What makes a great VBS, and how do you pull one off without burning yourself out in the process?
In this episode, Nick sits down with Jeremy O'Neill to talk all things VBS, from big-picture planning and promotion timelines to volunteer leadership, programming strategy, registration questions, and what actually makes a VBS successful. Jeremy shares lessons from years in local church kids ministry, why he wrote How to VBS, and how church leaders can think more clearly about whether their event is primarily about evangelism, discipleship, or both.
They also talk through practical issues every ministry leader faces: when to start planning, whether VBS should be free or paid, how to reduce no-shows, how to measure if your event is really reaching new families, and how to use summer events to build your volunteer team for the rest of the year.
Jeremy also shares creative ideas like staggered promotion plans, invite-day strategy, planning grids that reduce stress, and how VBS leadership roles can become a training ground for future ministry leaders.
Whether you’re leading a traditional VBS, a summer camp, or any large kids ministry event, this conversation is full of practical wisdom to help you plan smarter, lead better, and make the most of one of the biggest ministry opportunities of the year.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- Why Jeremy wrote How to VBS
- A realistic VBS planning timeline
- Save the date vs theme reveal vs registration launch
- Free vs paid VBS and the pros and cons of each
- How to think about attendance, outreach, and follow-up
- Evangelism vs discipleship in VBS strategy
- A smart registration question every church should ask
- How to use VBS to recruit and develop future leaders
- Planning grids and systems that reduce overwhelm
- Jeremy’s new projects: Simple Kids Ministry, KidminU, and the VBS Vault
Links mentioned:
The Volunteer Playbook
My first book is out! Buy the book by visiting volunteerplaybook.com or by visiting Amazon.
Episode Notes
Meet the Guest
Jeremy O'Neill
Former kids pastor and creator of KidminU, the Simple Kids Ministry podcast, and author of How to VBS.
Key Takeaways
- There is no neutral VBS. You are prioritizing something
Every church leans either more evangelistic or more discipleship driven. You need to decide what is primary and let that guide your decisions. - Planning does not have to start a year in advance
- Ideal: pick your date in the fall
- Real work: January through spring
- You can still succeed even if you start late, but earlier gives you margin
- Free versus paid VBS depends on context
- Many churches offer VBS for free
- Paid VBS can increase commitment and reduce no shows
- Scholarships remove barriers while still creating buy in
- You need to track who you are reaching
Ask one key question on registration:
Do you attend this church, another church, or no church?
This gives you real data instead of guessing.
- Simplicity reduces stress
Most leaders feel overwhelmed because everything is in their head. Clear systems remove anxiety and improve execution.
Programming Insight
Jeremy introduces a powerful tool called planning grids.
- A macro grid shows your entire event on one page
- Micro grids break down each station or rotation
- This gives clarity, reduces stress, and improves team communication
Instead of wondering what you forgot, you can see everything at a glance.
People Insight
Use VBS as a leadership pipeline, not just an event.
Instead of jumping people straight into long term roles:
- Start with a task
- Then give them a project
- Then promote them into a role
VBS is the perfect environment to test and develop future leaders without long term risk.
Smart Strategy Highlight
The “Invite Day” concept:
- Do not promote it publicly
- Tell kids during VBS to invite a friend for the final day
- Give them a private link or card
Result:
You activate every kid as an inviter and can significantly increase attendance on the final day.
Powerful Quote
“Almost everything you find is attached to a publisher… but a lot of leaders need something custom for their church.”
Resources Mentioned
- How to VBS book
- howtovbs.com
- Simple Kids Ministry Podcast
- KidminU certification program
Questions to Reflect On
- Is our VBS primarily evangelistic or discipleship-focused
- Are we measuring who we are actually reaching
- Are we overcomplicating things that do not matter
- Who could we develop into leaders through this event
Watch it on YouTube
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