VBS themes for 2027: the publishers' themes and four plans you can run yourself
The Vacation Bible School themes Lifeway, Group and Answers in Genesis have announced for 2027, four five-day plans a church can teach from the Bible alone, a daily schedule, and the safety rules.
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Vacation Bible School, or VBS, is a week in the summer when a church teaches children the Bible for a few hours each day. A church can buy a theme from a publisher or write its own. Below are the themes three publishers have announced for 2027, and four five-day plans you can teach from the Bible with no kit.
The publishers’ themes for 2027
These are the names on each publisher’s own website as read on October 13, 2026.
| Publisher | Theme for 2027 | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Lifeway | Take Flight | Its 2027 program, on trusting God’s faithfulness |
| Group | Kingdom of David | Its Holy Land Adventure program, on the life of King David |
| Group | Crave | Its Easy VBS program |
| Group | Polar Blast | Its Weekend VBS program |
| Answers in Genesis | Spy University | A spy theme on knowing the one true God of the Bible |
We have not read the lessons in any of these kits. Ask the publisher for a sample and read every day’s lesson before you buy. Check that each day teaches a passage of Scripture, and that the week tells the children plainly about sin, the cross and the resurrection.
Four plans to teach from the Bible
Each plan gives one passage and one truth for each of five days. A teacher who can tell a Bible story can teach any of them.
Creation to Christ
| Day | Passage | Truth for the day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 1 | God made everything, and he made it good |
| 2 | Genesis 3 | Adam and Eve sinned, and God promised a Savior |
| 3 | Genesis 12:1-3 | God promised to bless every family on earth through Abraham |
| 4 | Luke 23:32-49 | Jesus died on the cross for sinners |
| 5 | Luke 24 | Jesus rose from the dead |
The “I am” sayings of Jesus
| Day | Passage | Truth for the day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John 6:35 | Jesus is the bread of life |
| 2 | John 8:12 | Jesus is the light of the world |
| 3 | John 10:11 | Jesus is the good shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep |
| 4 | John 11:25 | Jesus is the resurrection and the life |
| 5 | John 14:6 | Jesus is the way, the truth and the life |
The armor of God
| Day | Passage | Truth for the day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ephesians 6:10-13 | God gives his people strength to stand |
| 2 | Ephesians 6:14 | The belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness |
| 3 | Ephesians 6:15-16 | The gospel of peace and the shield of faith |
| 4 | Ephesians 6:17 | The helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God |
| 5 | Ephesians 6:18 | God’s people pray at all times |
The parables of Jesus
| Day | Passage | Truth for the day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew 7:24-27 | The wise builder hears the words of Jesus and acts on them |
| 2 | Luke 10:25-37 | Jesus tells us to show mercy to anyone in need |
| 3 | Luke 15:1-7 | Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents |
| 4 | Luke 15:11-32 | The father runs to welcome the son who comes home |
| 5 | Luke 18:9-14 | God hears the sinner who asks for mercy |
A memory verse for each plan
| Plan | Verse | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Creation to Christ | Romans 5:8 | ”But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” |
| The “I am” sayings | John 14:6 | ”I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” |
| The armor of God | Ephesians 6:11 | ”Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.” |
| The parables | Luke 15:7 | ”I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.” |
The verses are from the Berean Standard Bible. Its publisher dedicated the text to the public domain as of April 30, 2023, so you may print it freely.
A two-hour day
| Minutes | Part |
|---|---|
| 20 | Opening with songs, prayer and the memory verse |
| 25 | Bible lesson on the day’s passage |
| 15 | Snack |
| 25 | A craft or activity that retells the passage |
| 25 | Games |
| 10 | Closing, with the day’s truth said aloud together |
Teach the passage before the craft and the games, so the children hear it while they are fresh. Put the memory verse on the screen during the opening, and again at the closing, so the children say it from the words.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Ephesians 6:11
Plan in this order
| When | Job |
|---|---|
| Four months before | Set the dates, choose the theme and name a director |
| Three months before | Recruit a teacher and a helper for each class, and start the background checks |
| Two months before | Open registration with a form that asks for allergies, an emergency phone number and who may pick the child up |
| One month before | Order supplies and train every volunteer on the safety rules |
| The week before | Set up the rooms, and print name tags and the pick-up list |
| The week after | Write to every family |
The registration form decides whether the week is safe, because it holds the allergies and the pick-up names, and the whole form fits on one page.
Vacation Bible School registration, June 14 to 18, 9:00 to noon
- Child’s name, grade just finished, and birthday
- Parent or guardian, cell phone and email
- Allergies and medicines (write NONE if there are none)
- Adults who may pick this child up (we ask for photo identification)
- Permission to text the parent about the day’s schedule: yes or no
- Photo permission, signed by a parent: yes or no
Safety rules
- Put two adults with every group of children, and never leave one adult alone with a child.
- Finish a background check on every adult volunteer before the first day.
- Give the snack leader the list of allergies, and read the label on everything served.
- Sign each child in and out, and release a child only to an adult named on the form. Ask for photo identification when no one at the door knows that adult.
- Count the children every time a group moves.
After the week
Write to every family within a week. Tell them what their child learned, list the five passages so they can read them at home, and give the time of your Sunday service. During the week, a short text to each parent at pickup time saves a crowd at the door, and you can type one below.
Free tool you can try here
Text the parents on VBS week
Choose a group, type the message and see how it reads on a parent's phone. Free Church Texting needs the parent's yes from the form above.
Cedar Hill, shared inbox
Grace Baptist VBS: pickup today is at noon at the front doors. Please bring photo ID if someone new is picking up.
Count us in!
We will be 10 minutes late.
The software is free. A church opens its own Twilio account and pays Twilio’s rates directly, and nothing is added.
Church Posting partners with Free Church Texting and recommends it. They share owners.
Check the copyright of every song before you print or project its words. Our guide to presentation and lyrics software covers song licenses.
Pages cited
- VBS 2026 | Vacation Bible School | Lifeway VBS, Lifeway. Read October 13, 2026.
- VBS - Vacation Bible School | Curriculum Programs & Kits | Group, Group Publishing. Read October 13, 2026.
- VBS 2027 - Vacation Bible School | Answers VBS, Answers in Genesis. Read October 13, 2026.
- Berean Bible: Terms and Conditions, Berean Bible. Read October 13, 2026.
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