100 Ideas for VBS Community Outreach

In our end of the year survey in 2019, we asked your VBS coordinators what their biggest desire was for their Vacation Bible School in 2020. The most frequent answer, by a landslide, was better community outreach. We took this to heart and built this giant list of VBS outreach ideas for connecting with your community and getting them in on your VBS. We hope you are encouraged and inspired, and can put these to good use!  With love, Your Team of VBS T-Shirt Pros 100 Ways to Invite Your Community to VBS Post picket signs in your church’s lawn. Get a custom banner to post on all church campuses. Put an ad in your local newspaper. Post an invitation in your community’s facebook group/page. Have all leaders… Read more »

God’s Amazing Work at VBS 2019

So, did it fly by? VBS 2019 is on its last leg and it’s hard to believe, even for us. Our team has enjoyed months talking with you VBS coordinators and staff about your theme, preparation and prayers for the kids of your church.  A few weeks ago, you shared stories about the amazing work God is doing in your church. Conversions, baptisms, stories of unbelievable provision—we were so encouraged and can’t wait to share it with you. What did God do at VBS 2019? Churches, we rejoice with you in the salvation of so many young ones this year. Leslie Dick from Wesley United Methodist Church told us that God brought 150 kids through their doors, and Cassandra Park from Crane Eater Community Church got to see “10… Read more »

2019 VBS Theme Reveals

Vacation Bible School isn't over until next year's theme is revealed. The kids and parents get all pumped up about the theme, the art work, the new songs, and bible messages they've got a whole year to look forward to. Early reveals also give leaders like you the opportunity to kick start your preparations right away for next year's theme! We gathered all the latest news and updates coming out from your favorite VBS curriculum publishers. The top 2 publishers, Group and LifeWay, always hold off announcing until June knowing that they hold the biggest audience. While up-and-comers like Answers & Orange try to catch the pre-June attention with clever reveal parties hosted on Facebook Live. We also keep tabs on classics like CPH, RBP, Cokesbury,… Read more »

5 Great Ideas For Your VBS T-Shirts

Looking for great ideas for how to make the most of your VBS T-Shirt orders? Think you've seen it all? Every year we hear of new ways VBS leaders use t-shirts to make Vacation Bible School even better. We sat down with Charif Martin, the former Children's Ministry Coordinator at the Church at Rocky Peak, a large church in Los Angeles, to get t-shirt ideas that might take your VBS game to the next level. She gave us 5, then added a bonus you'll definitely come to count on every year! 5 VBS T-Shirt Ideas (+ 1) T-Shirt Decoration Nation For years, kids have turned up the creativity by decorating their VBS t-shirts in tons of fun ways. Charif says, "The classics like beaded fringing and tie-dyeing are here… Read more »

VBS Highlights – A Rip Roaring Round-Up 

As they say in Hollywood, that’s a wrap! From May to August, churches across the country (and around the world) cranked up the fun with week-long Vacation Bible School events focused on sharing the good news of Jesus with kids in the community. With VBS 2017 in the books, let’s look back and celebrate what God did through churches coast to coast! We reached out to VBS leaders across the country to hear about the highlights and outtakes that made this their best year ever.   VBS Highlights - Classicly Cute Whenever you work with kids, you’re bound to encounter moments when the precocious-meter goes to 100. Jenn Patteson a VBS leader at River of Life Family Church in Lebanon, PA sat in church on the Sunday after wrapping… Read more »

VBS 2018 Theme Announcements

The 2018 VBS Themes Have Been Revealed! Even though VBS season is still in full force for many churches, it's already time to start planning for 2018! We've listed all the latest theme announcements below so you can get a head start in prepping your church for the 2018 theme of your choice.   You can find props and costumes at thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, or at garage sales around town. Now might be a good time to shop Oriental Trading for theme-appropriate giveaways and decorations before they re-purpose previous items for the new themes. Here at Ministry Gear, we're already thinking about cool 2018 VBS t-shirt designs for your vacation bible school and we're very excited to reveal them to you very soon.   On this page, you'll find… Read more »

Why VBS?

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 4 There’s been a lot of talk lately about Vacation Bible School (VBS) and it’s value in the church today. In a busy culture with so many options, it can be difficult to prioritize one event over another, especially an event that demands the participation and resources of so many. It’s no wonder some churches have abandoned VBS in search of something less demanding. So we dug down deep asking the question, “Why VBS?” We listened to some of the best of both sides of the discussion and in the end, we discovered a vocal community whose passion for VBS, and the eternal benefits they’ve witnessed because of it,… Read more »

New Video Explains How to Order Great T-Shirts for VBS

Planning VBS is a big job. With so much to do, wouldn’t it be great if you had expert help to make ordering VBS T-shirts easy? At VBS T-shirts, our friendly artists will work together with you to brainstorm and customize artwork just for your church. We have hundreds of designs for inspiration. Start by choosing your favorite design. We’ll add your church name and even change the colors any way you like, add or remove elements, or even combine 2 of your favorite designs. We’ll work with you until it’s just right. There’s no risk. Working with our artists is totally free. Print your customized artwork on the front or the back, or both. In addition to T-shirts, we can make VBS bags, banners, water bottles –… Read more »

VBS Decorated Shirts

How to Turn a VBS T-Shirt into a Work of Art

It's craft time once again for the kids at First Baptist in Alabama. But this time, the kids were not given coloring books or sheets of paper. Instead, Susan, their Sunday school teacher, experimented on an idea that is brilliant in so many levels. Susan called in and requested that we create for them a bunch of white T- shirts with an outline of their VBS design in black and white. She wanted to keep it plain so that the kids can color and decorate their own shirts and bring out their inner Picasso. What a brilliant idea! Pictured on the left is a sample of the white shirts that VBS T-Shirts made for her class. So how did the little ones take on the challenge? Just like a painter… Read more »

Happy 2015

Hello VBS directors and children's ministry directors.  For 2015 we will be bringing you the same creative design options that have been here since 2009.  If you have used us in the past you know how easy it is to get custom T-Shirts for your church with for a summer or winter camp, or the name of the ministry you're involve in, it IS possible to have that on a t-shirt!  And we make it cinchy!  Not only do we have great designs and colors, which you can customize, but we also offer a wide range of apparel that will appeal to everyone at your church from the little kids, moms, teens, and dads and grandparents. In addition to that we have just launched our brand new VBStShirts.com website in… Read more »