Admittedly, I have no statistics of what the “bus demographic” is of the average IFB church, however after 16 years of traveling the country and observing ministries all over, I believe I can make the observation that the overwhelming majority of those who ride the bus are black. Sometimes causing a cultural shift thereby adopting the terminology of ‘them’ and ‘us’ by many conservative Christians. I have seen youth groups who have organized the game time and other activities centered around essentially the ‘church kids’ vs ‘bus kids’. Probably one of the top topics that Pastors bring up to me specifically would be about the retention of bus kids and black people within their church. Thought I do not have all the answers, I can address one area of concern with the Bus ministry as a whole.

In the past, the ministries with the largest bus ministries have been the ones to model. Though I am thankful for the ones who are seeing fruit or seeing young people saved, we are called to make disciples. Many have no use for a child who rides the bus after they are saved. It takes an insane amount of investment in that life to see fruit. Therefore, I love the ‘small’ bus ministries that have a core of young people into which they are investing their lives. It takes work to keep a ‘church kid’ grounded and walking with God, how much the more for a young man with no steady example of Christ on a daily basis. In my opinion, give me the bus ministry that has been long standing and has members in the church who used to be the ‘bus kids’. That is success, not simply a big number on the 3rd Sunday in September. This also aids in the cultural divide in the church. When the pastor is not just attending the Christian School ball games of the church kids’ but is also going to the BBQ for a young man name Jervon, then we realize we can move beyond (culturally) what we are accustomed to for the cause of Christ.