Bus Ministry

[ktn4eg]

Since I'm a relatively new member of Baptist Board, this subject may be archived somewhere already. If it is, please let me know.

Here goes:

Does your church have (or did it ever have) a bus ministry?

If it still does, I'd like to know the following:

1) How many buses does your church have?

2) How many people are actively involved in your church's bus ministry? (Please include not only the number, but also a close estimate of the percentage of your church's active membership that this number represents.)

3) Does your church own or lease these buses?

4) What percent of your church's budget goes for the bus ministry?

5) How does your church handle the maintenance on these buses?

6) Are there any specific licensing requirements in your state/locality for those who drive these buses? (EX: Does your state require a CDL for your bus drivers?)

7) What do you see as the greatest problem(s) in operating and sustaining your church's bus ministry?

8) What do you see as the greatest blessing(s) as a result of your church having a bus ministry?

Also, if your church had a bus ministry at one time but no longer does, I'd be interested to find out what the reason(s) were that caused your church to discontinue its bus ministry.

(NOTE: This topic is open to ALL persons, not just pastors or anyone else who are/were on a church staff.)

 

[USN2Pulpit]

Yes, we have a bus ministry...fledgling, and haven't even gotten off the ground. Right now, we're organizing into bus ministry teams, and voting this Wednesday on whether or not to get a particular bus (the intention to buy is already there - just which one (or more as we grow)).

1) We don't have a bus yet, but will soon...and more as we grow (hopefully)

2) 5 drivers, 10 teenagers (bus captains) and a plethora of well-wishers (as well as a few who don't enjoy the noise that unchurched kids bring)

3) Our intention is to own.

4) To be determined

5) There's this guy in town that works on buses...plus several of us in the church have mechanical expertise.

6) We're looking at shuttle style and shorter school buses. Standard CDL should do the trick.

7 & 8) I'll let you know, but reports I have are that you must always encourage and appreciate your workers...they will get tired.

 

[Brutus]

1. At one time we were running 18 buses and bringing in around 300-350. Now we have just four buses and two vans and we bring in around 100.

2. At the height of the ministry we had 58 people working the buses which was around 8.5% of our menbership. Now we have 14 people involved and that is about 4% of our current membership.

3. We have always owned our own buses, although there are times when I think that it would be beneficial to lease.

4. 15%

5. We used to own our own garage and did all of the maint. work ourselves. Now we outsource all work.

6. All of our buses must be safety inspected. All drivers must have ae least a class c which allows them to drive any vehicle up to 26,000 lbs. But a CDL is preferable.

7. The high cost of maintaining a fleet of buses as well as insurance. There is also the fact that parents are not as quick to allow strangers to take their children to church, which is why we try to encourage the parents to ride along for a couple of weeks so that they can see for themselves that it is safe.

8. Having entire families come to Christ as a result of riding a bus. My salvation and that of my family as well are a result of a bus capt. who cared enough to continue to call on us weekly in spite of the fact that we tried to discourage them.

There was a point when our ridership began to drop off due to the fact that our riders were primarily black and young, and as they got older they either began going to church with their parents or they just quit coming all together. And during this same time we witnessed an increasing amount of preasure from state inspectors, almost as if the state of Illinois was in full attack mode attempting to shut down church bus operations.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Q - Does your church have (or did it ever have) a bus ministry?

A - My church (where I was saved in the 1950's) rented the city buses of Minneapolis on Sunday. 20-25 buses running routes all over north and northeast city and northern suburbs.

It started during the Korean War to help folks get to church while husbands were in military or working at the arsenal. It was NOT designed to pick up "bus kids", but rather families.

Q - Also, if your church had a bus ministry at one time but no longer does, I'd be interested to find out what the reason(s) were that caused your church to discontinue its bus ministry.

A - The bus ministry slowly shifted to a hylesish type of hype and 90% uncontrolled kids. Church decided that the original purpose of the bus (aiding families) was no longer needed and that this phase of ministry was past.

 

[tfisher1]

We have a bus ministry at our Church. Have had it for over 30 years now. Going strong!

