Some may find it interesting that VBS’s originally were created as an outreach opportunity. For most churches though, VBS has become yet another program for church members. There’s nothing wrong with that unless your purpose is to do outreach. Certainly, you can still do outreach through a VBS but I believe it’s getting harder and harder in this post-Christian culture (yes, even in the south). I think most churches that intend to be evangelistic through a VBS end up drawing children from other churches.
So, if you want to reach children during the summer, why not offer a sports camp? Sports have the power to draw kids from non-believing families (not just families from other churches). What a VBS did in the early 20th century, perhaps a sports camp could do now in the early 21st century.
About the Author
Tim Briggs is the Creative Media Pastor at Church at Charlotte in Charlotte, NC. He blogs regularly at Church Sports Outreach. He also regularly writes about ministry, the church, technology, culture, and creative stuff. He is married with two children and is currently pursuing a M.A. in Biblical Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.