While Vacation Bible School (VBS) has been a staple of American Protestant churches for decades, these summer religious education programs are now catching on even among synagogues and mosques.
The evangelical digest magazine Current Thoughts & Trends (November) reports that VBS is experiencing a resurgence in popularity including interest from non-Christian groups. Over 20 religious publishers compete for position in offering thematic VBS programs and curricula that appeal to kids.
Today there is a new level of cooperation in running VBS programs. Many congregations work together so that VBS programs can run consecutively throughout the summer, allowing parents to give their children more than a week’s worth of exposure to religious education.