Babylon VBS - A Must Have for Your Ministry!

It is the time of year when I share a couple VBS reviews with you. There used to be more than a dozen VBS resources available for churches - now there are far fewer. I used to review everything, but now I am only reviewing those VBS resources I believe to be the best. Today I am very happy to let you know about a fantastic resource from Group Publishing - Babylon - Daniel's Courage in Captivity!

Babylon

Group Publishing

https://www.group.com/childrens-ministry/vbs/babylon/

Price - $208.99 for basic kit and $246.99 for kit plus digital starter kit

1. When things change, God is with you - Daniel 1 - enemies capture Daniel & his friends and take them to Babylon
2. When you need help, God is with you - Daniel 2 - Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream
3. When you're afraid, God is with you - Daniel 3 - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego survive a fiery furnace
4. When you're lonely, God is with you - Daniel 6:1-16 - Daniel prays even though it means he might get into trouble
5. When you're thankful, God is with you - Daniel 6:16-28 - God saves Daniel from the lions

Setting – an ancient Babylonian world kids can taste, touch and smell.

Message – Kids and adults discover they’re not much different from Daniel and his friends – and they too can courageously keep faith in a faithless culture. At Babylon VBS, you’ll reinforce Bible truth in a big way because the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each activity. God’s Word comes alive through engaging interaction with Bible history!

Focus – Evangelism, Application, Content

Strengths –

• My favorite part of this VBS is the “Tribe Time” – particularly at the close. I really love the activities which engage everyone to help them focus all they did on the point and God’s Word! Solid, memorable Bible learning!
• I’m very happy to see teachers and children reading from the Bible during "Tribe Time"!
• As I would expect, Babylon from Group has a strong emphasis on intentionally engaging the entire family in creative ways and focusing them on how they can be courageous like Daniel and his friends!
• I found the options for crafts to be unique, interesting and fun – AND am thrilled to see "Options" which provide excellent and affordable options to either add to the craft project, or use in place for a more affordable option.
• I LOVE the "Your VBS Safety & Security Guide" - certainly we all want to keep children safe at our VBS/church, and this guide has what you need to know to do this. Excellent!

Would like to see –

• Ideas to help kids serve in their own communities.
• More Bible content during the actual Bible lesson would have added to this VBS, but I do like how at the end it was “pulled together” in the Tribe Time.
• A more affordable “basic” kit option for churches on a very tight budget.

Group says, "Daniel did more than survive a den of hungry lions! Join Daniel—torn from his home and forced into the king’s service. Imagine the pressure of learning a new language and culture…and the shock of discovering your best friends have been tossed into a fiery furnace. Explore exotic sights and smells in a Babylonian bazaar! Kids and adults will find that they’re not much different from Daniel and his friends, who kept their faith in a faithless culture." 

This VBS provides a unique learning opportunity for entire families – or for just children - and will challenge them to choose to trust God and be courageous about keeping and living their faith in their everyday lives! Great for VBS, a summer family event, mid-week ministry, or for a special event during the year, but if you plan to use it after the summer, be sure to order enough of the student/family items – especially for tribe time – so you have them when you need them.

I highly recommend Babylon and encourage you to find a place/time in your ministry to use it with the families in your church and community.