The Bus Ministry Today

Justice1976

Justice1976

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I've been away from the IFB stuff for many years. Are there still churches trying to utilize the bus ministry that way they were 45-50 years ago? I know FBC still runs buses. What percentage of buses are they running from the peak -- whenever that was?

I really do not know of a church remotely near me (I'm talking at least a couple of hundred miles) that has what we would have thought of as a viable bus ministry in the seventies. Back then, there were bunches of churches who did it with varying degrees of success. But none that I know of today. I'm not necessarily talking about "mega churches." I'm including churches who might have run between 6-12 buses 40-50 years ago.
 
Given the amount of liability a church exposes itself to with a bus ministry, I can't imagine how any church maintains one.

I work for a transportation department in a school district and the litany of regulations for personnel training, maintenance, inspections, is more than any church could bear unless they had a full-time staff employed.

Anyone who would run a transportation department is either breaking the law or just plain stupid if they don't keep up to date with all the federal and state regulations.
 
I used to live in California back in the late 90's early 2000's.
Up until about 2001, we maintained about 8 busses, the CHP came in, threatened to throw the Bus Director and the Pastor in jail if they continued using most of those old busses.
We went from 8 bus routes down to about 2 overnight.
 
Starlifter said:
Up until about 2001, we maintained about 8 busses, the CHP came in, threatened to throw the Bus Director and the Pastor in jail if they continued using most of those old busses.
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We're you running old Crowns that were at least 30 years old and you couldn't get parts for?
 
abcaines said:
We're you running old Crowns that were at least 30 years old and you couldn't get parts for?
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1962 Chevy V6 3Spd, no power breaks or steering. 1968 Chevy 4 spd, 2 Early 70's Fords. were 4 of the oldest. Quite frightening. I think we offloaded them in Mexico.
 
I'm too old to be part of a bus ministry now. I had some interesting encounters on buses while a student at HAC. One of the most interesting was when we were driving from Chicago and the wheel on our bus flew off. I mean literally - the wheel flew off. Our driver knew what he was doing, thankfully. Once we got settled on the side of the ride, he started singing, "Why did you leave me, Loose Wheel."

I know I'm off-topic, but I just had to relay the story.
 
The IFB church about 1 mile from me has a couple of buses. I think they might only run 1 though.

The IFBx church we left in 2010 had 1 when we left (I drove it). Not sure anyone picked up the mantle after that.
 
Starlifter said:
1962 Chevy V6 3Spd, no power breaks or steering. 1968 Chevy 4 spd, 2 Early 70's Fords. were 4 of the oldest. Quite frightening. I think we offloaded them in Mexico.
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I guess I over-rated your church, eh?
 
Starlifter said:
1962 Chevy V6 3Spd, no power breaks or steering. 1968 Chevy 4 spd, 2 Early 70's Fords. were 4 of the oldest. Quite frightening.
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Reminds me of a church out West that used to run about 4 early 70's GMC 12-passenger vans. You'd be driving down the street and the doors would fly open. It was really exciting!
 
I know several churches in Middle Tennessee are still running active and growing bus ministries. One is Franklin Road Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. Another is Victory Baptist Church in Shelbyville. A grad of HAC pastors Victory. There are several others in Murfreesboro. I know there are several in Nashville as well. The bus ministry isn't dead.
 
IFB X-Files said:
Reminds me of a church out West that used to run about 4 early 70's GMC 12-passenger vans. You'd be driving down the street and the doors would fly open. It was really exciting!
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They were too spiritual for safety, it seems.
 
lots of churches still do bus ministry. It is most prevalent in IFB churches, but plenty of other churches provide transportation for people to and from church. Also, many after-school businesses run bus ministries to bring kids to their care programs (karate, etc). Don't forget the plethora of churches that have busses for their senior citizen day trip ministry, or taking kids to camps ministries.
 
COPIED FROM ANOTHER POST

Warren Storm from Keep the Busses Rolling Missions says there are less bus ministries today then 20 years ago, but there are still thriving bus ministries in every state. He travels the country and helps churchs with Bus repair, purchasing, Bus ministry organization and preaching.

There are churches all over the country running multiple busses every sunday. Yes state stardards for busses and drivers are higher as they should be. Improved procedures and guidlines, as well as background checks for childrens, are a must as well. Like everything in the ministry running busses should be done "decently and in order".
 
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Binaca Chugger said:
lots of churches still do bus ministry. It is most prevalent in IFB churches, but plenty of other churches provide transportation for people to and from church. Also, many after-school businesses run bus ministries to bring kids to their care programs (karate, etc). Don't forget the plethora of churches that have busses for their senior citizen day trip ministry, or taking kids to camps ministries.
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My man!!

:)
 
sword said:
Warren Storm from Keep the Busses Rolling Missions says there are less bus ministries today then 20 years ago, but there are still thriving bus ministries in every state. He travels the country and helps churchs with Bus repair, purchasing, Bus ministry organization and preaching.
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Any church who wants to run such a ministry should avail themselves of a competent support resource. There are a plethora of laws and regulations which are sound and make good sense (I know, odd, huh?). Only someone who has been in the transportation industry full-time (that's all they do) for a while is going to be up on the latest regulations and best practices.
 
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