Theme reveal day is one of the highlights of our year. I sure hope you tuned in and celebrated with us. Even though it comes in the midst of an extremely hectic time of year, it is a great thrill to finally reveal a secret we have been holding for 18 months. While it is fun to be one of the few with this top secret information, it is even more fun to share the secret with you!

I said hectic because there is a tremendous amount of VBS 2014 work going on in our world this week. Marketing videos are being shot starting Wednesday which means the graphics and marketing guys and gals are working around the clock getting the sets in place for the video crew. Another video crew, plus the team members responsible for music, is filming the music and motion instruction video throughout this week. The editorial and graphics teams are putting the finishing touches on a large number of resources in order to meet printing deadlines. The marketing team is meeting with the LifeWay Christian Stores to insure sales associates are trained on Agency D3 and store shelves will be stocked on the resource release dates. The team responsible for ordering resources from printers and manufacturers is making final decisions on quantities. The events team is finalizing breakout session leaders for Previews and working with the production team to create a stage design for the events. And, Rhonda and I are finalizing plans for VBS 2015 Think Tank (Yes, I meant 2015), working to make it possible for four churches to pilot the new Takin’ It Home CD, and making sure VBS 2013 Church Report Forms are mailed to 48,000 churches by the end of the week.

In addition to the above activity, several of our team members are working in VBS at their churches, all of us are fielding VBS 2013 questions from church leaders, part of the events team is participating in CentriKid Camp training in Kentucky, and one of our team members is out of the country on a mission trip!

I share all of this to say, we sure would appreciate your prayers. What is done this week will assist you in impacting the lives of millions and we only have one opportunity to get it right.

We take the privilege of helping you share the Gospel through VBS seriously. We know we have the best jobs in the world – after all we get to do VBS 52 weeks of the year – but we are daily reminded that we can not do it by our own wisdom, creativity or strength. We need the strength that comes from a Mighty Tower. We need the creativity that comes the greatest Creator of all. And, we need wisdom that can come only from the Great I Am.

I want to thank you for letting us work along side you in the mission of building bridges to the spiritual orphans of your community. Thank you for the wonderful expressions of appreciation you so often share with or team. And, thank you for your prayers. So many of you send us notes letting us know you are lifting us up to the Father. You’re the best! It is a great honor to work with and for you.

Q&A From Yesterday’s Theme Reveal

• Why do you release the next VBS when the current year has barely begun? We release the theme the first Monday of June because you spoke and we listened! Many church leaders like to announce their next VBS theme on the last day of VBS. Since the two biggest weeks of VBS are the first two weeks of June we time the reveal so the announcement can be made on the last day of your VBS or during VBS Celebration.
• Will there be another addition of Backyard Kids Club? Yes! The kit and Directors Guide look very similar to Colossal Coaster World but the content is pure Agency D3.
• Will there be student and adult resources for 2014? Definitely! One of the aspects of LifeWay’s VBS I am most proud of is that we offer VBS for the entire family, including kids and adults with special needs. Not only does the Bible study for every age group follow the same theme, whenever possible every age also studies the same Scripture passage. Occasionally a more age appropriate Scripture is used for preschoolers but in most instances the entire family studies the same passage. Combine this with the new Takin’ It Home CD and you have a winning combination for a true Family Vacation Bible School.
• Will there be a session on Agency D3 at LifeWay’s Kids Ministry Conference? Definitely! By attending KMC here in Nashville October 7 – 10 you will be one of the first to see, touch and experience Agency D3. To learn more and register for KMC click here.
• Will there be a second VBS theme for 2014? No, Club VBS will no longer be available.

Now, back to the fun and excitement of Colossal Coaster World! See you next week.

You spoke and we listened!

LifeWay’s VBS team receives thousands of comments, suggestions, and critiques each year from VBS leaders just like you. Some are positive, some are negative, and some are a little of both. With the thousands of churches (of all sizes and descriptions) using LifeWay’s VBS, it is impossible to make changes based on every suggestion, but we try hard to identify common threads of concern that are repeatedly voiced.

You are going to find the number of upgrades and improvements with Agency D3 are greater than any year since 1997 when LifeWay introduced Wild and Wonderful Good News Stampede. You spoke and we definitely listened!

