In Inter-America, Church Prepares for its Biggest Children Evangelism Impact of the Year

A display of “A Musical Explosion for Jesus” vacation bible school program that will run in Seventh-day Adventist Churches  across the Inter-American Division territory this summer. The program was created by the Children and Adolescent Ministries department at the IAD Headquarters office in Miami, Florida. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD

April 27, 2017 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD

IAD Children and Adolescents Ministries Director Dinorah Rivera.

Thousands of children across Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the Inter-American Division (IAD) will take part in this year’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) program set to begin in less than two months. A VBS program is usually a one-week evangelistic outreach program for children in the church and the community, which runs during the summer time or when school is out of session.

For more than 20,000 congregations in the IAD, VBS represents the biggest annual evangelism impact for children throughout the year, says Dinorah Rivera, children and adolescent ministries director for the church in Inter-America. “Vacation Bible School is the only time that we as a Division can reach so many of children inside and outside the church,” says Rivera.

According to Rivera, an average of 300,000 children attend VBS programs every year, and the numbers have increased each year since the IAD began its own VBS 20 years ago.

“Our objective with the VBS program is to provide a fun program with permanent spiritual value that can draw children closer to Jesus,” says Rivera.

Group photo of regional Children and Adolescent Ministries directors from across the Southeast Mexican Union during a VBS workshop held in Merida, Mexico earlier this year. Image by Anny Torres/IAD

This year’s theme is “A Musical Explosion with Jesus,” and it promises to teach children how they can praise the Lord through music, learning how music was used in Bible times.

Rivera says it brings her great joy to put together such valuable lessons and activities for children especially with music, something so important in the life of the God’s people throughout the Bible. The VBS program will revisit the story of the battle of Jericho, worship in the temple of Israel, David’s talent dedicated to God and more.

The program was created by Rivera with input from the local fields in the IAD and the packet and resources were sent for print earlier last month.

A number of IAD unions have held workshops to train their church leaders on how to deliver the program in the coming months. One of the most involved was the Southeast Mexican Union, located in Merida, Mexico, where dozens took part in a two-day VBS workshop for this year’s “Musical Explosion with Jesus” program.

“They took the program and made it their own, with decorated stations, crafts for instruments, video resources, and even a museum of music and instruments,” explains Rivera.

Part of the display that will be used across the Southeast Mexican Union territory for this year’s “A Musical Explosion with Jesus,” VBS program this year. Image by Anny Torres

What makes VBS so important and crucial as an evangelism program in the church is that it’s not about just a week of fun activities, says Rivera.

“VBS is bridge that leads children to the friendship club, then they move on to the Adventurer and Pathfinder Clubs and not to mention how parents are reached as well,” she says.

To order this year’s IAD’s VBS program in English, Spanish and French, contact your local field, union, or the IAD’s Children and Adolescent Ministries department.

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