FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Elgin, Illinois, June 25, 2024—Regular Baptist Press (RBP) is excited to announce a structured change of Vacation Bible School (VBS) age groups, set to take effect in 2025. This change aims to streamline VBS, making it more accessible and manageable for churches of all sizes.
Churches are looking for ministry options that are as simple and easy as possible so nothing gets in the way of reaching children for Christ. Over and over churches have told us that the most complicating factor in their VBS is recruiting enough volunteers. Each year we are laughingly told by VBS Directors across the nation that they didn’t volunteer to direct VBS – it just fell on them because no one else wanted to do it. Those who would direct, teach, and even volunteer are waning in numbers.
Simplifying the age groups for VBS will meet the ever-changing ministry needs of churches beginning in 2025. Rather than six age groups for churches to staff, plan, and decorate for, the new model includes three expanded age groups, which we’re calling by names you’re used to:
- Pre-primary (preschool–kindergarten)
- Primary (grades 1–3)
- Junior (grades 4–6)
The adult course remains available.
How does this model work for all students in a group?
RBP is serious about reaching children on their age level. This new model fulfils that same goal because the age ranges aren’t too broad (essentially, each age group is expanded by only one grade compared to our previous model).
In the student activity books, activities will be aimed at all students in the age group. Some activities will include advanced elements for older students and simple elements for younger students, so everyone can enjoy the activities.
Teacher books will include a range of activities for both ends of the group’s age spectrum. Some activities will be aimed at all students in the group. Other activities will include tips for adapting them to older or younger students.
Older students often enjoy practicing leadership by helping younger students. For a sixth-grade student, this could be the difference between seeing VBS as a great place to be and feeling like it’s for “little kids.” And younger students can learn from older students.
This model is adaptable to churches with high levels of attendance. If your VBS expects more students than your classrooms or teachers can accommodate, simply split each age group into two or more classes.
What about 2s & 3s and teenagers?
Compared with our other age groups, only a small percentage of churches have used the 2s & 3s or youth material for VBS, so going forward RBP will carry three age groups.
Evangelism is at the heart of VBS. RBP understands that not every church can utilize every teen as a volunteer. Churches who wish to keep a teen class at VBS have the option to adopt the adult lessons. These lessons are intentionally designed to be an evangelistic Bible study used during or as a follow-up to VBS.
Equipping VBS Teams
With churches lacking volunteers, RBP wants to help you fix that problem. Starting with VBS 2025, we are excited to provide ways for your church to train, mobilize, and equip a readily available resource—your teens—in turn developing future VBS leaders.
Throughout the VBS season, RBP will provide tips and ideas in our books and other materials how to implement this approach in your VBS. Additional information about this topic will also available on RBP’s VBS educational resource feed.
About Regular Baptist Press
Regular Baptist Press offers a wide range of curriculum, VBS programs, Bible studies, books, and training seminars. RBP resources are Biblically sound, covering the entirety of Scripture, and designed for spiritual growth.
Regular Baptist Press is the publishing ministry of Regular Baptist Ministries.
Contact: Joshua Mason, VBS Creative Manager
-30-
