide drama scripts and dialog to help guide the leaders.

Please leave your comment below with any ideas for improvements or clarifications that need to be made. Your feedback will help Tara make improvements in future programs.

Video: Lifeway’s 2010 VBS Overview (Saddle Ridge Ranch)

Tony Kummer — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:06:00 +0000

I’ve been watching for more information about Lifeway’s Saddle Ridge Ranch. You will remember all the great VBS hint videos they made last summer. Here are a few new videos they posted to YouTube that overview their 2010 VBS curriculum. Check back in a few months for my full review or visit their official website.

These videos offer a good look at their 2010 materials, plus they show some really helpful ideas for Saddle Ridge Ranch decorations. I’m definitely more impressed after watching these videos. Feel free to share you thoughts in the comment section below. Are you excited about this VBS theme? Maybe you have already ordered LifeWay’s Saddle Ridge Ranch.

Saddle Ridge Ranch Overview

LifeWays 2010 VBS Worship Rally Overview

Saddle Ridge Ranch Craft Idea Video

Saddle Ridge Ranch VBS Music Overview

LifeWay’s VBS Mission Rotation Overview

Bible Teaching Overview for LifeWay’s 2010 VBS

Recreation & VBS Games at Saddle Ridge Ranch

Snack Rotation Overview

Looking for more VBS ideas? Then browse my practical tips for Vacation Bible School, browse all 2010 Bible School themes or talk it over in our VBS forums.

Hero Headquaters VBS 2010 from Standard Publishing

Tony Kummer — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:55:01 +0000

Standard Publishing has announced their 2010 VBS Theme. Hero Headquarters will feature “five unlikely Bible heroes who are often overlooked.” The tag line is “Where kids join forces with God.” Children will discover how God can use them to make a difference any situation. The graphic design appears to be inspired by the style of classic comic books and graphic novels. At first glace, this VBS theme will have a strong appeal. I’m looking forward to learning more.

From the theme song, I am glad to hear “God is my hero” as the focus of this Bible school. Too often using Bible characters for models can miss the point that God is the real protagonist of the Bible storyline. It sounds like Standard is on the right track.

My Review of Hero Headquarters VBS theme

I’m waiting for more information, but check back later this Fall for my detailed opinion and review of this VBS curriculum.

More About Hero Headquarters

Visit the official website that features a sound clip from the theme song.

Check out all the 2010 VBS themes or read tips for Vacation Bible School.

2009 VBS Trends & Reflection

Tony Kummer — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:53:47 +0000

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.

2nd Review of Rome: Group’s Holy Land Adventure

Terry Delaney — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:13:21 +0000

My church just finished using Group’s Rome: Paul and the Underground Church Holy Land Adventure for our Vacation Bible School. I would like to share my thoughts both positive and negative about this particular program.

The Set-up

The children were divided into families–the curriculum was designed for family units of varying ages. We went with an age-graded approach because “we have always done it that way.” Turns out, we should have gone with the true family units.

We would meet for Extollo (Latin for “praise”) and then dismiss for family time where the kids would get dressed and get ready to go to Rome. The children would then visit Paul who was on house arrest and then the underground church (we built a tunnel for them to crawl underground). They would also visit apprenticeship games and the marketplace–various crafts and foods. Skits would take place in the marketplace except for the first night when the skit took place during the game time.

The evening was designed to last two hours, but we stretched that to two and a half. We had some trouble some of the evenings filling all of the time in the marketplace but was able to keep the kids on task. The night then ended with a return to family time (Rome to home) where the kids would review what they learned and then back to Extollo for more songs and dismissal.

Positive

First and foremost, the children were talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Where my church is situated, we had more inner-city kids than churched kids. I would hear conversations about “that Roman centurion” who was a jerk and how the underground church had to remain a secret so the Roman guards wouldn’t find it. The one night when the pastor of the church was caught (he was said to have escaped), you could see the look of concern on the children’s faces.

