Training is a VBS Priority
One standard of Lifeway’s VBS that makes it so successful as an evangelistic outreach is training. Even if we have been working in VBS since forever, annual training sharpens our skills and increases our knowledge, resulting in increased confidence, renewed enthusiasm, and relevant ways to engage new generations. Annual training challenges us to abandon the status quo and reach beyond our comfort zones, which is one of the reasons there is a direct correlation between the number of workers trained and the number of professions of faith.
When the number of workers trained increases the number of professions of faith tends to increase. In some areas of the United States statistics show that for every person participating in a training event there is 1.1 professions of faith reported. While a group training event (such as a local associational or regional state workshop) tends to be most effective, it becomes more challenging each year for workers to set aside a Saturday morning or weeknight to attend such training. As a result it is important to provide training at times and in ways that are accessible for every worker – including the person who only has an available hour at 3:00 AM.
Lifeway’s VBS team, including an army of 5,000 volunteers spread across North America, is committed to making sure training is available for every VBS worker. It takes a variety of methods to make this happen including the following:
- Training plans for church-led training for age-group leaders printed in the Administrative Guide for Directors.
- Guidance for sharing the Gospel printed on the inside cover of all leader guides.
- Age-specific training and tips printed in all leader guides.
- Training videos for music leaders included in Worship Rally and Music Rotation resources.
- Decorating instructions printed in Decorating Made Easy and free video demonstration online here.
- Online training for kids ministry and VBS leadership (www.ministrygrid.com).
- January Preview events in North Carolina, Texas, and Tennessee.
- State and Associational training – beginning as early as October (contact the Southern Baptist association or state convention nearest you).
- Lifeway’s Kids Ministry Conference in Nashville October 6-8.
- Posts found right here throughout the year, including every posts in April.
Join the conversation. How do you make training a VBS Priority?
I NORMALLY GO TO THE PREVIEW EVENT IN ORLANDO. ARE YOU NOT HAVING ONE THERE THIS YEAR?
I regret that we will not be able to hold a Preview in Florida this year. I sure appreciate the support you gave the event in previous years.
I love that the curriculum has so much to offer in the way of suggestions and activity choices and explains how to use them appropriately. This year our Pastor will ‘Teach the teachers’. Even though our teachers have studied the stories that they will teach to the children, it never hurts to have an in depth study on an adult level to gain a new perspective and be prepared for any questions that my be asked.
Will there be any training in southeast Georgia for Concrete and Cranes from the VBS Program for 2020? I thought I saw that there is a training event in Hazlehurst GA but want to make sure there is training available for VBS 2020 Concrete and Cranes. We had bought some of the material and were not able to use it so would like to utilize it this year. Please advise as soon as possible.
Debe, you’ll need to contact the Georgia Baptist Convention directly about their VBS training plans. You can find out more about their VBS training, register, and contact them directly here: https://gabaptist.org/vbstraining/