If you’ve ever experienced the thrill of white water rafting, you know the true definition of a “wild ride!” Put on your life vest and grab your oar for CPH’s (Concordia Publishing House) Vacation Bible School theme for 2018 – a wet and wild ride through “Splash Canyon – God’s Promise on Life’s Wild Ride.” Celebrate the truth of 2 Corinthians 1:20, that all of God’s promises are “yes” in Christ Jesus! Your VBS kids will soak up God’s love no matter what rough ride lies ahead. 

 

God’s Promise on Life’s Wild Ride!

BIBLE POINT: The Bible is full of stories about people coming out of water, so Splash Canyon has plenty to choose from for day-to-day lessons. On Day 1, they’ll learn God is with us through the story of baby Moses being pulled out of the Nile. Joshua and the Israelites cross the Jordan into the Promised Land on Day 2 to show that God gives us life!. Then on Day 3, kids will see Naaman cleansed of leprosy in the Jordan proving God is faithful. God gives hope on Day 4 through the story of Paul being rescued from a shipwreck. Finally, they’ll learn that Jesus is our Savior through the story of Jesus’ baptism.

 

SONGS & BIBLE MEMORY – When it comes to music, Concordia VBS always shines. They provide fun, modern music styles blended with the sweet (and listenable) voices of kids to help kids and parents relate. To match the mountain adventure theme, the top two songs take on a country pop feel kind of like Rascal Flatts. Others recall 60s pop, and modern pop rock. There’s even a punk influenced version of Ode To Joy. But where Splash Canyon truly delivers is in their Bible memory songs. Word for word from the ESV, kids can hide God’s word in their hearts through repetitive and catchy new songs. They even provide a full set of songs recorded especially for early childhood classes. For those of us from a certain generation, God Is So Good will bring back all the great memories of Sunday School past.

 

“Even in the deepest rivers, we know our God Delivers!”

 

VBS LEADER’S LITTLE HELPER: This year, CPH does a fantastic job of supporting your friendly neighborhood VBS leader. The leader resources are specially aimed at making the process easier and more directed than many of the other programs out there. From preparation, registration and set up, to day-to-day scheduling, publicity and volunteer training, these resources point you in a great direction and keep you headed that way throughout your VBS week and beyond.

 

PRO-TIP: VBS is often the work of Children’s ministries and Children’s ministries only. Obviously it’s a great idea to engage the adults for service and special projects an help. But many churches forget to engage the Pastor to provide leadership and support in his role over the whole flock. Splash Canyon comes with a special “Pastors’ Overview” to bring him into the loop and even equip him to share the VBS message with the whole congregation. 

“We’re on a wild ride of life. We’ve got a big God who’s on our side.”

EXTRAS: We get such a kick out of the creativity and inventiveness that goes into CPH’s crafts, games, goodies, and little extras to support the rafting theme and the gospel message. Here are our 3 favorites!
 
  • Arch Books – Remember these?!?! If you grew up in church in the 70s and 80s, you probably have memories of reading these beautifully illustrated books of the Bible’s great truths. Your VBS kids will love engaging with these stories and going a little deeper during quiet times or as in small groups. The words rhyme, so get a musician to play along while you read. You and the kids will love the way the rhythms line up and turn a story into a song.
  • Fireside Snacks – It’s not easy to build the Bible lesson and story into the mid-morning VBS snacks, but Splash Canyon hits the mark every time. Our favorites are the Wild Boat Ride to illustrate Paul’s shipwrecks and the 3-in-1 veggie dip. What a tasty way to share the trinity!
  • The Ichthus (Jesus fish) Carabiner – C’mon, that’s awesome! These fun clips are a great reminder of the faith passed down for generations to your VBS. And like our faith in Christ, along with the counsel of the Holy Spirit, they help us keep it all together! 

 

Purchase or pre-order your copy of Splash Canyon VBS from Group HERE.

 

Shoot The Rapids: Why wait? Find a design you like and request a free digital mockup of your 2018 VBS t-shirts today!