Here are just a few of the upgrades designed to make VBS easier for you:

Six Step VBS – The VBS 2013 Administrative Guide for Directors was redesigned around six simple steps. You loved it! Hundreds of you have told us you love the simplicity implied by six steps. You have also told us you love the simplicity and clean look of the design. We went back to the drawing board and have redesigned all leader guides around simple steps that lead you from the initial phase of planning through the process of making continued connections after the week of VBS. We have stripped out non-essential graphics which gives each guide a cleaner look. Our goal has been to simplify, simplify, simplify. You are going to like it!

Packaging – One of the biggest issues is how to best package VBS resources in a way that makes sense, saves dollars, and makes it easier for you. So out with the Sampler and Super Sampler and in with a Jump Start Kit, Preschool Starter Kit, and Kids Starter Kit. Each kit contains the resources specific to the needs of the leaders working in that area of VBS. Here’s a sneak peek.

Jump Start Kit – Available in October

You read that correctly – October of 2013! You have said you want to start planning earlier and you want the essentials for both planning and getting your congregation pumped up about VBS. With the all new Jump Start Kit ($34.95) you will receive everything you need to start planning, all packed in a convenient and fun attaché case that not only sets you apart as the director of Agency D3, but will be used each day during Worship Rally.

In the Jump Start Kit you will find all of these VBS must-haves:

• Administrative Guide for Directors
• Decorating Made Easy
• Music for Kids CD
• Special Agent Carabiner
• Special Aent Rear-view Sunglasses
• Catalog
• Jump Start Poster
• Promotional DVD
• Takin’ It Home CD
• and a one-of-a-kind Director’s Badge that is only available in the Jump Start Kit.

All of these resources, except the one-of-a-kind Director’s Badge and Jump Start Poster will be available individually as well.

Preschool Starter Kit – Available in December

The Preschool Starter Kit ($99.99) gives you everything you need for one class of each preschool age group. All resources for each age group are packaged together to make it easier than every to know what each leader needs. Each of these resources are also available separately for churches planning multiple classes for each age.

Your Preschool Starter Kit will include one of each of the following:

• Babies-2s Leader Guide, Leader Pack, and Kids Activity Pak for Babies-2s
• 3s-Pre-K Leader Guide, Leader Pack, and Kids Activity Pak for 3s-Kindergarten
• Kindergarten Leader Guide, Leader Pack, and Kids Activity Pak for 3s-Kindergarten
• 3s-Kindergarten Rotation Pack
• Craft Pack samples
• And fun Agency D3 swag you will want for every leader and kid

Kids Starter Kit (Grades 1-6) – Available in December

Like the Preschool Starter Kit, the Kids Starter Kit ($99.99) gives you everything you need for one class of each kids age group. All resources for each age group are packaged together so there is no guessing as to which leader guide goes with which leader Pack. Each of these resources are also available separately for churches planning multiple classes for each age.

Your Kids Starter Kit will include on of each of the following resources:

• Grades 1-2 Leader Guide, Leader Pack, and a Kids Evidence Kit
• Grades 3-4 Leader Guide, Leader Pack, and a Kids Evidence Kit
• VBX (Grades 5-6) Leader Guide, Leader Pack, and a Kids Evidence Kit
• Missions Rotation Leader Guide
• Music Rotation Leader Guide
• Crafts Rotation Leader Guide
• Craft Pack samples
• Snack Rotation Recipe Cards
• Recreation Rotation Leader Cards
• and samples of great Agency D3 swag every kid will love

In addition to these easy to order, organize, and distribute kits, the Worship Rally Pack, student (grades 7-12) resources, VBS 2014 Music Book, Adult Starter Kit (new name for Adult Leader Pack), Special Friends Leader Guide, and Spanish Starter Kit (new name for Spanish sampler) will also be available individually.

Kids Learner Guides – Again, out with the old and in with the new! I’m talking about the VBS 2014 Kids Evidence Kit which is designed for all ages Grades 1 – 6. No longer do you have to try and figure out how many learner guides you need for each age group since everyone in Grades 1-6 will use the same kit. Kids will be challenged to use the contents of their evidence kit to discover, decide, and defend the truth of Scripture. Kids will use a variety of investigative tools such as a decoder, an invisible ink pen, and evidence log to follow clues to the evidence that proves Jesus is who He says He is, that He is more than just a really good man, that He died, was buried, and rose from the grave, and that He is alive today. With the tools found in the VBS 2014 Kids Evidence Kit kids will discover that they can not only know about Jesus but can know Him personally and can defend their decision when challenged.

Next up: VBS 2014 Preview