Pioneer Christian Monthly - July, 1979

Evaluation Vacation Bible School and Other Summer Programs
Dick Vermeulen and Anne Meinen

"Mom, I made this for you today! Look! Look!"

"Do you have any glue? My macaroni's falling off""

"I think my mother will like it, don't you?"

"Be more careful, don't sit so close - your squashing me."

"I got paint on me - but I bet my mom can get it out!"

"Moses! Moses! I'm gonna be Moses in the play tomorrow! Can you make me a costume?"

"I'm in the Lord's army!" - a burst of spontaneous song winds itself through the conversations as I make the turn unto Dewitt Road.

"I saved a cookie from snack time, can I eat it now?"

Sure you've heard and had it happen all before, every year at the end of a V.B.S. morning. This is a reality in dozens of cars all over the country. But what of a V.B.S.? Does your church run one? Should it? Are you involved? It's so hard, you say, and you're so busy; you just don,t know whether it's worth it. Perhaps you ought to look at it with a fresh eye.

The business man measures success by his year-end profit; the farmer by how many bushels to the acre his crop yields. How can you then evaluate the results of a V.B.S. or any other program? You may not be able to measure success only in terms of attendance, for the seeds planted in V.B.S. must be sown with patience and prayer and may take years to nurture and bear fruit. You can, however, look at some of the opportunities and responsibilities connected with summer programs in Christian education.

In "Help! I run a Sunday School" Mary Duckert states "From the time a child is anticipated, parents begin to plan for it. They anticipate not only material needs, but also training. Every child born into a Christian home should be surrounded from the beginning with Christian influences which lay the foundations for a later commitment of life in Christ. Children should be taught at every level of development in keeping with their ability to understand and apply."

If you share this basic Christian principle, and couple it with Christ's command to teach as many as you can, then many opportunities open up to you, especially during the summer months. The holidays provide the church with opportunities to fulfill this responsibility of leading the child out to meet the experiences of life that will lead him God-ward. In addition to the familiar V.B.S. that meets every morning for one or two weeks with a closing program for the child and his parents, there is the V.B.S. that meets evenings for the whole family (meeting every night for one or two weeks or one night weekly for several weeks). Other summer programs include Christian Day Nurseries, backyard and park bible schools. and day camps. All can be easily adapted to fit every situation.

One of the main objectives of summer Programs is to evangelize. You can reach the nonchurched in your community through your involvement with children. Through publicity of your activities you can establish your church as an open, friendly, caring, vital focus for community life. People can be approached in an informal setting. You are more likely to attract newcomers over your threshold on a weekly evening or morning than you would on a Sunday morning for formal worship service..

Through your personal involvement with each child you have an open channel to his parents. Teachers, pastor, and staff should take a special interest in the unchurched children and their parents. Be sure to emphasize follow-up in all your planning. Make newcomers welcome, introduce staff, inform them of your church's worship services and weekly activities. Invite the entire family and provide transportation when needed. Remember the child's birthday with a card or personal note! Show you care! Exemplify God's love to them!

Do you realize that in only one week of morning V.B.S. you have the equivalent of over three months or over one quarter of the regular Sunday School year? Many church-enriching opportunities abound in the summer. Here you have more music, more crafts, more nature study, and more active participation time available to you. All this and a successive theme that you expound daily. You obtain a closer personal relationship with each child as you see him each day, not just one out of seven. The child enjoys fellowship with his teacher and peers, in a Christian setting. In study, sharing, crafts, play and music, the child learns of a relationship between teacher, pupil and God.

Everyone, in some way, can share his talents. Church members, not already involved with Christian education, can help: as craft teachers, music teachers, kitchen staff, publicity staff, babysitters, and transportation helpers. From this small commitment you may be more eager to get deeper involved in the ongoing work of Christian education.

"How many more sleeps till VBS?"

"Can Susan come with us?"

"Are you gonna teach my class?"

Have a Very Blessed Summer with your Vacation Bible School!!

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.