(Copied from the LifeWays "About Lifeway's VBS" Page)

History of VBS

VBS was the idea of Mrs. Walter Aylett Hawes, a doctor's wife. Her goal was to get children off the streets of New York. In 1898 and 1899 Mrs. Hawes rented a beer hall in New York's East Side to conduct her Everyday Bible School. In 1900 Mrs. Hawes' pastor, Howard Lee Jones, insisted that the Bible school move to the church building, Epiphany Baptist Church. After two weeks it became clear that children from the East Side would not attend at the church, so Mrs. Hawes moved the school back to a site near the beer hall.

In the early 20th century, VBS became a growing trend. While Mrs. Hawes was indeed a Baptist, VBS was a non-denominational event in those early years. In 1922 the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention assigned the work of VBS to the Sunday School Administration Department. In 1924 a Vacation Bible School Department was formed and Homer Grice, a pastor from Georgia, became its first director. At that point VBS was usually a 4-week event!

–from New Horizons in Vacation Bible School compiled by Willie R. Beat

Purpose and Principles

1. Vacation Bible School is one of the most strategic outreach tools for the church and includes age-appropriate evangelism emphasis.
2. Vacation Bible School is a flagship church event, uniquely inviting and exciting for everyone involved. The event belongs to the local church and must be flexible enough to be made into what each individual church needs.
3. Vacation Bible School is centered around a theme that permeates content, methodology, and the learning environment, creating an experience totally distinctive from Sunday School. The theme must be appealing to children. A sub-theme may be used to explain content or the meaning of the theme.
4. Vacation Bible School provides sound, relevant Bible study that enables people to experience and respond to the gospel message in ways that are appropriate for them. Everything that happens during a day of Vacation Bible School grows out of the biblical content and emphasis of that day. Vacation Bible School leads preschoolers, children, youth, and adults to study the same biblical content, when appropriate.
5. Vacation Bible School includes schedules that help older preschoolers and children rotate through varied learning experiences with a variety of Christian leaders. Suggestions for a self-contained classroom option are also offered.
6. Vacation Bible School teachers of preschoolers and children are enlisted to lead certain functions based upon their abilities, interests, and spiritual gifts. Worker preparation is simplified for many teachers who repeat their teaching assignments with different groups of children.
7. Vacation Bible School requires user-friendly, easy-to-prepare, and easy-to-use materials that help teachers lead effective, meaningful learning experiences and establish meaningful relationships with learners.
8. The primary elements of Vacation Bible School include Bible study, worship, crafts, music, missions, and recreation and snacks. Each age group may adapt the kinds of elements emphasized.
9. Vacation Bible School is an entry point to church and Christianity for many unchurched people, so it must be comfortable, enjoyable, and appealing to this target audience. Vacation Bible School gives the church the opportunity to establish long-term relationships with these people.
10. Vacation Bible School must provide challenging experiences that continue to stimulate spiritual growth for churched people.