Here are some reasons to have a Children’s Revival or Kid’s Crusade instead of VBS this year.
A children’s evangelist or revivalist is different from a children’s pastor. Just as senior pastors call on evangelists or revivalists to preach revival services, children’s pastors should also use revivalists. The calling of a revivalist or evangelist is different than the calling of a pastor. A pastor cares for the flock day in and day out. A revivalist (who many times has the calling of an evangelist, prophet, or apostle) prays for a word from the Lord to deliverer. Once a revivalist has that word, he or she will preach everywhere God leads. This is why, when you have a kid’s crusade, you should hire a revivalist or evangelist, not a children’s pastor from another church. This is the same for adult ministry, youth ministry, and children’s ministry.
Inviting new people energizes children’s ministry. Children’s pastors are some of the greatest preachers on Earth. But change brings excitement. If you give children something or someone different occasionally, it will energize their faith in God and bring new life into your children’s ministry.
You don’t have to get together props. One of the biggest expenses of VBS is the extra materials needed to go with the theme. Crafts, activities, Bible stories props, and music all have to be added as well as supplies to go with the VBS. Children’s revivalists have all the props needed to go with their theme.
You don’t have to decorate. Decorations for VBS take a great amount of time, energy, and expense for one week’s work. Revivalists bring decorations to go with their theme and set them up.
It takes less volunteers to run. Instead of teachers and helpers for every age group, activity directors, craft directors, and snack directors you need for VBS, all you need for a kid’s crusade is one adult or teen helper for every fifteen to twenty children. Because these helpers don’t have to prepare anything, only be available to monitor children, they are easier to recruit.
There’s very little preparation. No teacher or student booklets to pass out, no craft materials to get together, no props to get a hold of; these are some of the advantages of having a kid’s crusade. All you have to do is advertise, recruit a few people to monitor the children, and pray. The children’s revivalist does all the work. It couldn’t be easier.
It costs less. VBS is more expensive than a children’s revival or Kid’s Crusade. When you look at the cost of hiring a children’s revivalist, you might be skeptical. But consider the cost of VBS. The teaching materials for the average VBS costs around $500.00 dollars. The craft materials can be as much as another $200.00 or more. Add $100.00 for decorations, another $100.00 for prizes, and another $100.00 for miscellaneous expense. This doesn’t include snack, or advertising. It’s also a very conservative estimate totaling almost $1000.00. Many churches spend more than that. When you consider the additional cost of your time that could be spent visiting children, discipling children, training and recruiting volunteers, and preparing lessons for Children’s Church, you’ll see that most children’s revivalists are a bargain.
Children are more likely to come if there’s something different. The definition of insanity is doing things the same way and expecting different results. Do something different. Let children experience God in a new way by having a kid’s crusade. Let God out of your VBS box.
For information on how you can book Revival Fire For Kids for a kid’s crusade, click the CHILDREN’S REVIVALS AND CRUSADES tab at the top menu of this blog and download the EVENT HANDBOOK or contact revivalfire4kids@att.net.
Revival Fire For Kids is still booking spots for 2015 and 2016!
Our children’s minstry have been doing our own kids crusades for years now instead of VBS. It has been very successful. Each year however we do use a theme, just makes it most interesting, and gives you a common goal from night to night. We are however running low on the fresh theme ideas this time around , we have already had : Western, Space, High Sea (Pirate style), Indiana Jones style, Secret Agent. We like to do the theme to relate to what is currently popular with the kids, grades 1st – 5th. Any theme suggestions, we have a few in mind, but just don’t feel 100% confident with them, so thought maybe somebody outside of our ministry might have a cool idea.. By the way, we go all out, so it needs to be something that we can play with. Evrything from related games, to skits, to snacks, even the object lessons… Thanks for your time & suggestions 🙂
Abby, I have a question–we’re getting ready for our first Kid’s Crusade (normally do VBS)–how do you do check-in or registration for the Kid’s Crusade? I so know how to do VBS Registration..but what do you do?
Couldn’t ask a question without offering some ideas:
Science (like Power Lab a few years ago)
Sports Theme is always cool
Carnival Theme (not circus-but carnival)
Wilderness Survival
Thanks again–for any & all help!! 🙂
Thanks
This is my second yr doing a Kids Crusade. Last yr. we did a Spy,vacation,Hawaii theme. I’m thinking a Sport theme, but where do I start? LOL
would like to join you too,and get people who are always in my crusades to join all so,then briefly tell how are we going to support these kids,cause in our village they are many,and we live in an undeveloped places.please come down to our place and have a look at shame and difficulties we have,let’s talk because i don’t want to watch a hungry child die