Vacation Bible School
Christian Life. Also called VBS, Bible School, Summer Bible School.
Vacation Bible School is an educational event in which a church gathers children and youth for several days during the summer vacation for Bible teaching, singing, and recreational activities. It is also called Bible school or VBS.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Definition and Meaning
Vacation Bible School (VBS) is an intensive program of Christian education that a church holds, chiefly for children, during the summer when schools are on break. Whereas the regular Sunday school meets briefly each Sunday, Vacation Bible School runs for several consecutive days. It is characterized by weaving Bible stories, singing, crafts, and games together under a single theme.
Biblical and Historical Background
Vacation Bible School is not an institution directly prescribed by Scripture; it is an event that arose within the church's educational tradition. When explaining its purpose, churches frequently cite Deuteronomy 6:7, "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children"; Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go"; and Mark 10:14, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not."
The practice of gathering children during school vacations to teach them the Bible is generally believed to have begun in the United States between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is said to have been introduced to Korea by missionaries around the 1920s and to have spread there alongside the Sunday school movement.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean Protestant churches, the program is commonly referred to simply as "Bible school." Its typical features there include the following:
- Timing and length: It is usually held between late July and early August. In the past it sometimes lasted nearly a week, but today many churches hold a shorter program of two or three days, or of one or two days over a weekend.
- Content: Programs consist of theme songs with choreographed motions, Bible stories, lessons (Bible study using a prescribed curriculum), crafts, recreation, water play, and similar activities. A presentation or awards ceremony is sometimes held on the final day.
- Curriculum and teacher training: The education departments of the general assemblies of various denominations publish a theme and curriculum each year and hold teacher training workshops in the spring. Independent churches and small churches sometimes use materials produced by Christian publishers or mission organizations. Although curricula differ by denomination, the purpose and format of the event are broadly similar.
- An opportunity for evangelism: It has also been regarded as an opportunity for evangelism through inviting children from the neighborhood, and it has served as a means by which children who do not attend church first come into contact with one.
- Programs by age group: Middle and high school departments and young adult groups often hold a retreat around the same time instead of a Bible school.
- Recent changes: As the number of children has declined in recent years, the format has diversified to include joint Bible schools held by several churches together, outdoor camp-style events, winter Bible schools, and other forms.
See also 6
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