VBS Planning: Joshua

Our church’s Vacation Bible School is fast approaching! Our theme for this year is Operation Sword and Shield: Lessons in Faith. I already gave you the rundown on my responsibilities with the 4s + 5s, but here is a little update on what I’m working on!

I’ve made my list, and I’m checking it twice several times a day…

Just a quick printable I whipped up to go along with the theme and make it seem all official-like. :)

I’ve been making a review game and working on a song poster and a rules poster. I used to use a lot of these same materials when I worked in a Bible club in North Carolina, so it has been fun to remember all the things I used to do and pull out ideas to use again! I left all my visuals down in NC with the new Bible club people, so I’m starting from scratch again. I enjoy putting these things together! I’ve also been writing some simple puppet scripts and getting the materials together to make my puppet. His name is Squeaky, and there is a story behind him. :)

I’ll give you a run down when they are all done, but for now I want to talk about lesson content again. We chatted about Gideon last time (thanks for the good suggestions!) and today I want to talk about Joshua.

I have fun, fun things planned for Joshua! I can’t entirely take the credit for this, since my fab cousin did this same lesson years ago. I’m totally stealing her idea. :) I am spray painting cereal boxes grey and building the “wall” of Jericho. While I tell the story, all the boys and girls will march around the wall, just like Joshua and the Israelites! After the “7th day” I will pull a secret string which knocks over the wall! Isn’t that a neat idea? I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

As far as the actual lesson, I will be reading Joshua 5:13-15 and 6:2-20. I find it interesting that God not only sent an angel to Gideon, but He sent one to Joshua, too! I plan to point that out to emphasize my overall theme that it is GOD that gives us strength, not ourselves.

I also want to talk briefly about Joshua taking off his shoes on holy ground. I want the boys and girls to see that there are things in our lives today that are holy as well...such as church, our Bibles, etc. I will be talking briefly about how we can respect things that are holy. Any other ideas for this?

So that is where I am with the lesson of Joshua. I’d love some feedback and advice, as well as any suggestions for what else to bring out during this lesson. Where do you see Joshua relying on God in this story?

Stay tuned...the story of David and Goliath is lesson 3!! :)