The average small church spends an average of $556 annually for VBS—about $250 below the average budget of $800 for churches overall. Some of the churches we talked to didn't even spend $500. Here are some of their cost-cutting ideas, as well as a few from our editors.
To view this individual handout, please download the Training Pack, Vacation Bible School.    Special-Needs MinistryHow to meet the needs of an important group of kids.  Understanding Budgets and FinanceHow to better understand the process of budget-making and how to do it successfully. The Art of Shooting Short-Term Using video to make the most of your mission trips.  MissionsHere are practical implications for your church on following Jesus' Great Commission. |        
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original Anna Anna
Our Church has been extremely lucky. We have over 100 kids wanting to get into our VBS and have to close it at 100 due to the size. But this has helped us pick up new members, there are so many unchurched. After a long summer (to parents) having the kids gone for a half day for a full week makes them happy and sometime in future months the parents thanks to the kids, start dropping off the kids for Sunday School and than they start showing up for Church as when dropping off and picking up kids they need to come into the building to "check out" their kids and they get to meet people. VBS is offered free to the kids, expensive yes, but members volunteer snacks, costumes, books, whatever is needed. A lot of community older kids use VBS to fullfill their school's social course requirement and because of the number of small ones, the older ones have opportunity to work with the kids. After college & marriage they show up with their own kids. VBS grows our Church, the cost pays for itself.
Melissa
Good ideas. Another idea that we have tried (just this past summer) is a shortened VBS. 4 days at night, Sunday-Wednesday.
GLENDA JAMES
VERY GOOD SO HELPFUL IN LODGE, GEORGETOWN, GUYANA. WE ARE A SMALL CHURCH AND HAVE VBS EVERY YEAR. IN APPLYING SOME OF YOUR IDEAS IS GOOD. WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET COPIES FOR MY VBS DIRECTOR. THANKS, GOD BLESS. SENIOR PASTOR BETHEL TABERNACLE MINISTRIES.
Mitzi
We are a small, new church as well, at first meeting in our town's school. We took VBS to the local park and it worked out very well. It was great to let God do the decorating and simplify VBS so we could spend more time with the kids (and their parents).
Carolyn
This CE director just thinks it is great that you even addressed VBS.
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