Second, the volunteers and workers really got into it. Usually, there is a gradual energy decrease. Not so this year. I heard numerous comments that while they were glad the busyness was going to end, they were going to miss the fun nights with the children. What is more, I lost count of how many times the teachers told me they had learned something new.

Third, the set up was quite simple. We wound up purchasing some fold-up tents from our local sporting goods store and used plywood and concrete blocks for tables in the marketplace. We used black plastic sheeting (the stuff used for painting) to create a cave. The tunnel was our idea and the kids really enjoyed it.

As for the stage set up for Extollo, we only had three major pieces though there were more that could have been used. We made the Colosseum, the Parthenon (more on that in a moment), and I made some “pillars” by rolling cardboard around a concrete form.

Fourth, the flow and tempo of each night kept the children interested. They did not have time to get bored and start causing trouble–which is really good for the kids we had. The children had enough time at each “station” to catch the gist of the message and then move along to the next station where they would learn more about the message of the evening.

Negatives

First, for some reason, the Parthenon was the center piece for the Extollo time. I am not sure why this is the case because the Parthenon is in Greece. The Pantheon is in Rome. They look similar from the front, but the Pantheon is most noted for its domed top.

Second, the decorating, if done with the foam boarding (we used cardboard) can get real expensive, real fast. Although there is not as much decorating as there is with other VBS programs, the materials Group recommended would have been too pricey.

Third, we found the crafts to be somewhat difficult for the smaller children. The abacus had parts that we felt were too small for the littler kids. The double-sided tape for the wreath proved to be too difficult for the children to use and the bulla for the metal worker was too difficult to glue together. However, everyone adapted when they needed and did not miss a beat.

Recommendation

I am looking forward to next year’s Holy Land Adventure–Egypt. The negatives were nothing that would cause me to not want to do this again. Everything flowed well and everyone had a wonderful time. The director’s guide was a huge help. Everything was spelled out. This was my first VBS that I directed and it went amazingly smooth.

For me, as a minister and father, hearing the kids talking about the gospel each night–before, during and after, and the teachers learning something new themselves, I cannot recommend a VBS program more highly.

Post VBS Review of Group’s Rome

Charlie Wallace — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:07:17 +0000

This year the church were I serve decided to do something it had never done before by branching out and doing Group’s VBS, Rome: Paul and the Underground Church. For years my church has done Lifeway’s VBS. In fact, preparation became so predictable that at times we were just going through the motions. After looking at different formats I stumbled across Rome. I decided to go ahead and order the sample pack and as I read through the material I became more and more impressed. By January my team decided that we would gamble and try something different. Being that we are a 200-year old church, different does not always equal success. However, I am proud to announce that Rome was more than a success. For the remainder of this post I am going to critique the good and the bad of Rome.

What Went Right:

1. The Marketplace: The Marketplace was by far the kids’ favorite part. We located the Marketplace in our fellowship hall and it consisted of 8-9 tents of different crafts where shopkeepers helped the kids make various objects. The kids were given three gold coins each day to spend. Each craft cost one gold coin as did their snack. Throw in the fact that the shopkeepers were in character as well as a daily drama and the marketplace was a huge hit. It will be very tough to ever go back to a simple “crafts station” for a future VBS. The marketplace became the center of Rome and was a huge hit.

2. Interactive Drama: The children absolutely loved this. Every day the kids visited Paul while he was under house-arrest and chained to a Roman guard named Brutus. Each day they got to see the transformation that Brutus underwent as he was at first very anti-Christian but eventually decided to follow Jesus on Friday. One of the main reasons that he decided to do so was because the kids did not help Paul escape when Brutus fell asleep on Wednesday. This enabled the kids to feel like they made a difference in Brutus’ life.

When the children left Paul’s house they then went to the Underground Church. The kids had to get on their hands and knees and literally crawl through a tunnel that led to the “cave” where the church was meeting. Everyday they would give the church members a message from Paul. They loved being able to take part in this way.

