Ideas for Continuing Connections Following VBS

The first step for planning for continued connections following VBS is to adopt the philosophy that discovering unchurched families and connecting with them through follow-up is the reason for holding VBS.
Here are some ideas to help you get started.

• Begin planning connections actions at the same time VBS is being planned.
• Enlist a continued connections leader and include connection activities in the VBS budget.
• Offer VBS for the entire family. Submerged VBS 2016 resources are available for Students (grades 7-12), Adults, and Special Friends (kids and adults with special needs), as well as preschoolers and kids.
• Offer VBS for the entire family. Submerged VBS 2016 resources are available for Students (grades 7-12), Adults, and Special Friends (kids and adults with special needs), as well as preschoolers and kids.
• Begin connecting with parents before the first day of VBS. Provide resources that invite parents to participate in other ministry opportunities. Distribute information and invitations at registration and at the same time you are promoting VBS.
• Enlist and train greeters to be available at registration, as parents drop off and pick up kids, and during VBS Family Celebration to establish relationships with parents.
• Train the registration team to get complete and accurate information for as many family members as possible.
• Turn the registration process into a positive and welcoming experience that establishes the tone for the week and reinforces a parent’s decision to being her kids to your church.
• Help unchurched families become instantly familiar with and comfortable in your church building. Create adequate signage and station greeters throughout the building to help relieve unchurched parents from the fear and ackwardness of the unknown.
• Create a VBS Family Celebration that is designed to engage and connect parents with each other and with ministry leaders. Performance based celebrations isolate parents and typically limit conversation and connections.
• Create an informal and relaxed way for unchurched families to meet church staff members and adult Sunday School leaders.
• Adopt the strategy that follow-up must be more than a single postcard or phone call – it must be a relationship.
• Realize that relationships take time to develop and will require an ongoing strategy to move unchurched families into the life of the church.
• Train all VBS workers to connect with parents as well as the kids.
• Work with ongoing ministry leaders to plan connection activities that will interest unchurched parents. Use VBS and VBS Family Celebration to promote the activities and to introduce unchurched parents to the ministry leaders.
• Create a Connection Group (Sunday School class) that is designed specifically for the unchurched parents discovered during VBS. Begin the class immediately following VBS and don’t give up when parents do not attend the first week.
• Offer a parenting workshop following VBS. Workshop resources are included in the Submerged VBS 2016 Adult Starter Kit.
• Conduct a family movie night, a cookout in a local park, or other all-family activity within two weeks of VBS to give unchurched families an opportunity to reconnect with the church.
• Take the next activity to the unchurched families’ neighborhoods by hosting block parties. Work with church members to host family activities at their home and intentionally invite unchurched families discovered during VBS.
• Conduct neighborhood Backyard Kids Clubs to continue connections with unchurched kids and families discovered during VBS. Don’t worry about having already used the theme and Biblical content. Repetition is good and the kids will enjoy playing their favorite VBS games and singing songs they are familiar with.

Join the conversation: How will you connect with families discovered during VBS 2016?