Did you know that more than 100,000 public school students are learning the Bible during the school day, and it’s completely legal?
As parents prepare for back-to-school season next month, many are thinking beyond school supplies and class schedules. They’re asking how to help their children build a strong biblical foundation in an increasingly secular culture. Thanks to LifeWise Academy, thousands of families have found an answer that few Americans even know exists.
A Growing Movement for Bible Education
LifeWise Academy provides Bible education to public school students through a program known as Release Time Religious Instruction (RTRI). Under this long-established and constitutionally protected model, students are released from school during the day–with parental permission–to attend off-campus Bible classes.
The program is entirely voluntary and completely legal and has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court for more than 70 years.
LifeWise Academy was founded in 2018 by Joel Penton, a former Ohio State Buckeyes football player and founder of the ministry Stand for Truth. After witnessing the impact of a released-time Bible education program in his hometown of Van Wert, Ohio, Penton developed a model that communities across the country could replicate. His vision was simple: if Bible education during school hours was already legal and effective, why shouldn’t it be available to every child who wants to participate?
That vision has grown into one of the fastest-growing Christian education movements in America.
Today:
- More than 100,000 students have participated in LifeWise programs.
- LifeWise is preparing to serve more than 1,400 schools across 37 states this fall.
- More than 284,000 people have signed Community Interest Lists expressing support for bringing this program to their communities.
- Those signatures represent 11,811 school districts nationwide.
Every one of those numbers represents children hearing the Gospel and learning biblical truth during the school day.
Why It Matters
Today’s students face unprecedented challenges. They are growing up in a culture filled with confusion, anxiety, and competing worldviews. Parents and churches are faithfully working to disciple the next generation, but many families are searching for additional ways to reinforce biblical truth.
LifeWise offers a unique opportunity. For one hour each week, students can step away from the noise of the culture and spend time learning God’s Word, hearing the Gospel, and discovering timeless biblical principles that shape character and purpose.
The impact extends beyond the classroom. Parents, churches, volunteers, and entire communities work together to make these programs possible, creating a powerful partnership centered on the spiritual formation of children.
Patriot Mobile’s Commitment to the Next Generation
At Patriot Mobile, we believe protecting America’s future means investing in the next generation and defending the freedom to live out our faith.
Jenny Story, Chief Operating Officer for Patriot Mobile, said, “Our Founding Fathers relied on the Bible for foundational guiding principles to organize our Constitutional Republic. Students need to know our rights come from God, not the government. It is our priority to support and defend our God-given rights and freedoms. This has been our mission from the very beginning of our company.”
That is why we have proudly supported LifeWise Academy for several years.
Most recently, Patriot Mobile was honored to participate in LifeWise Academy’s Night of Vision on June 9, a special gathering focused on expanding Bible education opportunities for public school students across Texas. The event brought together Christian business leaders, ministries, supporters, and community influencers who share a common goal: bringing the hope of the Gospel to more children and communities.
The excitement surrounding the ministry’s growth in Texas is remarkable. Communities across the state are stepping forward to explore how they can launch programs in their own school districts and provide students with access to Bible education during the school day.
How You Can Get Involved
As the new school year approaches, now is the perfect time to discover whether LifeWise is available in your community or learn how you can help bring it to your local schools.
You can:
- Learn if your school is already enrolled. If not, sign the petition to enroll your school. It only takes 50 signatures to get your school into the program. Let’s expand this mission!
- Volunteer or join a local planning team.
- Support LifeWise financially to help keep Bible education free for participating families.
- Encourage your church and community leaders to explore starting a program.
The next generation is worth investing in.
This fall, thousands of students across America will have the opportunity to do something remarkable during their school day: open God’s Word and learn biblical truth through LifeWise Academy.
Patriot Mobile is proud to stand with organizations like LifeWise that are helping make that possible. Equipping the next generation with faith, truth, and hope is one of the most important investments we can make in America’s future.
