The question has been put to me in regard to one of the latest brotherhood projects-church busing. I know to answer the matter either for or against, will earn one a reputation as an "anti" or a "liberal." Frankly, "speaking where the Bible speaks and being silent where the Bible is silent," I know nothing of "antis," "liberals," or "conservatives." In the New Testament, those who belonged to the Lord were known as Christians, Saints or children of God. May God hasten the day that we respect our brother enough to call him the same.

It seems to be assumed by some that, as long as a project results in good, it is acceptable to God. Regardless of the "good" produced by any project, it will not be acceptable unless it first be authorized by divine authority (Col. 3:17). It is evident that some, through misguided zeal, have blindly trodden over the plea for example, inference or direct command. But in the language of the peerless Apostle, we cannot "do evil that good may come" (Rom. 3:8).

I must confess, that like many, my first thoughts on busing was also on the good that could result. Just think, buses filled with little children who have never been taught the truth, parents who may yet be snatched from the burning coals of hell, empty, cold church pews filled with eager souls hungering and thirsting after the gospel, lifeless congregations restored to life. Who could be against such? But as much as I love little children, hungry souls and activated churches, I must insist upon divine authority for providing taxi service to our meetings.

It seems that some have concluded that the command to "Go" and "Preach the gospel" is a command to "Go and buy a bus." The command to "Go" however, is not a command to bring. But you say Luke 14:21 says: "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, and maimed, and the halt, and the blind." But again to bring one into the Kingdom or a state of salvation is afar cry from the bringing one by bus to a meeting house! If the command to "Go and preach the gospel" will permit the church to take from its treasure funds to furnish transportation for Saints and sinners to preaching, it by the same token will permit the church to take from the same treasure funds to buy the preacher a Cadillac to attend his preaching appointments. Many congregations will take the bus, use several gallons of gasoline, burn oil, and wear out tires, all paid for out of the collection plate, to carry brethren 25 to 100 miles to a meeting. Those same brethren are not poverty stricken. Their automobiles filled with gasoline set unused in the church parking lot. Such to my opinion is a waste of the Lord's money. I wonder how the early Christians got to services? Can you imagine the early church taking from its treasury and purchasing donkeys for every one to ride to services and encouraging all the kids to ride that "Big Gray Donkey" to Bible school?

The bus packet also calls for cheap gimmicks to entice the children to ride that "Big Orange Bus"! One good brother says: "Our first route began over a territory where buses from five denominational churches were established. By sheer determination we averaged 21 riders for the first four months. Then one day we gave out cokes to the children as they left the bus. Word spread like wildfire. The next week we jumped to a record 31. We followed with homemade cupcakes to the children and the next week the bus attendance reached 41. The next week hit 54. A high of 74 was reached on one bus when the university students joined hands with the bus workers to give the bus riders a Halloween party on Saturday. Immediately after this, promotion, I saw a local Baptist church bus arrive in a housing project area at the same time as our bus. We picked up over 20 riders while they picked up none." Poor Baptists. The brethren have borrowed, copied, and stolen their tactics and their riders. As a matter of fact, some of our brethren are even peddling Baptist Bus Convention Tapes and other Baptist material to aid our brethren in following the same pattern. Many religious groups are caught up in the project of church busing and are using all types of gimmicks from candy to bubble gum plus pennies, dimes, kites, flags, paper hats, cokes, hamburgers, Halloween pumpkins, chickens that lay golden eggs, rabbits that glow on Easter, and even in one case, introduced gambling to the children by pinning a five dollar bill under "the lucky seat."

One brother, speaking of what he terms "motivation rewards" says: "The following passages are important because of their connection with reward motivation: 1 Cor. 9:25; 1 Thess. 2:19; 2 Tim. 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4. Need I remind you of Matthew 10:42 when Jesus said, 'And whosoever shall give to drink one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.' In fact, the whole process of salvation is concerned with reward motivation ... . I would suggest gift Bibles, balloons, and rulers with scripture verse imprinted and promotions that could be used to teach such as a free fishing trip for the child who brings the most on the bus. This could be in conjunction with a sermon from the preacher entitled 'Fishers of Men.'"

Not one of these passages has to do with cokes, candy, cupcakes, fishing trips or parties, and every one knows it! As a matter of fact the majority of passages used to excite brethren to busing are misapplied. For example, Matthew 10:42. Everyone knows this admonition was given because the little one was thirsty; not to get him to ride the bus. I cannot help but to feel that much of this is an effort of "big" preachers to make a "big" showing. Of course, it does not stop there. The "little" preacher wants to be a "big" preacher, so he must keep rank and follow the same practice so that he might be in demand.

Of course, one unscriptural practice breeds another. With all these untaught children flooding the classrooms and pews, we see an increasing tendency toward infant baptism. Many of them eight and ten years old are being baptized, not knowing their left hand from their right, spiritually speaking. We, are told that in the Apostolic times "Men and Women" were those who were baptized into the Lord's church (Acts 4:4; 5:14; 8:12). No one, regardless of age, is a proper subject for baptism until he knows and understands what he is doing (Rom. 6:17; Mark 16:16).

In our quest for numbers and popularity, the appeal is to the flesh through "fun, food, and frolic," and with one accord "little" preachers wanting to become "big" preachers, are like polly parrots crying, "get on the 'Big Orange Bus'@ It is my conviction that such cheap gimmicks to draw a crowd and compete with sectarianism cheapens true New Testament Christianity and turns the divine, spiritual, blood bought Church into a mere social club geared to catering to the flesh, rather than to the spirit. May I conclude with these thoughts:

"It seems that churches everywhere are doing things today

To try to bring their attendance up by giving things away.

They're running buses all over town in a way they think is dandy,

Giving all the boys and girls that ride some bubble gum or candy.

And maybe they'll have a contest; Give the winner a free plane ride

Or offer him a ten-speed bike that would make one swell with pride.

God does not use this kind of plan to save one from his sin,

But uses visitation (and Gospel D.P.) to bring the sinner in.

So if you're using this unscriptural plan, perhaps you had better stop,

Or your reward in heaven might be just a lollipop."

-Gene Sutton

Brethren, we are drifting! Let us hasten the day that we return to doing Bible things in the Bible ways.

Truth Magazine, XVIII:10; p. 10-11
January 9, 1974