From the Archives: Which Is Your Favorite Theme?
It certainly doesn’t seem that long ago, but VBS 2016 will be 20 years since The Wild and Wonderful Good News Stampede revolutionized the way we think about and conduct Vacation Bible School. Take a few minutes to stroll with me down memory lane.
2016: Submerged: Finding Truth Below the Surface (Psalm 139: 23-24)
2016: Zip for Kids: Jesus Is…
2015: Journey Off the Map: Unknown To Us, Known To Him (Isaiah 30:21)
2015: Zip for Kids: I Am…
2014: Agency D3: Discover. Decide. Defend. (1 Peter 3:15)
2014: Zip for Kids: God Is…
2013: Colossal Coaster World: Facing Fear Trusting God (2 Timothy 1:7)
2012: Amazing Wonders Aviation: Encountering God’s Awesome Power (Psalm 147:5)
2011: Big Apple Adventure: Where Faith and Life Connect (Romans 10:17)
2010: Saddle Ridge Ranch: Roundn’ Up Questions Drivin’ Home Answers (James 1:5)
2010: Club VBS: Route 254 (Psalm 25:4)
2009: Boomerang Express: It All Comes Back to Jesus (1 John 4:9)
2009: Club VBS: Truth Trek (John 14:6)
2008: Outrigger Island: Living God’s Unshakeable Truth (Psalm 86:11)
2008: Club VBS: Cactus Canyon (Gospels and Acts)
2007: Game Day Central: Where Heroes are Made (Hebrews 12:1-2)
2007: Club VBS: Jungle Jaunt (Deuteronomy 10:17)
2006: Arctic Edge: Where Adventure Meets Courage (Joshua 1:9)
2006: Club VBS: SpaceQuest (John 3:16)
2005: Ramblin’ Road Trip: Which Way Do I Go? (Psalm 25:4)
2005: Club VBS: Beach Blast (Psalm 119:90)
2004: Far-Out Far East Rickshaw Rally: Racing to the Son (I Corinthians 9:24)
2003: The Great Kingdom Caper: Cracking the Character Code (Colossians 3:12-14)
2002: Amazon Outfitters: On Expedition With the One True God (Deuteronomy 10:17)
2001: Truth Trackers and the Secret of the Stone Tablets (John 14:6)
2000: The Fantastic Good News Ocean Odyssey: Diving into the Depths of God’s Faithfulness (Psalm 119:90)
1999: Mt. Extreme: The Ultimate Good News Challenge (Isaiah 52:7)
1998: StarQuest: A Galactic Good News Adventure (John 3:16)
1997: The Wild and Wonderful Good News Stampede: Telling Others about Jesus (Gospels and Acts)
1996: Go For the Goal (Philippians 3:14)
1995: Windows on the World (Matthew 28:18-20)
1994: Trail of Treasures (Psalm 24:1-4)
1993: Summershine (Matthew 5:14-16)
1992: Fantastic Journey (Mark 1:16-20)
1991: Celebrate Jesus! (Philippians 2:5-11)
1990: Share Hope: Reach Through Vacation Bible School (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
1989: Let’s Gather for Vacation Bible School (John 3:16-18)
1988: Living For Jesus (John 15:9-12)
Prior to 1988 a common theme was not used for the entire school. A different theme title was used for each age group as well as the Joint Service (Worship Rally).
1987: The Bible, God’s Treasure Book (Joint Service Theme) (1 John 1:5-7, 9)
1986: Praising God for His Goodness (Joint Service Theme) (Psalm 100)
1985: Jesus, Our Example to Follow (Joint Service Theme) Luke 4:18-19)
1984: Thanking God for His Love (Joint Service Theme) (1 John 4:7-9)
1983: Thanking God for the Bible (Joint Service Theme) (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
Which theme was the first year you worked or attended VBS? How many theme songs can you still sing? Which is your favorite theme and why? I look forward to hearing from you.
Far out Far East Rickshaw Rally: Racing to the Son
My favorite VBS was Outrigger Island. We had so much fun.
Juanita clark, do you still have the outrigger island kit? I am looking for a vbs kit for my church and I would like a water/laui/island theme with a good message.
Charlotte
[email protected]
931-260-8679
Agency D3
Game Day Central – fav Lifeway
Bethlehem Village – Fav group
2001: Truth Trackers!!
EASY. Amazon Outfitters!!! Still remember the songs.
Truth Trackers was one of my favorites. I also loved Saddle Ridge Ranch because that year our church partnered with a cowboy church and actually had our VBS at a ranch! The kids who were there are now in High School and they all say that was their favorite one too!
Journey off the Map…is my favorite, due to our church was struck by lightning 2 days after VBS and this theme has spoken to our church since the fire. We are truly on a JOURNEY OFF THE MAP!..
Ramblin Road Trip…2005. We used our camper for a classroom and the kids loved it.
2005: Ramblin’ Road Trip: Which Way Do I Go? (Psalm 25:4)
Amazon Outfitters
Boomerang Express was a great year! My daughter lead worship rally and had fun videos she’d recorded at KY Down Under. We also had animals visit for family night from KY Down Under.
