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Your Best VBS Ever: Take it to the Next Level Through the Power of ChMS

April 26th 2022

No matter how much thought and planning your church puts into Vacation Bible School (VBS), there’s always that one question lingering in the back of your mind: What can we do this year to make this beloved summer program better than ever? The answer is church management software (ChMS)! Ministry-focused technology can help you take this year’s VBS to the next level if you tap into essential features offered by the best ChMS platforms.   

Since 2002, churches across the country have trusted Elexio for technology solutions that lead to seamless events and transformative ministries. Through the years, we’ve identified five specific areas of ChMS that are essential to making VBS a rewarding, inspiring experience for your church families. The features you will want to focus on include:  

1. Better Security through Background Checks 

Your ministry has the obligation to exercise due diligence to protect its members, especially the children whose parents entrust your church to care for their kids. Your ChMS provider should help you meet this important responsibility! This will give you and your families peace of mind, knowing your congregation is doing everything possible to keep out predators.  

With kids’ safety at stake, this is a job for a credible background screening company. That’s why Elexio partners with Protect My Ministry. They’re experienced—they’ve run millions of volunteer checks over the past decade—and they provide the quickest, most proven church volunteer screening available on the market today.  

2. Engagement and Efficiency with Digital Forms 

Planning VBS is complicated work, but the registration process should be easy for your church families. Forms are your friends here. Simple, easy-to-use online registration and payment forms can help church families quickly get involved. You can share forms on social media or embed them right on your website and church app.  

Elexio offers a variety of customizable, online giving and registration forms that let church families instantly sign up for events and pay any related fees. For VBS, you can include space for families to list any allergies or special needs; designate emergency contacts; and specify who is authorized to pick up their children from the event.  

And with an integrated church management system (such as Elexio), the information and payments received through the forms can be seamlessly incorporated with your other church software. This will save your staff valuable time and let your team focus more on ministry. 

In addition, form submissions can trigger communications like confirmation emails or text notifications. They can also assign a follow-up task to a team member and much more.  This is a great workflow tool that can streamline processes for your team in your church’s busiest seasons. 

3. Connections with a Church App 

Like never before, your church families are powered by apps. It’s how they do everything from buying groceries to scheduling extracurricular activities. The sooner your church offers a thoughtfully designed app that engages families, the more interaction you will see in your congregation and community. This is especially true for summer events like VBS.  

The integrated MinistryOne app is an available add-on with Elexio Church Management plans. For VBS, it offers online registration and payment options, plus event reminders and day-of check-in functions.  

Best of all, if you create your app now and implement it before the busy summer season, you can test it for fall classes and events. Plus, you can incorporate sermons, livestreaming, videos, prayer requests, group connections, and giving options that will build engagement. Implementing your app now will strengthen your church year-round! 

4. Efficiency through Volunteer Management 

A successful VBS depends on volunteers, and your ChMS can power your volunteer organizing and tracking this summer and throughout the year. Elexio’s ChMS platform lets you maintain and manage your entire volunteer ministry for VBS. It’s also useful for all of your daily, weekly and annual events. 

Leading up to VBS, you can create volunteer groups that keep participants connected with their specific times, roles, and training requirements, so your volunteer team will be ready to serve. You can send follow-up reminders to those who enlist. If something comes up, they can reply and inform you quickly so you can find a replacement.  

During the summer week-long event, volunteer check-in options will let you and your team leaders keep track of who’s where and what’s happening, so you can be sure that your team is at the ready.  

Best of all, the volunteer management processes you implement now for your summer programs can guide you through everything from Sunday services, choir practices, and weekly ministries to fall classes, Christmas festivities, and Easter programs.  

5. Growth through Engagement 

The families who sign up for VBS will include regular attendees and newcomers. This will be your initial introduction to many families whose children are participating for the first time. A good church management solution will help your ministry engage families and build stronger connections once you’ve finished VBS.  

As you and your staff meet with families during your summer events, your ChMS should give you the flexibility to capture and maintain important data points, even right on your phone while conversations are still fresh in your mind.  

Are families expressing interest in your church sports teams? Are there children who fit perfectly with your youth choir? Have you met with parents who just moved to your area, and want to learn more about your children’s ministries? Instantly make notes, assign follow-up tasks for your team, and get these families involved!  

Take Your VBS to the Next Level with Elexio 

Elexio offers intuitive, reliable technology to churches. We believe ministries thrive when everything works seamlessly, and your teams can focus on…ministry!  

We have experience and expertise, and we know what works. 

Reach out to us to learn more about Elexio’s specific solutions for your summer programs and beyond! 

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