Behind the Scenes at VBS

Every year, children three through sixth grade gather from all over the Dallas-Fort Worth area to attend First Baptist Dallas’s anticipated Vacation Bible School week. We welcomed 1,685 children into the doors of our church for our art-themed camp, “Spark Studios!” Throughout the week, kids learned that they were created in Christ and designed for God’s purpose, inspired by Ephesians 2:10. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.”

Parents drop off their children each morning, knowing they will participate in fun arts and crafts, games, and interactive Bible activities. Kids had fun drawing on the larger-than-life coloring book, jumping into a custom ball pit, bouncing on inflatables, and building extreme legos. Not to mention, kids received a video from young children they were raising money for in Guatemala, watched a Bible story play out on stage daily, and worshipped and danced with Jana Alayra. All this is thanks to our world-class Preschool and Children’s Ministry team and 410 volunteers who made this all possible.

Yet, there is one special time in particular that parents don’t get to read about on the schedule or see for themselves at VBS. On Thursday, during camp, children received a surprise visit from our pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress. He told the kids, “today is the most important decision you could ever make.” After explaining heaven and hell to them in a childlike manner, he asked for a show of hands for the young souls who desired to spend eternity in heaven with God the Father.

Our pastor told every young person who raised their hand that they must believe the following: 

1. All of us have sinned (Romans 3:23) 
2. We deserve to be punished for our sins (Romans 6:23). 
3. Jesus paid for our sins (John 3:16). 
4. We must receive God’s gift of forgiveness (John 1:12).

Dr. Jeffress encouraged those who said the prayer out loud. He said God was proud of them and that they made the best decision. Boys and girls who trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior got to pray with one of our ministers or volunteers about the decision that changed their lives. The kids were celebrating, and the staff members were shedding tears of joy because heaven just got a little bigger. That day, over 160 children said the prayer.

That’s what you don’t see at VBS. 

Has your child decided to trust in Christ? Our Director of Preschool and Children, Shelly Taylor’s best advice to parents, is to stay sensitive and help their child recognize God’s voice. She lays out the framework for First Dallas Children’s Ministry, which includes Bible reading, prayer, serving, listening to Christian music, and missions. These five resources are the best ways that you can help guide and support your new believer in their early walk with Christ. 

Just because VBS is over does not mean First Dallas will ever stop serving your children. We have a world-class Children’s Ministry that meets every Sunday at 9:15 and 11am and gets kids energized and excited about God. You can also take advantage of our iCampus Kids programming streamed weekly for preschool and elementary-aged children. We love teaching children about Jesus and what it means to follow Him.