Gospel Light has revealed their 2010 VBS theme and set up a teaser page on their website. Next Summer, they will offer a rain forest themed Vacation Bible School curriculum. I’m looking forward to seeing the direction they go with the materials. The early reaction on their forums seems very positive about SonQuest, but I’ll hold my opinion until I see more.
I think the Rain Forest theme still captures the imagination of kids, especially with more talk about ecosystems in science education. This is a safe theme choice and should not disappoint Gospel Light fans. I’m not sure if they will win much market share, but they should be able to retain their loyal customers.
My Review of SonQuest Rainforest VBS theme
(updated 4-13-2010)
Gospel Light send me a review copy of their “Super Starter Kit” for Son Quest Rain Forest VBS. This was the first time I’ve had a closer look at Gospel Light’s VBS curriculum. I spend a few hours checking it out and here are some of my observations. This review is not exhaustive, and you should definitely check out their official website for more information.
Attractive Jungle Theme
There is a reason that major VBS publishers keep coming back to jungle or rainforest VBS themes. Gospel Light has made the most of this exciting Bible school destination. I was really impressed with the colorful posters and decorating ideas. Kids will love the exotic animals featured in the theme.
Good Supporting Materials
As expected, Gospel Light has included all the supporting materials one expects from a leading VBS publisher. Their Bible school team has put together a well-rounded curriculum that will meet the needs of real churches. All the standard VBS elements (games, crafts, music, promotional material, planning helps, etc.) are done with excellence.
Focused on Jesus
This Vacation Bible School draws all five of it’s daily themes from the parables of Jesus. Even unchurched children will come away with a clear message – VBS is about Jesus. Here is a daily overview of their teaching content.
- Day One: The Parable of the Sower
- Day Two: The Parable of the Lost Sheep
- Day Three: The Parable of the Good Samaritan
- Day Four: The Parable of the Friend at Midnight
- Day Five: The Parable of the Talents
I’ve looked through their Bible teaching guides and really like what I saw. Each Bible story points kids back to God’s love and the work of Jesus to restore us to God. I also liked the lesson on prayer from day four.
Excellent Age Group Specific Support
One standout feature from this curriculum is their attention to detail with age-specific elements. Too often, curriculum is only barely modified for younger children. Gospel Light has worked hard to make every lesson age appropriate for each group. With this curriculum your preschoolers and kindergarteners will get a quality learning experience.
Music & Videos
Overall the music and assemble videos were are good quality. I was a little down on the theme song itself, but VBS theme songs always seem like commercials to me. I expect kids to enjoy this music.All the VBS music has a performance music video that can be used to lead the children. These videos feature small groups of kids leading the choreographed song motions. Some videos show tropical locations, but a few show kids in real life settings like school, church, and sports fields. These music videos could be used in children’s church for music long after VBS has ended.
Some Concerns
One concern about this curriculum was Gospel Light’s production of a Roman Catholic VBS with the identical theme. I questioned how the same materials could be acceptable to Evangelicals and Catholics. After my review, I believe most Protestant churches will approve of the Bible content. My only conclusion is that the Roman Catholic version (which I have not seen) makes changes to the VBS teaching.
I was disappointed that the Gospel Content was not more explicit in the teaching materials. They do have helpful pointers for talking to kids about salvation, but there was very little Gospel in the actual lesson plans. Even on day two, which is all about getting found by God, the cross is only mentioned briefly. This is something I’ve noticed about most VBS programs, they tend to assume kids are familiar with the meaning of Jesus death and resurrection. At the same time, most churches like the freedom to emphasize the Gospel in their own approach.
My Conclusion
Even with my concerns, I am confident most church could would enjoy this VBS program. Gospel Light has produced a theme that really does point back to Jesus. If you are looking for a Jungle theme VBS for 2010 this would be a solid choice.
More About SonQuest Rainforest VBS
- You can go to the Gospel Light website and sign-up for email notice when more details are announced.
- Watch the Gospel Light VBS Forums for them to add a new forum for the 2010 SonQuest VBS.
- Listen to the song “Following Jesus” from the SonQuest VBS music.
Similar Posts You May Enjoy
- Giveaway: SonQuest Rainforest VBS
- 2011 Gospel Light VBS: Son Surf Beach Blast
- “God’s Extreme Power” VBS from City Light Ministries
- Creation Coloring Pages “Let There Be Light”
- This Little Light of Mine (Preschool Song)
- Gospel Coloring Pages: Why Do I Need a King?
- The Gospel In Colors – The Wordless Book
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Have you seen AIG’s 2010 theme? It’s on a Facebook Page – It’s called, “The Egypt File: Decoding the Mystery of Life” – They have an awesome logo with a fun little chimpmunk detective. The only information they give is that it’s “full of adventure and intrigue” and “teaches kids they’re specially created in the image of God and are saved for the purpose of loving and serving their Creator.” According the the website they hope to have an active website by the end of July.
We are having our first VBS meeting this Sunday (28th) and would like information on what the menu is lined out for the kitchen when using 2010 Sonquest Rainforest material. Thanks in advance.
I was hopping to find some room decorations for a 4th grade class. I don’t see any offered. Where will if find those types of resources? Thanks.
We are using Rainforest for our VBS this summer. We have our material and the puppet. We have looked for the skits to use with the puppet but I have not found them. Please tell me where they are, if there is any.
I found puppet skits in the Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher Guide. Its title is the Tropical Treehouse Teacher’s Guide. The puppet skits are the welcome/introduction for the Bible Story Time each day.
Hi, Tony! We have used Gospel Light for the past seven years. I smiled when I read of your concern on how this VBS could be acceptable to Evangelicals and Catholics (I had the same reaction initially, but from the Catholic perspective). There is very little difference between the two. The Catholic version uses the NSRV translation of the Bible instead of KJV and the daily Bible verses are cross-referenced to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (usually a tie in to Liturgy or the Sacraments). All materials are reviewed and given an imprimatur. I can only recall one year (2004-Son Games) where a supplemental booklet was issued with the Catholic edition that explained where the curriculum differed from Catholic teaching. Overall, the content is meant to be very ecumenical.