Saddle Ridge Ranch was great… I loved hearing Jeff Slaughter’s stories of writing the music especially this year.
Big Apple Adventure was special. We had a great children’s pastor who really encouraged my daughter in her leadership role as well as encouraged my son in his first VBS vehicle… the VBS TAXI!
2010: Saddle Ridge Ranch – It is my favorite because it was the VBS after my daddy died in March. My daddy was a cowboy, so of course the theme spoke to me. The music and the lessons spoke to me!!! I had enough cowboy shirts to have one in every room and several in the Sanctuary and that is after I had given a ton away.
Every year VBS is great! I believe my 5 year old granddaughter would say her favorite was Agency D-3. She and my 6 year old grandson still sing those songs to this day and from memory!
I would take a longer lunch time from my work to go do a round up time at the end of VBS in 1998 & 99. I moved to a new church a month before Ocean Oddessy in 2000 and that was the start of my love for VBS. my favorite past theme has to be Rambling Road Trip!!! I really wanted to camp at church that week!!! This year’s VBS is my new favorite because of the 30 kids that were saved!!!
I think my favorite was the year we switched over to Lifeway, Rambling Road Trip! I was still in VBS and my church has stuck with Lifeway ever since then (10 years!!). I think it’s a great curriculum for my church, I just wish that it was more affordable for smaller congregations that don’t always need all the ‘extras’.
Hannah, have you checked out the Backyard Kids Club version of LifeWay’s VBS theme. It is perfect for Bible schools that will have approximately 20 kids. The church I attend has used it the past three years. Also, since over 50% of the churches that use LifeWay’s VBS will registered 100 or less (including the workers) we try hard to create resources that can be used without all the “extras”. The essentials are a Bible, a leader guide, and a leader pack. You might also consider using the 3rd and 4th grade resources and rotate all of your elementary-aged kids to Bible study led by one person.
We have been doing Lifeway VBS for the past 12 years. I love them all, but Agency D3 had one of the best messages.
a three-way tie between Amazon Outfitters, Outrigger Island and Arctic Edge
do you still have the outrigger island kit?
Amazon outfitters was AMAZING
Agency D3!! My GA & RA crews are still singing the songs! They even hoped we were singing them again this year during Journey Off The Map!!
I helped with Bible School throughout my preteen/teen years, and have taught almost every year since I married in Dec. 1984. But, the first one I remember much about is Summershine in 1993. My oldest child would’ve been 4 and my youngest, 2 yrs. old.
My daughter can still sing the theme song from every year she was in VBS and then worked as a youth – From StarQuest on until she was out of college! I don’t have that same gift, even though I taught the music most of those years.
My all-time favorite of these would be Truth Trackers. I’ve also used that theme song with my private school first graders and in Sunday School, to help teach the ten commandments. I think that VBS is the most timeless theme, and could be used again!
1998 star quest I wrote skits for each night. Acted out by the youth. We turned the fellowship hall into outer space.
Good News Stampede is the first on I remember, the year I was in kindergarten. The first year I worked was 2003 in The Great Kingdom Caper. I’d just finished 6th grade and helped with preschool music.
I can still sing almost all the theme songs from the years I attended as a child or helped as a youth/young adult.
My favorite theme is Amazon Outfitters. It has my favorite hand motions of all. Truth Trackers comes in a close second. To this day, I still sing the theme song in my head to remember the ten commandments.
Good News Stampede is the first VBS I remember, the year I was in kindergarten. The first year I worked was 2003 in The Great Kingdom Caper. I’d just finished 6th grade and helped with preschool music.
I can still sing almost all the theme songs from the years I attended as a child or helped as a youth/young adult (9 out of 14!)
My favorite theme is Amazon Outfitters – It has my favorite hand motions out of all of the themes, and that’s one thing that was always so fun to me as a child. However, Truth Trackers comes in a close second – To this day, I still sing the theme song in my head to remember the Ten Commandments!
Hard to choose..I think Agency D3 would be 1st, followed by Truth Trackers. Not because of the themes but the content! Thanks for the great job…I love VBS
My first theme was Colossal Coaster World.
My first VBS was Outrigger Island. I still have all of the songs in my playlist, and remember each of them! This year, Journey Off the Map was my first time volunteering. Keep up the good work LifeWay!
do you still have the kit?
Ocean Odyssey!! Of coarse, we enjoyed them all each year, but that was the first time we did the musical. I had surgery 2 weeks before Outrigger Island…and haven’t done it since. Many, MANY wonderful memories!!! Wish I had all those CD’s still!
are any of these archived somewhere? I’m trying to find the computer resources for VBS 2001
Jack, the only archive is this blog. Most of articles that have been reprinted have been found while cleaning out old files. Wish I could point you to an actual achieve.
I’m looking for the curriculum for Secret of the Lost stones 2001. Does anyone still some of this curriculum laying around?
Sorry, Julie, Truth Trackers and the Secret of the Stone Tablets is no longer available for purchase.
