A collaborative effort between two local churches and a host of volunteers and leaders will be bringing a special time of ministry to elementary and middle school students in New Boston. New Covenant Life Fellowship and Tapp Methodist are working together, and with the New Boston ISD to bring Lifewise Academy to the young people of New Boston, during school hours, but off campus.
Lifewise Academy is an innovative Bible education program offered in public schools across the country that works with local school administrators and teachers to support their mission of serving students, schools, and communities. Studies show that LifeWise programs improve student attendance and behavior, and achieves its goals by focusing on Christian principles.
LifeWise is a Christian ministry not affiliated with any one denomination. Its programs are supported and organized by Christians from various theological backgrounds and denominations who come together to support and celebrate the mission of bringing Bible education to public school students during school hours.
The programs focus on core themes of the Bible, the “main and plain things” of Scripture, and emphasize the gospel of Jesus Christ. These things are foundational to Christian belief and are widely agreed upon by the various denominations that support LifeWise Academy.
For those who worry about the legality of the program, the Supreme Court ruling (Zorach v. Clauson, 1952) makes it both constitutional and legal for communities across the country to establish religious programs like LifeWise Academy that meet the three conditions outlined by the ruling: the programs are off school property, privately funded and parent permitted.
A recent poll in Texas showed that 80 percent of Texans support teaching moral and character education in Texas public schools and 65 percent want that education to be based on the Bible and its precepts.
The program will cost $30 per student and the two churches hope to receive funding and volunteers for the program to get underway in the next school year. New Boston Mayor and New Covenant Life Pastor Ron Humphrey and Tapp’s Sharon Elkins told the Tribune that the work is well underway.
New Boston ISD elementary students will be transported to Tapp one day a week on Wednesdays for the Lifewise time and middle school students will go to New Covenant Life. The two churches are working with the school district to be prepared to have as many as 400 students take part in the program.
Elkins stated that the school district and its leaders have been very supportive and helpful in the planning stages. These planning stages include the purchase of busses, gathering volunteers and getting the funding to take care of not only the students’ fees and curriculum but to purchase the buses and needed materials. The program is completely separate from the school district and cannot use district buses.
Humphrey, who has been named the program director, says the first needs will be purchasing the buses. Donations can be made online on the Lifewise website or locally. If making a donation online, please add the notation NewBostonISDL1147 so that the local program is given credit for the funds. He asks that anyone writing a check for a donation also include the NewBostonIS-DL1147 in the memo line.
Humphrey told the Tribune that the “head, hearts and hands” approach used by Lifewise is very much needed in today’s world where young students are seeing so much going on in the world and in their communities and need the Bible and Jesus to help them through.
If you would like to make a donation or want more information on the Lifewise Academy efforts in New Boston or information to start the program in your school district, call Ron Humphrey at 903.306.9921 or Sharon Elkins at 903.244.6535
