Do you know the History of VBS?

Mrs. Walker Aylette Hawes of the Epiphany Baptist Church noted a rapid increase in the number of immigrant children in the slums. In July 1898, she rented the only place available —a saloon—to run a Bible school for six weeks during the summer. Hawes structured her program around worship music, Bible stories and Scripture memorization, games, crafts, drawing, cooking, etc. The school caught on: Hawes was presiding over seven separate schools by the time she retired from her work in 1901.

VBS certainly caught on and grew. Many thousands have participated in VBS over the years. However, statistics and history don’t really tell you the whole story. That would include stories about children, youth, and adults coming to know Christ as Lord and Savior. The full impact of VBS will probably only be known in heaven.

How can you be part of what God is doing through Vacation Bible School? All of us can pray God will speak to hearts through His Word. If you’re not a volunteer plan to be in a class, adults included.

This year’s VBS will pose some very good questions like, “What is God’s plan for me?” and “How can I be like Jesus?” At the end of the day, we’ll discover God’s Word has all the answers! When we apply those answers, the end result is that God changed and blessed lives.