Comments on: Church Bus Ministry

By: melissa

melissa — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:28:18 +0000

You will never know how much your post was needed today. (almost exactly 1 year later) amazing isn’t it? My church has a bus ministry that I am involved in. Wed. night was probably one of the worst nights ever. We have been picking kids up for about 3 years. After Wed. I was just about ready to say forget it. How can we teach these kids anything when we can’t even keep them under some sort of control? I was encouraged by your testimony…please pray for all the bus workers and teachers. I know that the devil does not like us showing the children a better way of life. God Bless you!

By: Sheila

Sheila — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:48:20 +0000

My husband and I run the bus ministry in a very little town of 20,000. When we started we had 10 kids coming a year later we have grown to an average of 35. Being a bus worker is such a blessing. At my church we also have trouble getting other members involved in the bus ministry. We even have an excellent visitation program, but never receive any prospects from the visitation program, It is very frustrating. But like I stated earlier It is such a wonderful blessing to be able to bring in God’s children into church. We need to remember “suffer not the little children to come unto me”.

By: Mike Barnett

Mike Barnett — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:47:41 +0000

Training workers is a necessity.Read 2 Timothy 2:2.Ask the most experienced workers to ride the bus and visit with the newer workers.There is a real need for the bus ministry to get passed on to the next generation.The older workers need to look at it as a legacy that must be passed on.This is one of the main reasons bus ministries die or become ineffective.God Bless

By: Ronnie Aiton

Ronnie Aiton — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:35:52 +0000

Kids for jesus ministry is a buzz word in our area. If you would be interested in starting a bus ministry contact me at ronnieaiton@hotmail.com From 6 children to 400 kids. Hang on tight expect the unexpected.

By: Glen Woods

Glen Woods — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:16:24 +0000

I’ve never done a bus ministry, but I have done attractional ministry for years. But that is changing for me. One of the things I am doing is going to the parents and their families where they live and doing life with them. Sure, we will continue to do occasional events on campus and have children’s ministries, including bringing kids from the neighborhood to our church on Sundays. But unless parents get to know us as real people, they aren’t going to have much motivation to check out our church, despite any interest their children might have. I seem to remember Jesus telling his disciples to go and make disciples. Evangelical churches largely try to get people to come to them. Where I live, it just doesn’t work anymore. So, I am learning to go to them. It’s really quite liberating. Just a thought.

By: Ronnie Aiton

Ronnie Aiton — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:01:30 +0000

Kate I may be able to help you. I transport 200-300 riders a week to different churches. From pickel eating contest with whipcream on top…to basketball on the bus…Icecream…trips fishing…roller skating…bring a guest for a dollar/ more guest two dollars. Mr Ronnie.

By: Anthony Anglero

Anthony Anglero — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:35:28 +0000

fair. I started a Bus Ministry 4 years ago. With God’s help, our average this year is @ 44. (in a city of 5,000) Our staff is crazy! Our kids are crazy! We are radical about what we do. we run tons of good promotions, We have even done a float in the parade in our city the past 2 years. I think the whole key is to just stay excited. I have had to turn some help away because we have more than enough. another key is to always stay positive. No matter what. I’m interested in learning more about how everyone runs their Bus Ministries. -God bless

By: sarah

sarah — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:28:01 +0000

I really agree with the pros and cons of the bus ministry. This is what is going on with my route. It’s somewhat hard to reach the parents. And we don’t know what kind of discipline they are getting at home, so it’s also difficult to control some of them. But the best thing we can do is pray. Another thing that is lacking in our buses is teenagers. I think we focus the games and prizes on the kids more, and teens aren’t into that. So they think church is boring. They don’t sit up and pay attention, and that can lead to more problems. That has been an issue on our routes lately. I think if we had a balance of the Bible, not just in the classes, but on the bus as well, and teach the kids that the are there for God and the Bible, not for the candy. And to make sure they’re saved. Beacause if we spend all this time trying to reach them, and they die and go to hell, our labor was in vain. So, that is our main goal in the bus ministry, and any children’s ministry for that matter. It may be struggles and stress along the way, but it will be worth it all.

By: mommaof4

mommaof4 — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:22:05 +0000

I came to this article through a discussion on the bus ministry from a message board I frequent. This article intrigued me, because I was a bus kid. I know I was a handful. I was being raised by my dad at the time, because our mother left. Dad used the bus ministry as a free babysitter I’m sure. But if it hadn’t been for the bus I would have never heard about or come to accept Christ. Eventually my dad did join us at church and accepted Christ also. Though I left church after I moved out of the house those seeds were planted and they would pick at my conscious. I eventually came back to God and I’m now actively involved in my church. My husband and I are raising our kids in church and for the Lord. My brothers and sister came to Christ through the bus ministry also. I just want to encourage the bus workers. You are planting seeds that will stay with those children forever. You may not see the results yourself but you are touching more lives than you know. I know it feels like your throwing rocks into a pond and there just sinking to the bottom. But they are sending ripples in the water that just keep going beyond what you can see. God sees it though. Yes bus kids can be a rough bunch but I’m so grateful that some one took the time to run one, so I could know about Jesus.

By: Dannii

Dannii — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:29:28 +0000

With reference to the first negative in your list – how to reach the parents. We have found that the only real successful way to bring these parents in is to involve the children in the sunday service at Christmas, Easter and other special events. Eg. Kids singing a song, doing a poem or reading, receiving an attendance prize – whatever. Parents, grandparents, aunties & uncles will go to church to see their kids on stage. Sneaky – but it works!!!!