In times gone by, the fundamental Bible-believing Evangelical movement was stapled with the bus ministry. Certainly in this century more people have come to church and heard the gospel by way of this outreach ministry than by any other. So, what happened to the bus ministry? Why has it died out? What does the death of this ministry mean?

First of all, let me say that I do not think anyone can argue the fact that the bus ministry has been used of God and greatly blessed. Among Independent Fundamentalism, an aggressive, evangelistic bus ministry was an "ear mark" of our ministry. What happened? Did this ministry lose its effectiveness? Has the Lord truly led so many churches to sell their busses and downsize, if not completely shut down, this ministry? Let me answer both questions with an emphatic "NO"!

WHY HAS THIS MINISTRY DIED OUT?

First of all, it has died because some got into it for the wrong reasons. Now, no one will admit this because it sounds bad, but the truth is, some folks only have a bus ministry because they are "supposed to". When the price of gas moved up, they moved out. To you I say, "GET SOME COMMITMENT!" Souls are worth the price of gas, and if you'll trust God and wait on Him, He'll bless and supply. Some only had a bus ministry to jack up their Sunday School numbers. To you I say, "Shame on you!" That group is probably out of the ministry now or under the judgment of God.

Secon, without much commitment, there will be little recruitment from the pastors. Many of our pastors today don't have a heart for souls and an outreach that won't pay for itself. For this reason most large bus ministries are staffed by college students, (hence, every large church has a Bible college)and teenagers. The bus ministry in its hey day was run by the solid lay people in the church, the ones who didn't go home at the end of the semester, or who were at the behest of mom and dad. Pastors preached toward this ministry and faith was placed in God to supply the needs. This was a time when independent fundamental Bible-believing churches were the largest in most states.

Let's get back to this great tool. Let's run the busses for all of the services, Sunday night and Wednesday night a van might be used in place of a bus. Let's try to reach the parents of the kids we are picking up. REVELATION 2:5 SAYS, "Remember therefore from whence THOU ART FALLEN, and REPENT, and DO THE FIRST WORKS; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, EXCEPT THOU REPENT."