By Dave Smith
Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 16:31
I. The Purpose Of The Bus Ministry
A. To carry out the Great Commission
1. Winning people to Jesus Christ
2. Baptizing the converts
3. Disciplining the converts
B. To have any other purpose will not have God’s blessing
C. Some wrong purposes
1. To feel sorry for poor children
2. To have a bus ministry because other churches’ in your fellowship have one
3. To please influential members that may feel strongly that the church should have one
4. To have one because you have always had one
II. The Practice Of The Bus Ministry
A. To attempt to get unchurched (non-gospel preaching churches) children to ride the bus
B. To do this, obviously, you must secure parents’ permission
C. To attempt through the Sunday School to evangelize the children
D. To do follow-up on the riders that make professions and to determine if they have understood the plan of salvation
E. If they do understand, explain believer’s baptism to the rider and attempt to get the parents’ permission for baptism
F. Using various programs, disciple the riders in the Lord
G. In the process of bringing children and attempting to reach them, you are also inviting and giving the parents the gospel
H. Your goal is to get the whole family saved, “driving-in” to church and serving the Lord
III. The Problems Of The Bus Ministry
A. Resisting the devil’s opposition
B. Securing and maintaining a staff of workers
C. Training and motivating the workers to be productive
D. Problems with discipline
E. Discouragement of workers
F. Keeping working steadfast
IV. The Price Of The Bus Ministry
A. It costs money
B. It costs leaders and workers time and effort
C. It costs misunderstanding on occasion
D. It rewards far outweigh its overall costs
V. The Potential Of The Bus Ministry
A. A bus ministry has as much potential as its leaders and works have faith
B. Riders lives are changed from time and eternity
C. Parents are reached and the home is transformed
D. Riders grow up and become workers and leaders in the church
This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes, “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”
