Bible Lessons During Public School Hours-- Classrooms Thrive & Lives Change!

America’s Women, you’re going to want to hear about this! I didn’t know this is legal or possible, but it is. And LifeWise Academy found a way to make it simple for every public school kid and family who wants it. You’ll want to hear these stories of how children and families are transformed, how emotional and behavioral problems are reduced, and teachers are loving it! 

Our new friend Colleen Willcox from LifeWise Academy shares some beautiful stories you’ll want to share with other parents. She tells us how it works, and how you can bring this opportunity to students at your public school. Thank you, Colleen! - Kim 

Bible Education for Every Public School Child in Arizona? It’s Possible!  

Five years ago, in my home state of Ohio, I learned about a movement dedicated to reaching public school children with Bible education. When I learned that this particular movement was actually reaching the children while they are in school, during school hours, I was astonished. “That can’t be legal!” I thought. Then I learned that it is, indeed, legal and in fact, our nation’s own Supreme Court determined in 1952 (Zorach vs. Clauson) that allowing public school children to leave their government-run school, during the school day at their parent’s request, to receive religious instruction is considered a valid exercise of religious freedom. Parental rights. Wow! 

Studies show that only approximately two out of ten children attend church regularly in our country. But, we know that nine out of ten children attend public schools. So, if we cannot reach them in church, we must go where we know they are. They spend their days in public schools. 

Now, I celebrate this freedom of parents across our nation to choose Bible education for their children. What a game-changer!  

Stop for a moment and imagine what our nation could be like in ten, twenty years, as the life-changing message of the Bible changes hearts and transforms families, because children were given the opportunity to learn the Bible and learn that there is a good God who loves them and has good plans for them. Imagine the next generation of leaders in our nation having grown up understanding who they are in Christ and how God created them to live and love. The heart of our nation will be changed, through the transformational power of the gospel. 

With this in mind, LifeWise Academy created a plug-n-play” replicable and scalable model that allows any community to reach children right where they are: during school hours. This innovative and proven model has sparked a movement nationwide. Currently over 57,000 school children are learning the Bible each week through this program. And we expect that by the end of this public school year 100,000 children will be reached. LifeWise is actively teaching the Bible in 30 states and confirmed to move forward in 37 states. This is truly a move of God by the people of God! 

You see, LifeWise was founded with a heart for children and teens. Students in our nation today face unprecedented challenges and for far too long Christians who hold the remedy to today’s ailments were shut out of culture. Our children struggle with all time highs of anxiety, depression and suicide. And yet we see all time lows among youth in Bible literacy, church attendance, and professions of faith.  

This opportunity presents a powerful way to bring Bible education to students across the country - offering hope, healing, and restoration through the very word of God.  

So, what does LifeWise do? We utilize that Supreme Court ruling from 1952 that allows for “released time religious instruction” that permits the Bible to be taught to public school children as long as we follow these three basic principles: 

1. Off School Property: the program must be held off site of school premises 

2. Privately Funded: no government funds can be used for this program 

3. Parent Permitted: voluntary parental permission is required for a child to participate  

LifeWise created a model, complete with all of the tools and support necessary for any community to launch and sustain effective Bible education programs. This tool system starts with a ten step process to help communities get started. For brevity, I won’t outline each step, but give you an overview of how communities get launched. 

The first step is that the community will collect 50 signatures. These signatures are easily captured through LifeWise’s online system. A member of the community simply goes online to lifewise.org/interest and searches for their school. Once they locate their school, they complete a simple form that alerts LifeWise that they are interested in Bible education for their public school children. Once that “community interest list” reaches 50 signatures, it triggers LifeWise to assign a program coach to begin working with the community to help walk the community through the other steps in the process. And, the beauty of the community interest list is that any member of the community can help get the list signed by simply sharing the link with friends, family, and church members. Once that list hits 50 signatures, the LifeWise team works to equip and enable the community through the rest of the simple steps to launch.  

You may be wondering what curriculum LifeWise uses? The program is powered by The Gospel Project, a curriculum that takes students on a journey through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation with an intentional focus on character development, teaching students how to engage with knowing what the Bible says, how the Bible points students to Christ, through the greater gospel message, and how scripture can transform our character. You can check out our curriculum by going to LifeWise.org/curriculum  

So, where do classes take place? Typically within existing facilities, such as the rented or donated space within a church. Sometimes communities choose to renovate an existing building. Sometimes communities decide to build a new facility for a local LifeWise program.  

Typically, LifeWise students attend the program once a week. And the program is designed so that it never interferes with mandatory core classes at school. Usually, the class schedule is set by school personnel in consultation with LifeWise representatives, in order to best work with the school’s daily schedule. We work hard to serve our schools well. 

Additionally, at LifeWise we hold an uncompromising commitment to three core values. We are: 

• Uncompromisingly Gospel Centered. We recognize that keeping the gospel at the center of our program is our only hope of truly changing the hearts of the next generation. Our curriculum points children to Christ in every lesson. 

• Excellence. We seek to maintain the highest standards of excellence in all areas of our work to guarantee the success of our mission.  

• Community Driven. While having a national reach, LifeWise remains a grassroots movement of local churches and community members stepping up to serve local students. 

The LifeWise impact is undeniable. Why? Because the impact of the gospel is undeniable. Let me share with you a story from a local LifeWise program director in Ohio: 

“We launched this month! I spoke with the school's Deputy who shared with me a wonderful first day of LifeWise story. On the morning LifeWise was starting for the elementary school, a little boy who had had some behavior issues came running into the school with his hands in the air shouting. The Deputy stopped him and asked what was wrong. He shouted" It's LIFEWISE DAY!!!" and continued running down the hall. She said she wished we could have been there to see his joy! A follow up to that little boy's day was shared by his teacher. She said when he returned from LifeWise, he had his best afternoon ever. He was engaged in school and had no outbursts for the rest of the day. The teacher jokingly asked if he could attend LifeWise everyday?!”  

To watch a short video that shares more impact, click here: LifeWise Stories - LifeWise Academy 

Friends, at our headquarters, we receive hundreds of stories like this each week from our local programs across the country. Would you like to help get the Bible to public school children in your community and feel the joy of seeing lives impacted by the gospel message? We invite you to join us, take a look at this week’s action item on how you can become involved. Plus, if you want to learn more, join our informational Zoom  on Wednesday, Jan. 21. 

I am praying a special blessing over America’s Women and your efforts to be the voice of change for our children, and for truth, goodness, and hope to reign in our nation. Thank you for all you are doing. We are all in this together and your friends at LifeWise are cheering you on. As we move into a new year, may we be bold in advancing faith, family and freedom together.