To look at Vacation Bible School through a different lens . . .
We invite you to approach VBS as another catechetical opportunity for adolescent Scriptural formation. It could be an opportunity to invite youth volunteers into their own deeper understanding of the Scriptures….
9 ½ Ways you can help Scripture come alive for youth during Vacation Bible School...
1. Invite your team to look at ways you can make your VBS EPIC! (Experiential, Participatory, Image Rich-Driven, Connective) Approaching your VBS from this perspective will help to reinforce the learning’s of all participants – especially young people who are volunteering to not only help, but to learn from their experience. (Learning on all levels)
2. Invite Youth to help with environment (Make it of EPIC consequences!). Prior to starting, invite the youth to look at the themes and Scripture readings for the week and brainstorm ways you can share those Scriptures with participants. Break open the Scriptures in a small group prior to brainstorming.
3. Have youth volunteers meet with the adults they are assigned to assist during the week (stations they are working at/groups the lead together) and break open the scripture for the next day each afternoon before leaving or each morning prior to starting the day (this serves as both youth and adult formation). For smaller groups, suggest combining with other groups and appointing a small group facilitator; providing questions to help with discussion and application to the week.
4. Gather youth volunteers prior to the beginning of the VBS week or during the week for a Bible Study. This will help to facilitate breaking open of the Scriptures.
5. Ask for an adult leader to serve as the youth mentor/facilitator for all youth volunteers. One component of their role, in addition to the logistical and practical pieces of role during the week, is to gather youth volunteers to discuss the Scripture used for the week and ways it applies to their lives as part of their age specific preparation and training.
6. Do a mini – one day VBS for adult and youth volunteers to learn the themes, songs and scriptures for the week – break open these themes with small group conversations and ways in which they can apply to their everyday life.
7. Give youth specific roles to learn the scriptures during the week/non-gathered approach.
Ex: Invite youth taking pictures and/or working on the slideshow of pictures or video for the week, to approach the task with a different lens. Give them the Scripture for each day and ask them to brainstorm what types of pictures would reinforce that Scripture reading. Look for those pictures in addition to the “fun” ones. Consider utilizing the Scripture verse in the slideshow to reinforce to participants and families.
8. Eyewitness —> Have a blog for the day written by a young person….recapping the events, highlighting the scripture/theme of the day and how participants lived out this Scripture. Consider adding questions to use for at home processing with families to
discuss daily learnings.
9. Provide youth volunteers with a Catholic Youth Bible as a thank you for their work during Vacation Bible School. Hand out at the beginning of the week and invite youth to carry this with them, keeping it accessible and refer to it as Scripture passages are mentioned. Find ways for them to use it!
9½. Invite youth to participation in……..
Here are other methods to connect Youth and Scripture…..
Scripture Methods
with Youth