In the marketplace each shopkeeper was in character and not all were Christians. Some were Jewish, atheists, curious about Jesus, polytheists, etc. We found that the children who were already Christians were zealously witnessing to the shopkeepers. In fact, many of them had to finally accept Christ during the week so that the kids would leave them alone. One girl prayed with her shopkeepers, “Dear Lord, please forgive these women for their sins…” What an amazing testimony!

Also, the daily drama with various characters was highly effective.

3. Age-integrated – Group suggested putting preschoolers in “family groups” right along with older kids. I knew this would not work at our church. So, preschoolers were put in their own individual classes and they saw Paul every day (but not the Underground Church) and they went up to the marketplace for half the normal time. For the most part having grades 1-5 in the same family groups helped because we were able to keep families and friends/guests together.

4. Evangelistic Effectiveness: Let’s not forget the real reason we do VBS: so that kids will be saved. We had 25 preschoolers make a decision to follow Jesus as I gave a talk during our morning worship service. I feel that the curriculum was wonderful in setting up a time for decisions. It was amazing to see older kids speaking with their teachers and literally crying tears of joy over their new life. One girl said as she wept, “I am so happy over what Jesus has done for me.” That’s what it’s all about.

What Went Wrong:

1. The Marketplace: We realized that by Tuesday we were going to run out of crafts. Because Rome is designed to work on a 2-hour schedule (we had extrapolated to 3-hours) 50 minutes in the Marketplace became too long of a time slot for the curriculum provided. A kid could easily spend two gold coins on two crafts and the other on a snack and still have 10-15 minutes to kill. We started introducing new crafts every day so that there would always be something fresh and different and so that we would not run out of things to do. Fortunately I had a great craft leader and great helpers who were able to think on the fly.

2. Interactive Drama – When in character it is sometimes hard to effectively discipline children. For instance, the kids really didn’t like the Roman guards. Some even tried to hit them. One of our guards had to really use his shield! Also, as Paul, sometimes it was awkward for me to call a kid down who was misbehaving as I was trying to do my lines, etc.

During the daily drama scenes in the marketplace that use Roman guards we found that the children really didn’t like the guards. On Friday when the guards shut the Christian woman’s marketplace down some kids cried and others yelled and literally chased the guards out of the room. It’s a fine line between reality and make-believe and some kids are still trying to figure out where that line is.

3. Age-integrated – Because this is an age-integrated program there is virtually no preschool curriculum. This is a huge area of weakness with this VBS. I understand partly why Group does it but I imagine that the main reason is to save money on publishing guides, etc. If we do this style of VBS again I will personally use old VBS preschool curriculum as a guide and tailor the current year’s VBS to that. We tried to do this a little bit this year, which helped, but there was a lot of downtime for preschoolers. One thing about Lifeway – there is never downtime. They pack their curriculum so tight on purpose for that reason.

4. Evangelistic Effectiveness: Group does not really build in a spot to bring “the talk.” Therefore, I chose Thursday to speak since that day’s point was “God’s love saves us.” Therefore, we had to bypass most of the scripted Worship time for that morning.

Overall, this VBS was wonderful. Many people who have been at this church for many many years said that this year’s VBS was the best that they’d ever seen. What a compliment! I think most of our people are already geared up to do Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from Prison to Palace next year. It looks like I may have no choice in what we do. Our crafts leader said she’s already thinking of ideas for decorating. On a scale of 1-10 I would give this entire VBS an 8.5. There are a few kinks that can be worked out and if that happens next year I believe we will have close to a 10.

Praise Party VBS from Abington Press for 2010

Tony Kummer — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:46:16 +0000

This is the first year I’ve taken a look at the VBS offering from Abington Press, which also produces the Cokesbury VBS theme. This year they offer a block party theme titled Praise Party. It has an urban feeling and serves churches from a more diverse background, especially historically black congregations. The tag line for Praise Party says, “Worshiping God with head, heart, hands, feet, and SOUL!”

