Church Bus Evangelism

A great deal of interest is being manifested among many churches for information on church bus evangelism. The following is some of the basic information often needed by a church interested in church bus evangelism.

15 Preferred Procedures of Church Bus Evangelism

  1. Make sure that an adequate number of bus workers are enlisted, trained, and dedicated so that there will be a good team for each bus route. Each Saturday is used for enlisting riders.
  2. Each bus route will need a team. This consist of a driver who makes sure that the bus is clean, fueled, properly maintained, and ready to leave on schedule. It also includes the captain whose job is to be in charge of everything related to his bus route and to make sure the bus is filled with people when it returns to the church. Co-captains give general assistance to the captain and in many cases they will be serving an apprenticeship for the time when they become captains. One or more teenagers on each bus assist with the children in such matters as singing on the bus, personal comfort and safety. Under no circumstance are the teenagers to be responsible for discipline of the children.
  3. Some members who are not heavily involved in other church work can excel in church bus evangelism.
  4. It is necessary for some church bus members to rearrange some priorities and to change their normal Saturday and Sunday schedules.
  5. It is necessary to rearrange some priorities in church activities. Most churches are already heavily loaded with programs and activities. This cannot be added on as another program on the basis of a surplus or workers and finances.
  6. It is best to begin with buying some evangelism buses rather than one trip bus. Usually it is possible to get three or four retired school buses to use in evangelism work for the same price that one good trip bus would cost to use in occasionally transporting church groups for special functions.
  7. It is best to purchase the largest buses possible-at least 54 passenger capacity or more. As a rule the size of these used buses has nothing to do with the purchase price, the insurance cost, the maintenance costs, or the operating cost. And it is just about as easy to have an average of 50 riders on a 60 passenger bus as it is to have 28 riders on a 30 passenger bus.
  8. It is best to begin with two or more buses. Any church that cannot generate enough interest to start with two or more used buses probably will not have very much success in church bus evangelism. Remember that the attitude of the leaders is the major determining factor in evangelizing the community. This does not mean that you shouldn't start with bus, just depends on the size of your church already.
  9. It is best to establish the first bus routes near the church building. After an adequate number of routes are established in the local community then routes are established in neighboring areas that have a large number of unchurched children.
  10. The procedures used to enlist riders will contribute much toward the success or failure of church bus evangelism.
  11. Plans should be made for an increase in attendance of 40 persons for each bus route established. Proper procedures usually result in an average of more than 40 riders within the first two months after a route is began.
  12. The church leaders must plan ahead for a large influx of people in such matters as providing space, rearranging classroom space and departmental assemblies to adjust for overcrowded conditions in some classes and departments, recruiting, and training new workers, recruiting and training members for counseling the children who respond to the Gospel, recruiting and training members who can win the parents to Christ, and recruiting and training members in conducting worship services for the children.
  13. Make adequate plans so as to get off with the best start possible. It may be better not to begin at all than to begin wrong.
  14. Pray for God's guidance and blessings and trust Him to answer your prayers.
  15. Pray as if everything depended upon God. Work as if everything depended upon you.