Truth Tracker- 2001. Favorite would have to be Arctic Edge though!!!
Still singing Agency D3 Loved the music to Rickshaw Rally. The themes have been fun for all.
BTW have taught them all but two
Is there a way to research Southern Baptist VBS themes from the 1960’s and 1970’s. I have looked at the Historical Commission site and found nothing.
Regrettably, Bible school curriculums did not have themes until the 1990s. Wild and Wonderful Good News Stampede was the first of the big themes that permeated every aspect of a VBS day from decorations, to music, crafts, and snacks. Prior to 1997 there were a few themes such as Summershine, Windows on the World, and Go for the Goal. These themes were basically a title and logo. Before these early themes, each age group had a unit title such as “Jesus Loves Me.”
my first VBS was Rickshaw Rally! (I was three years old!) I don’t remember much, but I’ve been to a vbs ever since! except for 2012, I dont know what happened there. I can remember and sing every theme song starting from Rambling Road trip to Submerged. Back in 2014 I helped out leading worship rally and I did with Journey off the map. I was 13 when I started leading in worship rally, I am now about to be 16 and I am working in my faith and sharing through VBS to the kids in my community. I absolutely love it and hope to keep doing it for as long as I am able to!
TOP FIVE VBS SONGS OF ALL TIME
5. “ABC Peak” (from Arctic Edge)
4. “A-M-A-Z-I-N-G” (from Amazing Wonders Aviation)
3. “Remarkably Made” (from Submerged)
2. “Tumbleweed” (from Saddle Ridge Ranch”
1. “More Than Just a Good Man” (from Agency D3)
TOP FIVE VBS THEMES OF ALL TIME
5. Arctic Edge
4. Amazing Wonders Aviation
3. Boomerang Express
2. Submerged
1. AGENCY D3
I’m looking for old sheet music for journey off the map. Does anyone have it? I need it for this year (2017)
Thank you
My first ever VBS was Boomerang Express. I don’t really remember much of that one though. I went to VBS from The Boomerang Express to Journey off the map. I now volunteer at VBS every year. I can still sing pretty much every theme song from Amazing Wonders Aviation onward. I think my favorite one was Amazing Wonders Aviation. That year after everyone learned all the songs, my cousin and I invited our whole class over to my grandparent’s house for a dance party! Nobody came haha.
So many favorites! I’ll go with Saddleridge Ranch–best ballad (“Like Jesus”)…we did that song a few more times in subsequent years. Agency D3 close second
Is there a cd that has all the theme songs from years past?
No, but past VBS music is available on iTunes!
I gave my life to Jesus at the good news stampede but I really enjoyed truth trackers as a VBS goer, but I really loved the music from big apple adventure and saddle ridge ranch as the Mc and the music time director. So hard to choose, also Amazon outfitters was really fun even though it was my last VBS as an attendee.
I remember working with children’s choir during Saddle Ridge Ranch. The next year I helped in the missions room for The Big Apple Adventure. For Amazing Wonders Aviation, I helped design and decorate the missions room. That was also the first year that we had a group of young musicians learn all of the VBS music and play it live during all of the rallies. We have done it every year since then, with youth from our congregation leading the kids through all of the VBS songs! One of our favorite things to do is play previous VBS theme songs, and see how many kids remember them. Such an awesome time!!
I was enrolled in VBS my entire grade-school years and some of Jr High. Most likely I first attended in ’83 or ’84 way before themes, when snacks were still cookies and Kool-Aid. And how bad did it stink when your best friend got Chips Ahoy! and you got the vanilla/chocolate creme duo. I can still remember getting the Service (Worship Rally) guides and certificates with the old block-lettered VBS logo. I was no longer enrolled in Bible School by the time the themed curriculum hit the scene. The first time I taught was in 2002 “Amazon Outfitters”. 2018 marks my first year as director of VBS in my church, so by default “Game On” is my favorite. VBS changes lives in so many ways. Great memories! Loved seeing the old titles from my childhood.
My wife was VBS director for almost 30 years. We liked them all!!! And thanks a heap for this archive. We are writing our Church history for our 100th and we had VBS pictures showing the theme but we could not remember the date. Lifeway does a super job.
I loved AMAZING WONDERS AVIATION!
1994 Trail of Treasures ! There’s a Trail of Treasures waiting here for you. If you look it’s not hard to find – Treasures God has left behind. A Trail of Treasures made for me and you!”
Saddle Ridge Ranch and our church would like to do it again. Do you have material we could purchase?
I remember when there were no themes. Personally, I don’t like having themes. It seems too much effort is spent on the decorations and costumes, and not enough is spent on the Gospel. I feel that the themes are a distraction.
Amazon outfitters was the BEST! 20 years later and I still remember every word to the theme song.
I am looking for a resource from one of the Lifeway VBS materials from years ago. It was a printed “quilt” telling the Bible story from Genesis to Revelations.
I’m going to Honduras in a week and hoped to use this resource. I thought I actually owned one…but I cannot find it. Anyone remember this? Have one?