New studies show that the number of churches and ministries offering VBS has been dropping.
A report from The Barna Group of Ventura, Calif., noted that between 1997 and 2005, there was a 15 percent decline in the percentage of churches offering vacation Bible schools, those usually week-long summer intensives of Bible lessons – and cookies and fruit drink – for children.
The drop was from 81 percent of churches surveyed, to 69 percent.
"That represents about 38,000 fewer churches offering VBS than eight years [earlier]," the report said....