Getting your Whole Church Involved in VBS

So, you are looking for VBS volunteers…
You may have exhausted your resources of those that are teachers, the youth, and those that are retired who can give a week to serve. You may have every teaching slot filled with a few to spare or you may be far from having a full roster, but more help is always good, and more participation means more buy in by the members of your church.
Here are 8 ways to get more of the congregation involved:

1. Get Sunday school classes to help prepare crafts. Make a party out of it!
2. Pair someone (or a few someones) who cannot serve during the week of VBS with a teacher. Have that person help decorate, prepare supplies, and pray specifically for the kids that will be in that classroom.
3. Give the congregation a prayer list for VBS and ask them to pledge to be faithful in praying for the requests before, during, and even after VBS.
4. Encourage your entire church to come to the Family Night/Week’s Celebration. Ask them to be very intentional in connection with families during that time. Ask them to pray beforehand for opportunities to get to know a family and to minister to them specifically.
5. Designate a room for prayer during the week of VBS. Staff the prayer room throughout the day and night, having the congregation pick an hour or a half-hour to pray through the list of children who are attending VBS, the list of teachers, the activities they will be completing, and that the Holy Spirit would move.
6. Remind your congregation that bringing in needed supplies and praying for VBS is being a huge part of kids hearing the Gospel! Just because they can’t teach during the week doesn’t mean they are not making a difference.
7. Continue to cast the vision that VBS is an opportunity to reach the families of your community. Talk about the importance of connecting with the families frequently from the pulpit even now.
8. Encourage those who weren’t teachers to join those who were in follow-up. Challenge the congregation to make connections with families during the week’s celebration and to be a part of the follow-up that they receive.

What ways do you involve the entirety of your church in serving the community during VBS? What other helpful tips can you share with us?