My Top 5 VBS Themes

The beginning of June is the time of year I look forward to the most. It is VBS time! For me, VBS had a hug impact on my life and who I am today. You can watch my video testimony that is on YouTube by clicking on thislink. Overall, counting VBS’s at various churches during my childhood, I have attended 30 VBS’s in 17 years. This year, I will be doing double duty like I did last year. I will be assisting in teaching at Gardendale First Baptist Church and Cleveland First Baptist Church in the same week! One at morning and one at night. Here are my top 5 VBS themes of all time. I will put the theme verse and something I got out of that VBS.

5) Colossal Coaster World: Facing Fear, Trusting God (2013)
“For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” -2 Timothy 1:7

This VBS stood out for a number of reasons. For starters, this was the first theme that did not feature songs written by legendary VBS music composer Jeff Slaughter. Instead, Dove Award winner Jamie Grace, along with LifeWay writers Jeremy Johnson and Paul Marino composed the VBS 2013 music. I instantly became of fan of it after listening to it for the first time! The number one reason I loved this VBS is because it taught me that God doesn’t give us fear in our lives. He gives us His power, His love, and His sound judgment. When storms come into our lives, we should face them. If God is for us, who can be against us? This theme has become special in recent years because it talks about not being ashamed of sharing the Gospel. When I had the opportunity to preach for the first time during a youth Sunday in my church in 2014, I preached on this passage.

4) Arctic Edge: Where Adventure Meets Courage (2006)
“Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

During VBS 2006, we got out our winter jackets and journeyed off to the arctic circle to learn that God wants us to be courageous wherever we go. During Arctic Edge, I learned about the story of Esther for the first time. I loved learning how she had courage to do something God wanted her to do. I learned that I have to be willing to follow Christ wherever He leads me. A deep truth to learn at a young age. I believe that God started working on my heart during this VBS in preparation for what He would do the following year.

3) Big Apple Adventure: Where Faith and Life Connect (2011)
“So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.” -Romans 10:17

This VBS is special to me because it came at a rough time in my life. I was in the midst of junior high school and didn’t know how to fit in. As many of you know, junior high can be a rough time. It also came as a precious family member was fighting cancer. We didn’t know what the future held. The music that year was composed by Jeff Slaughter. One song in particular was released in the summer of 2010, during the midst of my battles. The lyrics spoke so much to me and it has become one of my favorite songs in general. I learned how to connect with faith, connect with love, connect with trust, connect with others, and connect with life. Was I willing to take a risk and connect with faith, connect with Jesus, and know that everything was going to come out ok? I’m glad I did!

2) Galactic Starveyors: Discovering the God of the Universe (2017)
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” -Colossians 1: 15-16

This was my first VBS at my new church, Gardendale First Baptist Church. It was the BIGGEST VBS I have ever been apart of, with over 1,000 in daily attendance! What makes this theme one of my favorites is the Biblical study for this theme, discovering the God of the universe. During Galactic Starveyors, the Bible study focused on God’s relationship with us. During the 5 days of VBS, we studied that God created everything, sin messed everything up, God sent Jesus to restore the broken relationship between man and God, Jesus died on the cross to save each one of us, and that the relationship we have with God can continue up until today. To basically go through a crash course of the entire Bible in a whole week made this VBS go out of this world!

1) Game Day Central: Where Heroes Are Made (2007)
“Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith” -Hebrews 12:1b-2a

This VBS is my favorite because it was during this VBS that I made the decision to follow Christ the rest of my life. The theme was so much fun! I never played sports when I was a kid, but this VBS made me feel like I was apart of a team, God’s team. We learned that we needed to make sure we were on God’s team (I got that part right with God later that week), we needed to be team players, we needed to grasp the ABC strategy, we needed to become one with one another and not hate our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and we needed to use the ABC strategy to recruit new team members. We learned about many heroes of the Bible and how they were not ashamed to run the race for Jesus.