Praise Party Daily Content

Willing Hands (Exodus 35: 4-10a, 22, 25-26; 36:2-3a) The Hebrews offer gifts to God.
Stomp (1 Chronicles 13:1-8) David and the Hebrews praise God by dancing.
Stand up Straight in Praise (Luke 13:10-17) Jesus heals a bent-over woman.
Breakthrough (Acts 16:25-34) When Paul and Silas pray and sing, a jailer’s household receives salvation.
Sing a Song (Ephesians 5:15-20) Instructions on a Spirit-filled life

My Review of Praise Party

Later this summer, I’ll take a closer look at this VBS theme and offer my opinion.

Resources for Praise Party VBS

In this section, I’ll add link out to resources that will help churches who are using Praise Party from Abington Press. If you know of more resources, leave a note in the comment section below.

Visit the official website from 2010 Abingron Press VBS. They will have decorating ideas, and other suggestions as VBS 2010 gets closer. You can also sign up for their email newsletter.
Follow Cokesbury VBS on Twitter
Read my interview with Michael Auliso from Cokesbury / Abington Press

Galactic Blast VBS from Cokesbury for 2010

Tony Kummer — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:06:04 +0000

Cokesbury has announced their VBS themes for 2010. Galactic Blast is a space themed curriculum for Vacation Bible school. The tag line says, “A Cosmic Adventure Praising God.” What sets this VBS material apart is the added environmental science elements. According to the description, cadets will “gain a new perspective on our planet Earth, and learn easy “green” earth tips they can practice at home.”

This is the first “going green” elements that I’ve seen from a major VBS publisher. Global warming, climate change and environmental awareness are issues many denominations are still ignoring. But caring for the creation is a value with good support in traditional Christian theology. I’m interested to see how they integrate these green elements into the Biblical lessons.

The official website for Galactic Blat VBS is now online. You can see daily Bible content, listen to VBS music samples, and pre-order the curriculum.

2010 Galactic Blast Preview Video

Video Announcement of Galactic Blast

Galactic Blast Daily Content

Mission 1: Creation of the Universe, Genesis 1:1-2:4
Our God is wonderful! Praise God!
Mission 2: Elijah at Mt. Horeb, 1 Kings 19:4-18
Our God is incredible! Praise God!
Mission 3: The Woman at the Well, John 4:1-42
Our God is amazing! Praise God!
Mission 4: A Blind Beggar in Jericho, Luke 18:35-43
Our God is magnificent! Praise God!
Mission 5: Two Disciples in Emmaus, Luke 24:13-32
Our God is awesome! Praise God!

My Review of Galactic Blast Vacation Bible School

First, check out the preview video above. You will get a feel for how this VBS program will work out in real life. I’m waiting for more information to write a deeper review. Cokesbury will be sending me a review copy of the Galactic Blast curriculum sometime this Fall.

Resources for Cokesbury’s Galactic Blast VBS

In this section, I’ll add link out to resources that will help churches who are using Cokesbury’s Galactic Blast. If you know of more resources, leave a note in the comment section below.

Visit the official website from Cokesbury VBS. They will have decorating ideas, and other suggestions as VBS 2010 gets closer. You can also sign up for their email newsletter.
Follow Cokesbury VBS on Twitter
Read my interview with Michael Auliso from Cokesbury / Abington Press

LifeWay’s Route 254 Club VBS Theme

Tony Kummer — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:20:17 +0000

LifeWay has announced their VBS materials for 2010. In addition to their main Saddle Ridge Ranch theme, they offer a simple option designed for smaller churches. Route 254 is an updated version of the popular Ramblin’ Road Trip VBS theme. It features broadly graded Bible lessons that fit well in smaller Vacation Bible School settings, or in evangelistic Backyard Bible Clubs. Churches who use Club VBS for 2010 will go on a wild cross-country adventure from the nation’s capital to Southern California on Route 254.

The VBS scripture is Psalm 2:54, “Make Your ways known to me, LORD; teach me Your paths.” (HCSB) The VBS motto is , “Know! Follow! Choose God’s Way!”

