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History of the VLB

It is essential that youth receive training which will enable them to be of service to God and His Church. God has provided the Victory Leaders Band to be that channel through which young people can become equipped for duty. Realizing this necessity, the Questions and Subjects Committee of 1928 made the following proposal:

"We believe our young people could be far happier in the service of the Lord, of far greater value to the work of the Church, and themselves rooted and grounded in the Church, if they were organized into band for prayer, for Bible study, for Christian service."

The Questions and Subjects Committee of the 47th Annual Assembly in 1952 made the following recommendation:

"We recommend that the membership of the Victory Leaders Band be confined to all people from twelve to thirty-five years of age."

Former General VLB Coordinators

Mitti Lea Adams 1933-1934
Willard H. Boyles 1934-1951
Harry Lee Moore 1951-1959
Elwood Matthews 1959-1963
Perry E. Gillum 1963-1965
Darel Lee Talbot 1965-1971
D. Frank Hughes 1971-1974
Terry L. Mahan 1974-1983
William M. Wilson 1983-1990
Sharon R. Griffin 1994-2005
Cary W. and Jill Ryan 2005
Sharon R. Griffin 2006-2009

VLB Songs

The first VLB song, "Victory Leaders, Hurrah," was sung in the 28th Assembly in 1933 and was dedicated to the first General Secretary.
"Work on Ye VLBs" was sung at almost every assembly in the late 1940s.
"The Victory Leader," written by James Stone, was introduced in the assembly of 1970.

VLB Publications

Victory Leader News was published in 1928 and contained weekly programs and outlines.
Youth Life was a VLB magazine published from January 1964 to December of 1968.
The first publisher of Youth Life was Hugh R. Edwards.
The cover of Youth Life featured a picture of a partially opened scroll.
A feature article, "Your Manners Are Showing," appeared in every issue of Youth Life. The first author of this article was Billy M Riggs.
Each issue of Youth Life contained a section titled "Between Us," which was a section designed for complaints and compliments.
In the October, 1964 issue of Youth Life an article began to appear entitled "Young People I've Met," the author was Elva Howard.

Youth Camp

The first youth camp was conducted in the state of Wyoming in 1951.
The second youth camp was conducted in the state of Missouri.
In the 47th Annual Assembly 1952 the Q&S Committee endorsed summer youth camps.

Interesting VLB Facts

According to the Minutes of the Thirty-eighth Annual Assembly, 1943, the VLBs throughout the church gave gifts of quilts to every governor in the United States and to the President of the United States.
In the 39th Assembly in 1944 the VLBs presented an unusual gift, a Chevrolet car, to the General Overseer, M. A. Tomlinson, which he declared would be used for the "glory of God."
In the 40th Assembly in 1945 the VLBs presented gifts to Brother and Sister Tomlinson for their 17th wedding anniversary. The gift included a dining room suite, a set of dinnerware, a set of silverware, two table linens, a lace table cloth, a watch for Sister Tomlinson, and a suit of clothing and a hat for Brother Tomlinson.

History of the VLB

"We believe our young people could be far happier in the service of the Lord, of far greater value to the work of the Church, and themselves rooted and grounded in the Church, if they were organized into band for prayer, for Bible study, for Christian service."

The Questions and Subjects Committee of the 47th Annual Assembly in 1952 made the following recommendation:

"We recommend that the membership of the Victory Leaders Band be confined to all people from twelve to thirty-five years of age."

Former General VLB Coordinators

Mitti Lea Adams 1933-1934

Willard H. Boyles 1934-1951

Harry Lee Moore 1951-1959

Elwood Matthews 1959-1963

Perry E. Gillum 1963-1965

Darel Lee Talbot 1965-1971

D. Frank Hughes 1971-1974

Terry L. Mahan 1974-1983

William M. Wilson 1983-1990

Sharon R. Griffin 1994-2005

Cary W. and Jill Ryan 2005

Sharon R. Griffin 2006-2009

VLB Songs

The first VLB song, "Victory Leaders, Hurrah," was sung in the 28th Assembly in 1933 and was dedicated to the first General Secretary.

"Work on Ye VLBs" was sung at almost every assembly in the late 1940s.

"The Victory Leader," written by James Stone, was introduced in the assembly of 1970.

VLB Publications

Victory Leader News was published in 1928 and contained weekly programs and outlines.

Youth Life was a VLB magazine published from January 1964 to December of 1968.

The first publisher of Youth Life was Hugh R. Edwards.

The cover of Youth Life featured a picture of a partially opened scroll.

A feature article, "Your Manners Are Showing," appeared in every issue of Youth Life. The first author of this article was Billy M Riggs.

Each issue of Youth Life contained a section titled "Between Us," which was a section designed for complaints and compliments.

In the October, 1964 issue of Youth Life an article began to appear entitled "Young People I've Met," the author was Elva Howard.

Youth Camp

The first youth camp was conducted in the state of Wyoming in 1951.

The second youth camp was conducted in the state of Missouri.

In the 47th Annual Assembly 1952 the Q&S Committee endorsed summer youth camps.

Interesting VLB Facts

According to the Minutes of the Thirty-eighth Annual Assembly, 1943, the VLBs throughout the church gave gifts of quilts to every governor in the United States and to the President of the United States.

In the 39th Assembly in 1944 the VLBs presented an unusual gift, a Chevrolet car, to the General Overseer, M. A. Tomlinson, which he declared would be used for the "glory of God."

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