Vacation Bible School a bridge to Gospel for 'spiritual orphans'

When Shane Garrison was a little boy, the chasm between his non-Christian home and the local Baptist church was just too wide to cross. But, one summer, Vacation Bible School became his bridge.

"I grew up in a home where no one had any association with God or Jesus or a church," Garrison said. "It was just never talked about at all. I knew there was a church in town, but I didn't think it was someplace I could go. It was for other people. But one summer, VBS became a bridge ... a way for me to get from my house to the church."

Garrison, assistant professor of educational ministries at Campbellsville University, was the keynote speaker at LifeWay's 2013 VBS Preview events this winter. LifeWay hosted more than 3,500 VBS leaders at events in Fort Worth, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; Kissimmee, Fla.; and at LifeWay's Ridgecrest (N.C.) Conference Center. VBS leaders attending the preview events will return to their states and associations to train thousands of local church leaders. Read more

In my personal experience Vacation Bible School can be a very effective outreach for a church whatever its denomination, bridging the gap between the church and the community.