Every VBS director knows the sinking feeling: it’s three months before your program, and you’re staring at a volunteer sign-up sheet with more blank lines than names. You’re not alone. Research shows that 61% of churches don’t host VBS at all—and the number one reason is lack of volunteers.
But here’s the truth: volunteer recruitment isn’t about luck or having a naturally extroverted personality. It’s about having a system. The churches that successfully staff their VBS programs year after year aren’t doing anything magical—they’re following a strategic timeline that makes recruitment manageable, personal, and effective.
This 30-day timeline gives you a proven roadmap for building your dream VBS team. Whether you need 10 volunteers or 50, this day-by-day plan eliminates the guesswork and helps you recruit with confidence.
Before You Start: The Foundation (Do This First)
Before Day 1 of active recruitment, you need three things in place:
- Know exactly what you need. Don’t just say “we need volunteers.” Create specific role descriptions for every position: small group leaders, craft coordinators, game station leaders, registration helpers, snack prep team, music leaders, and tech support. When you ask someone to “help with VBS,” they imagine the hardest, most time-consuming role. When you ask them to “lead the Wednesday craft station from 9:00-9:45 AM,” suddenly it feels doable.
- Calculate your realistic need. Use a volunteer calculator to determine how many people you actually need based on your expected attendance. Overestimating creates chaos; underestimating burns out your team. A good rule of thumb: one adult for every five children, plus specialists for stations.
- Create your recruitment materials now. You’ll need volunteer role descriptions, a simple interest form, and promotional graphics. The Rainforest Falls VBS Volunteers Wanted Poster Set provides professionally designed materials you can customize—saving you hours of design work when you’re already stretched thin.
Now you’re ready. Let’s recruit.
Days 1-5: Cast the Vision
Day 1: Announce VBS dates to your church staff and core leaders. Before going public, get buy-in from your pastor, children’s ministry leaders, and youth directors. Share your vision for VBS and ask for their support in promotion. This isn’t just courtesy—youth leaders can encourage teen volunteers, and staff members who understand your goals become your best recruiters.
Day 2: Create your “dream team” list. Write down 30-40 names of people who would be great volunteers. Don’t filter yourself with “they’re too busy” or “they’ll say no.” Just write names. Include retirees, college students home for summer, parents of former VBS kids, and members of your young adults group. This list becomes your personal recruitment roadmap.
Day 3: Schedule your VBS announcement for Sunday services. Coordinate with whoever handles church announcements to present VBS on the next two Sundays. Prepare a 60-second announcement that’s enthusiastic but specific: “We’re bringing Rainforest Falls VBS to our church June 16-20, and we’re looking for 25 volunteers to make it happen. Whether you can give us one morning or all five days, we have a role that fits your schedule.”
Day 4: Launch your digital presence. Post about VBS on your church’s social media accounts and website. Use the Rainforest Falls VBS Social Media Pack to create eye-catching graphics. Include a simple online interest form (Google Forms works perfectly) where people can indicate which roles interest them. Make it easy—the fewer clicks, the better.
Day 5: Send an email to your entire church database. Subject line: “VBS is Coming—And We Need You!” Keep it brief, paint the vision of what VBS accomplishes, and include three specific volunteer roles people can fill. Always include a direct link to your interest form. Don’t bury it—make it the most prominent call-to-action in your email.
Streamline your Volunteer and Kids registrations with our “VBS Registration Plugin”. Learn MORE Here!
Days 6-15: Personal Invitations (The Game-Changer)
Here’s the secret that separates churches with full volunteer teams from those still scrambling in May: personal invitations. Generic announcements create awareness; personal asks create commitment.
Days 6-10: Make five phone calls per day. Pull out your dream team list and start calling. Not texting—calling. Here’s your script:
“Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] from church. I’m calling about our VBS program this June, and I immediately thought of you. We’re looking for someone to [specific role], and I think you’d be amazing at it. It’s [specific time commitment]. Would you be willing to pray about joining our team?”
Notice what you’re NOT saying: “We’re desperate” or “Can you help?” You’re offering them an opportunity to use their gifts in a specific, time-bound role. Most people say yes to personal invitations when they understand exactly what’s expected.
Day 11: Follow up with interested respondents. Anyone who filled out your online form or expressed interest after Sunday announcements gets a personal call or meeting this week. Have detailed role descriptions ready to share. Answer their questions honestly: “Yes, training is provided” and “No, you don’t need teaching experience—we’ll pair you with someone who does.”
Days 12-15: Recruit strategically by life stage. Dedicate each day to a specific group:
- Day 12: Retirees and empty nesters.
- Day 13: Parents of elementary-age kids.
- Day 14: High school and college students.
- Day 15: Professionals with flexible schedules.
Days 16-22: Fill the Gaps
By now, you should have 60-70% of your volunteer needs covered. This week focuses on filling specific remaining roles and building your backup list.
Day 16: Assess what you still need.
Day 17-18: Make targeted announcements.
Day 19: Tap into specialized skills.
Day 20: Create a substitute list.
Days 21-22: Send a midpoint update to your church: “We’re 75% staffed for VBS! We still need three small group leaders and one snack coordinator. Could that be you?”
Days 23-30: Secure Commitments and Prepare
Day 23: Create and Send “Volunteer Registration Link” to all volunteers. Use our “VBS WordPress Plugin” to make Volunteer and Kids online registrations easy. If you wish to PRINT the form and send it to all volunteers, you can get a professional, Ready-To-Print one HERE.
Day 24: Follow up on un-returned forms.
Day 25: Conduct background checks. Use our “FREE FORM” – it will help you demonstrate expertise.
Days 26-27: Fill any remaining gaps.
Day 28: Schedule your volunteer training.
Day 29: Send a thank-you message to all volunteers.
Day 30: Create your master volunteer schedule. Use our VBS Schedule Builder to create your master volunteer schedule in minutes.
What If You’re Still Short on Volunteers?
If you’ve worked this timeline faithfully and still don’t have enough volunteers, you have three options:
- Scale down your program.
- Partner with another church.
- Recruit from the community.
The Day 31+ Strategy: Retention for Next Year
The best volunteer recruitment strategy for next year starts during this year’s VBS. Treat your volunteers exceptionally well: provide snacks and water, give them breaks, communicate clearly, solve problems quickly, and thank them lavishly.
Take photos of volunteers in action and share them on social media with permission. Host a volunteer appreciation event two weeks after VBS ends—even if it’s just pizza and a thank-you video from the kids. Create a culture where VBS volunteers feel like they’re part of something meaningful, and you’ll find recruitment gets easier every year.
Your Next Step
You now have a complete 30-day volunteer recruitment roadmap for VBS. The difference between churches that successfully staff VBS and those that don’t isn’t talent or luck—it’s having a plan and working it consistently.
Start today. Open your calendar and mark Day 1. Write down 40 names for your dream team list. Download the volunteer recruitment materials you’ll need. Take the first step, and then take the next one.
Your VBS team is out there. They’re in your congregation right now, waiting to be personally invited into something meaningful. This timeline shows you exactly how to find them, invite them, and build the team that will make your VBS unforgettable.
Ready to start recruiting? Download our free VBS Planning Checklist to track your progress through this 30-day timeline, and grab the Volunteers Wanted Poster Set to create professional recruitment materials in minutes. Your volunteers are waiting—go find them.