Resources For Route 254 VBS

In this section, I’ll add links and resources that will help churches who choose to use LifeWay’s Route 254 VBS theme. If you know of more resources, leave a note in the comment section below.

Official LifeWay VBS blog
LifeWay VBS community website
LifeWay’s Route 254 VBS official website

LifeWay’s Saddle Ridge Ranch VBS Theme

Tony Kummer — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:09:09 +0000

After several weeks of hints and teaser videos, LifeWay has announced their VBS themes for 2010. Their main theme is a Western VBS curriculum called “Saddle Ridge Range” and includes all the expected cowboy, rodeo, and Southwestern elements. The key verse is James 1:5, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.” (HCSB) And the VBS motto is “Need Answers? Ask God!”

One interesting note, their website positions this as “an evangelistic VBS.” This is the first time I’ve noticed that in the marketing. This might be a good approach for LifeWay to set it’s VBS apart from others. Most curriculum publishers seem to be shying away from the evangelistic component of Vacation Bible School.

They have the official website for Saddle Ridge Ranch online. It has the theme song available for download. After my first listen, I liked it. Expect more information later this summer. You can also read the news release on LifeWay’s website.

My Review of Saddle Ridge Ranch Vacation Bible School

I’m waiting for more information, but check back later this summer for my detailed opinion and review of this Vacation Bible School curriculum.

Resources For LifeWay’s Saddle Ridge Ranch VBS

In this section, I’ll add links and resources that will help churches who choose to use LifeWay’s Saddle Ridge Ranch theme. If you know of more resources, leave a note in the comment section below.

Three Laws of Vacation Bible School (VBS According to Twitter)

Tony Kummer — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:40:44 +0000

The last few days, I’ve been tracking some of the comments on Twitter about Vacation Bible School. In case you’re wondering, Twitter is like a big public chat + instant messaging website. Twitter makes it easy to connect with people who share your interests. One big interest of mine this time of year is VBS and I use my @TonyKummer account on Twitter to stay current.

Three Laws of Vacation Bible School

After watching these tweets, I noticed several patterns. The more tweets I read the more I was convinced that 3 universal laws operate in every Vacation Bible School. At least according to people on Twitter.

1. VBS is very hard work

2. It is sad when VBS ends

3. Kids get saved at VBS

What About Your Vacation Bible School?

Have you noticed these same three laws working in your church? The comment section is open, share your story. You can also take our 2009 VBS survey.

2009 Post VBS Survey

Tony Kummer — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:23:35 +0000

What did you do for VBS this year? How did it turn out? Answer the survey questions below. I’ll use the results for my special VBS wrap up post later this summer. Plus, I’ll have a better idea which curriculum publishers most interest the readers here on the website. You’re welcome to leave additional comments at the bottom of this post.

If you’re not done with VBS, skip the first question and answer the other three. Then you can come back in a few weeks to finish the poll.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Inside Cokesbury VBS: An Interview With Michael Aulisio

Tony Kummer — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:47:38 +0000

Over the past year, I’ve been reaching out to VBS and Christian Education publishers. This has led to some cool giveaways and given me an inside look at the industry that creates children’s ministry curriculum.

I’m excited to share my interview with Michael Aulisio. He is the Marketing Manager at Cokesbury and has always been very helpful to me when I write about their VBS themes. I hope you enjoy the interview, leave me feedback in the comment section.

Be sure to check out the Cokesbury.com and their VBS website. You can also follow Cokesbury VBS updates on Twitter.

Interview With Michael Aulisio from Cokesbury

Tony: How did Cokesbury get started?

Michael: It has been the established publishing house of the United Methodist Church with roots going back to 1789. How long have they been publshing VBS material? We have been publishing VBS for many many years – I hate to admit it, but I am not sure when the first VBS was published by us.

Tony: How does Cokesbury imagine and choose VBS theme ideas?

Michael: We bring together a team of staff and Christian Educators (both those supporting Cokesbury VBS and those supporting competitors) and spend three to four days in a think tank atmosphere developing future themes.