1. Approx 9 buses

2. Each bus has 1 driver, 1 captain (sometimes a married couple) and at least 2 workers. Alot of our youth group teens work on the buses and do songs, pass out cookies, etc...Probably between
10-15% of the church is involved

3. We own the buses

4. Budget around 5-6%

5. Maintenance done by skilled lay people

6. Class B Cdl

7. Greatest problem is keeping it staffed due to the large number of routes. The bus ministry is the hardest lay ministry in our church and requires the most time, most people don't want to give Saturday hours doing visitation and be at the church 1.5 hrs early and get home 1.5 hrs later than everyone else. It can be tough.

8. Have several families join due to bus ministry. Some look at the bus ministry as strictly an evangelizing tool, but I look at it like we're also obeying our most important directive as followers of Christ, 1) Love God 2) Love our neighbor. The love the kids receive from us at church sometimes is the only love they receive anywhere in their lives. I truly believe the bus workers and church people receive a bigger blessing than the kids do. Also, although its nice when the kids come and get saved, ultimately we're trying to reach their parents so the whole family will come to know the Lord.
Hope this helps,

Todd

 

[tfisher1]

Also, forgot to add that those buses bring in around 180 kids each Sunday. Our attendance on Sunday mornings (including bus kids) runs about 520-580.

We have found a huge dropoff in the number of kids that come once they reach jr. high. Part of the problem we believe is that its pretty much impossible to get 7-9th grade kids from the worst parts of town to sit quietly in the main service during churchtime. We've recently starting pulling the 7-9th bus kids into a separate classroom for their own service and the dropoff has stopped and they are being so faithful to attend. We hope that by the time they reach the end of the 9th grade that they have gotten saved and grown enough to sit under the preaching of the pastor in the main service.

Todd

 

[Clint Minnick]

Hey I love the Bus ministry. My little sister started to go to church with the Jesus loven dress wearen King James carryen cookie maken Baptist people next door and... WOW wanta shout (AMEN GLORY GLORY) well Sisie(Sarah) Got born again she got saved and became a child of the King for you theologiens she was reginerated. Well she got saved saved and when you get real saved you cant help but tell people about your Jesus. So Sarah got my corsins to go 4 or 5 of them and she was worken on her Bubba (Me) Glory!! Then she got my aunt my aunt and my corsins got saved then there was no room in the car beacuse Sarah was getting everyone to go to church even her pet hamster went to church. So Pastor noticed and he had one of the staff use there van.I had be going for a few mouths and before every service Sarah would tell her friend they needed to get saved, and I was the one that would get it the most during service the fire of God would be comeing down and the thunder and power of the word of God was being proclamied and I wanted to get saved but I was only 9 and Sarah was only 8 but that old fasioned altar was far and i was not about to get called out I know mow I wouldnt have. But Sarah kept on "buggen me" and I told her that I would on my Birthday well my birth came and went and I was lost as a mouse in a cheese factory and she kept on it. glory to God! the next week came and we were on our way home and Brother Jay the bus capt was asking some people if they were saved and he look at Sarah and before he could ask she said yeas sir I'm saved!! then he looked towards me and asked are you saved Clint?... Well before I could say a word or even think Sarah shouted out NO HES NOT BUBBAS GOING TO HELL HE NEEDS TO GET SAVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Conviction came down yes indeed and later that day Bro Jay came by after droping off all the riders and asked me if I want to get saved. Yes I did and so Bro Jay shard the plan of salvation with me and OH YES I GOT SAVED THAT DAY BLOOD BOUGHT YES I WAS ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD!!!!!!!!! In fact it was 12 years ago sunday. Then God in his love and mercy called me to preach!!! Now I'm a student at Heartland Baptist Bible College. Keep those buses running.That bus route that Sarah built runs about 30 to 40 kids now and our corsin Edward is the capt. Ther have been alot of kids and adults get saved and a number of kids get called to preach on that route all because one little girl was in love with her Jesus.

The one and only
Clint Minnick
fool4christ83@yahoo.com