Partnering with a local or global missions agency can have a huge impact on your kids at VBS. Consider using one of the programs provided with your VBS theme, or connect with a local organization.
Whether it’s Vacation Bible School curriculum donated by the publisher to missions or funds raised for a specific project, lives are being impacted for Christ through VBS. As a former cross-cultural worker, I’ve experienced both of these scenarios firsthand – serving in Vacation Bible Schools using donated material and having churches partner with me in ministry through a VBS fundraising project. One of the aspects I loved about partnering with churches for VBS was having the opportunity to personally share with the children about my ministry and how the money they raised would be used overseas. Plus, children ask the best questions during question and answer time, usually the ones the adults are too polite or afraid to ask!
INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS PROJECTS
Many of the VBS programs we offer have built-in mission projects for your church to participate in. From providing roofs for churches in Africa, to books for schools in India, to home repairs for families in North America – check out the links below to see what project your VBS theme has this year.
If you are looking for a mission project, join us in supporting Empowering Lives International and their Water for Tanzania program. You can request our free mission packet, which contains all the information you need to help provide clean drinking water for children and communities in rural Tanzania. Free downloads for the Water for Tanzania program are also available on ConcordiaSupply.com .
LOCAL SERVICE PROJECTS
Do you desire to have a local emphasis for your VBS mission project? A few great ideas to benefit your community are: collect canned food for a local food bank or families in need, clean up the church property or a park close to the church, raise funds for a local homeless shelter or ask the shelter if there are specific items they are in need of and collect those items. There are multiple opportunities for the children at your VBS to serve your local community – dream big and speak with people in your church to find out if anyone has a connection with a specific community organization.
MISSIONARY PARTNERSHIPS
For churches who partner with cross-cultural workers and organizations, you have a unique opportunity to deepen partnerships by contacting someone you partner with and making them your VBS mission project. This provides a tremendous way to explain to the children how they can encourage those serving cross-culturally, as well as opportunities for continued follow-up and connections with the ministry or worker. When possible schedule the cross-cultural worker to personally share about their ministry with the children during VBS, which helps make missions more concrete to the children.
FUNDRAISING
In order to build excitement about your mission project establish an attainable goal for the children to reach – a certain amount of money, a specific number of items, etc. You can create a contest for the project or simply track the amount in a unique way. Keeping children updated on the progress of the project will motivate and excite them to continue to give. Researching and sharing about the country and ministry you are partnering with will help you answer the questions from children and parents as well as become more passionate about the project. Share Water for Tanzania videos to show kids and parents the impact of mission success in a community.
Far more important than the funds raised or items collected are the prayers for your specific project. Take time out of your VBS opening and closing sessions to pray for those involved in your project – those giving, those serving and those receiving. My time in cross-cultural ministry gave me a deeper appreciation for the need and the power of prayer. Hearing children were praying for me and my ministry during Vacation Bible School meant far more to me than all of the funds they raised for me.