Tony: Once a theme is chosen, how does the development proceed? What is the timeline?

Michael: We spend the next year in full development beginning with theme testing, title testing, logo and design testing, Bible story selection, writing, field testing and final production before going to print about one year from conception.

Tony: What are some unique aspects of Cokesbury VBS?

Michael: Reflection Time where the children can take a few minutes and review all that they have learned and pull it together; Two Bible story method – drama or single storyteller; Student Take-Home CD that allows kids to have both the VBS music and fun educational computer games, also our mission stories are about children who have made a difference in their own communities — we choose this way to celebrate that children can be in mission at their very young age they do not have to wait until they grow up.

Tony: Do you have a strong fan base outside beyond the UMC?

Michael: Yes, over 35 different denominations

Tony: What trends are affecting VBS in the United States?

Michael: The economy, working families make it difficult to get daytime adult volunteers – VBS moving to the evenings; year-round schools so VBS programs are being used all year long.

Tony: How do you imagine VBS will change over the next 10 years?

Michael: More video and web based curriculum.

Michael was very kind to grant me this interview and he represents Cokesbury well. Please leave your feedback on this interview in the comments. You can also share your experience with Cokesbury curriculum.

How To Do VBS Follow Up – Free Online Training Session

Tony Kummer — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:26:43 +0000

I found this link on the LifeWay VBS blog and thought it might be helpful. It’s a training session by Sue Harmon from the South Carolina Baptist Convention. In about 9 minutes she covers the important topic of Vacation Bible School follow up evangelism. The material is presented in an online slideshow (similar to PowerPoint) with audio narration by Sue.

It definitely feels like “training” but the practical tips make it absolutely worth the time to check out. If you follow her advice your VBS should have a much greater impact. Those 9 minutes of learning could make a big difference for kids (and families) who need to know Jesus.

Here’s the link - online training for VBS followup.

2010 LifeWay VBS Teaser Video Now Online

Tony Kummer — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:10:12 +0000

This year, LifeWay is having some fun with their VBS teaser videos. Instead of just posting them on their VBS website, they have created a fictional blog with some guy named “Donny” trying to sneak around the LifeWay headquarters in Nashville. Here is the first video they’ve posted:

Update: The 2010 LifeWay VBS themes have been announced. Check out Saddle Ridge Ranch and Route 254 VBS.

LifeWay VBS 2010 Hint Video #1

LifeWay VBS Teaser #2

LifeWay 2010 VBS Teaser #3

I’m not ready to make a guess yet, but I am more excited about LifeWay’s VBS Theme than I have been in several years. The whole “release it at the convention” works well for hard core Southern Baptists, but for everyone else it doesn’t create much buzz.

What is LifeWay’s SRR?

Most of the discussion on Donnie’s blog is centered on the initials SRR and what they stand for. Right now I’m going to say Ranch or Rodeo is almost certain – and it’s Southwestern.

What LifeWay Is Doing Right With Social Media

Back when I was in Seminary, everyone dumped on LifeWay for being out-of-date and generally out-of-touch. That has really turned around and now they are the most social media savvy Christian Education publisher (at least so far). Here are few things I appreciate:

They are all over Twitter. From the top down, there are dozens of LifeWay people active on Twitter – some people give credit to Becky
Their VBS blog has some good content, not just self promotion.
They have a very strong forum for VBS (they are phasing out in favor of the next item)
They have social networking site powered by Ning (Facebook clone) dedicated to VBS.
They are putting their teaser videos on YouTube, which makes it easy for me to post them here on my blog.

Update: LifeWay people were also cool enough to Tweet about this post especially Kristen Young

This is great news if your church uses LifeWay for VBS, and it’s a good reason to check them out this year. A VBS publisher is finally serious about connecting with their customers.

Stay tuned, they are set to release their 2010 VBS Theme the week of June 22 at the SBC Annual Meeting – unless Donny can post it on his blog first.