VBS Program in India Reaches Over 1.5 Million Youth Each Year

India’s national Vacation Bible School program is reaching 1.5 to 2 million children and young people each year, according to a mission agency with nearly 350 missionaries and support staff serving in more than 15 countries on six continents.

US-based World Gospel Mission (WGM), which reported last week on "India’s VBS Legacy," stated that the majority of Indian churches hold Vacation Bible School (VBS) between April and June, with April and May being the main months.

Although the first VBS program began in 1952 as a summer outreach of South India Biblical Seminary and had an attendance of 75 children, more than 50 years later, VBS materials are published in 13 languages and reach an amazing 1.5 to 2 million children and young people each year.

"The program is big because the VBS material WGM initiated was the first major VBS material produced in India," explained Frank Dewey, WGM missionary and field director for India. "The missionaries and students started the program because there was nothing like that in India, and since there was nothing like it, it caught on."

As the VBS ministry grew, the program’s original location on the campus of SIBS became too small. Now, the ministry has a separate department located in Bangalore, the capital city of the state of Karnataka.

In addition to preparing and translating materials, the VBS office is responsible for promoting the materials among local churches. The promotional highlight comes at the annual All-India VBS Leaders’ Workshop, which is held in January or February every year for delegates across the country. This year, the workshop was held in February and hosted more than 100 delegates.

According to WGM, Dewey and his wife, Christine, have both been involved in the training of VBS leaders in addition to serving on VBS committees and helping write and edit VBS curriculum. In India, the curriculum is written for a 10-day program, but some churches double up and do two lessons per day for five days. India’s program begins each day with a devotional based on the annual theme and then leaders use workbooks to teach specific Bible lessons.

Although the majority of Indian churches hold VBS between April and June – with April and May being the main months – a church in Mumbai hosts programs in October and November during the Festival of Lights while churches bordering China have VBS in January during the winter holiday.

"WGM is kind of a catalyst that has helped build recognition for the importance of reaching kids and young people with the Gospel message," Dewey stated. "VBS has contributed to the development of evangelism among children and youth in India. It has also helped develop an interest in missions, especially indigenous missions. Children need to learn to love Jesus and accept Him, but that’s not enough; they have to share that love."

Dewey added that although 1.5 to 2 million sounds like a large number of young people to reach through VBS, a lot of work still needs to be done to evangelise Indian children and youth.

"There are more than 1 billion people in India," Frank said. "With 40 percent (426 million) of them being under 25 years of age, we’re not even scratching the surface yet."

Since 1937, WGM missionaries have been ministering in India through education and children's/youth work. South India Biblical Seminary (formerly South India Bible Institute) opened its doors on 16 November 1937 after WGM missionary Rev. Anna McGhie lobbied for a Bible school in India. The school started with the basic purpose of training Indian young people for Christian ministry.





Hamlet Kim
Christian Today Correspondent