Vacation Bible School

[PurpleBunny]

In a lot of cases, I think VBS is used as a break from the cost of daycare for a week, because admission is cheaper. Or, it could be a break for a stay at home mom (which was the reason why I was sent to every VBS at every church in town).

Our VBS is in the evenings to encourage more parents to attend the Bible Studies

 

[ByzantineDixie]

In a lot of cases, I think VBS is used as a break from the cost of daycare for a week, because admission is cheaper.

As a working mother...I too sent my kids to every VBS we could find...but not because my cost of daycare was cheaper. (In fact, now I wonder why it wasn't!!! My sitter never cut me a break on this...but she did take the kids to and from, along with the only other child she sat for, her granddaughter.) But...I sent the kids so they could get out and interact with other kids, to add some variety to thier day and also get some kind of exposure to faith--even though we were unchurched at the time, for some reason it just seemed like something we needed to do. The Baptists tried to get us to join their church but we were never even tempted.

 

[Flipper]

As a working mother...I too sent my kids to every VBS we could find...but not because my cost of daycare was cheaper. (In fact, now I wonder why it wasn't!!! My sitter never cut me a break on this...but she did take the kids to and from, along with the only other child she sat for, her granddaughter.) But...I sent the kids so they could get out and interact with other kids, to add some variety to thier day and also get some kind of exposure to faith--even though we were unchurched at the time, for some reason it just seemed like something we needed to do. The Baptists tried to get us to join their church but we were never even tempted.

I tried to come forward to be "saved" at an alter call at an AOG end of VBS service. I think I was 7 or 8. My mom snatched me and walked out. We didn't go back to that one.

 

[ByzantineDixie]

I tried to come forward to be "saved" at an alter call at an AOG end of VBS service. I think I was 7 or 8. My mom snatched me and walked out. We didn't go back to that one.

Absolutely precious!!! I bet your mama didn't need her Catholic daughter responding to an altar call.

Which reminds me...Mom told me during my last visit home that she missed the old days when all she had to tell those who came to her door on evangelism calls that she was Catholic...that usually shut them up and sent them on their way. Now she says it only seems to encourage them to try harder!!!

 

[KagomeShuko]

Absolutely precious!!! I bet your mama didn't need her Catholic daughter responding to an altar call.

Which reminds me...Mom told me during my last visit home that she missed the old days when all she had to tell those who came to her door on evangelism calls that she was Catholic...that usually shut them up and sent them on their way. Now she says it only seems to encourage them to try harder!!!

I've experienced THOSE people. They really do go, "Oh no, you're Catholic! How terrible!"

I was visiting one of those youth services with a friend and another gal next to us was a Catholic. . .it was horrible. . .

Stein Auf!
Bridget

 

[C.F.W. Walther]

I am not a fan of VBS. It often deteriorates into a watered down approach to salve conscience when the church is not effectively evangelizing the neighborhood

I've been involved in VBS in a LCMS church for the last 5 years and have to agree, at least in our context, that it is a substitute for effective evangelism in our area. Even though our church body is a conservative, confessional congregation our pastor doesn't see fit to evengalize the neighborhood or many obligations as a shepard. Won't go into detail on that yet. We are a small church, with around 100 commuicate members and 20-30 in attendance every Sunday, in a rural area and share our pastor with another chuch body. That's off the point but it reflexs the concern of some of our members on the stagnancy off our growth. I'm not going to debate the Willow Creek or PLI "solution" that LCMS is advocating. Because of pastor's anathema with those groups he says that prayer is the "only" answer to growth. That his been his stanch for many years yet growth is not apparent. Any thoughts on this avenue of approach?

 

[ctay]

I go to a small church too. Attendance average is about 65 every Sunday. They need a way to get the word out that they are there. I just transfered my membership there this year and didn't know they were there until this yr and they've been there for 6 yrs.

 

[Tetzel]

Perhaps Concordia or Augsburg Fortress could publish a VBS curriculum more in keeping with our beliefs

 

[KagomeShuko]

Augsburg Fortress has been doing VBS. . .at least this past summer and this summer, they've had Davey and Goliath.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

Perhaps Concordia or Augsburg Fortress could publish a VBS curriculum more in keeping with our beliefs

 

[filosofer]

I've been involved in VBS in a LCMS church for the last 5 years and have to agree, at least in our context, that it is a substitute for effective evangelism in our area. Even though our church body is a conservative, confessional congregation our pastor doesn't see fit to evengalize the neighborhood or many obligations as a shepard. Won't go into detail on that yet. We are a small church, with around 100 commuicate members and 20-30 in attendance every Sunday, in a rural area and share our pastor with another chuch body. That's off the point but it reflexs the concern of some of our members on the stagnancy off our growth. I'm not going to debate the Willow Creek or PLI "solution" that LCMS is advocating. Because of pastor's anathema with those groups he says that prayer is the "only" answer to growth. That his been his stanch for many years yet growth is not apparent. Any thoughts on this avenue of approach?

I appreciate the dilemma you face. Sadly, while your pastor has remained faithful in one sense, he has fallen for an alternative that is not Lutheran. The church does not grow by prayer - rather the church grows outward by the proclaimed Word of God, not from the pulpit (yes, it grows internally through the pulpit, but not externally), but from Christians speaking on the "highways and byways", from house to house, etc. Prayer undergirds that outreach, but prayer without each member confessing "Jesus Christ and him crucified" in their daily lives is not an alternative.

 

[Tetzel]

Augsburg Fortress has been doing VBS. . .at least this past summer and this summer, they've had Davey and Goliath.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

That sounds ok

 

[KagomeShuko]

That sounds ok

Davey and Goliath has been a great VBS curriculum!

Stein Auf!
Bridget

 

[Tetzel]

Do you think it would be bad for LCMS VBS programs? Is there any discussion of the issues that tend to cause strife between us Lutherans such as Open Communion, Women's ordination, Abortion or Eccumenism?

 

[ILoveYeshua]

vbs seems lame, but i dunno

 

[ctay]

VBS might bring in kids that this is the only way they hear the word of God, their parents may not go to church or not go often but send them to VBS. They could use it also for babysitting but then again, if the kids get something out of it they may end up going to church on their own when they get older.

 

[LilLamb219]

VBS might bring in kids that this is the only way they hear the word of God, their parents may not go to church or not go often but send them to VBS. They could use it also for babysitting but then again, if the kids get something out of it they may end up going to church on their own when they get older.

That's right Plant a seed.

We get a lot of Catholic children who come to our VBS. Maybe because they have to PAY to attend their own VBS and ours is free???

 

[SPALATIN]

Concordia Publishing House has VBS materials as well.

 

[RedneckAnglican]

Concordia Publishing House has VBS materials as well.

to be honest I tend to like the concordia stuff better than the augsburg fortress stuff...but they're both just so pricy...

 

[KagomeShuko]

to be honest I tend to like the concordia stuff better than the augsburg fortress stuff...but they're both just so pricy...

I like 'em both. St. Paul rarely buys anything but a starter kit, though. Then we use our own materials based upon what is in the starter kit when we do have VBS.

Sometimes we put our own VBS together.

With the hurricane, I seriously doubt that'll happen this year. Plus, being gone for the gathering for a week. . .

 

[ctay]

We got our stuff through Concordia... Its a treasure hunt theme.