Last Friday on my blog I shared a troubling trend with you: schools banning Bible verses. Despite students having a clear Constitutional right to include Bible verses in their personal work projects, or with their friends outside of classroom time, some children are finding themselves silenced when it comes to their faith.
However, I also shared a way for students to celebrate their First Amendment rights: the Focus on the Family-sponsored and student-led “Bring Your Bible to School Day,” which will be held on Oct. 6 this year.
“Bring Your Bible” is designed to strengthen young people who want to express their faith in the public square, specifically at school, by empowering them to express their belief in the truth of God’s Word in a respectful way that demonstrates the love of Christ.
It’s an event that’s so captured the hearts of young people across the nation that it’s grown exponentially in only three years: 8,000 students participated during our inaugural event.
Last year, that number reached 155,000.
And this Oct. 6, we expect more than 300,000 students will participate.
It’s hard for me to capture exactly why “Bring Your Bible to School Day” has so inspired these young people – so I think I’ll let some of these students tell you for themselves.
On our broadcast today, we’ll talk with a couple of young people who have demonstrated tremendous courage in standing up for their religious freedoms. I think you’ll be inspired by their willingness to honor God in their schools and to reach out in His name to their fellow students.
One of the stories that came out of last year’s event was a 13-year-old girl who was reading the Bible during lunch time with about a dozen classmates. A teacher approached their table and said, “You’re not allowed to meet together like this.” The student was able to show a legal explanation of her rights that’s included in our starter guide, and the group continued with their Bible reading.
“Bring Your Bible to School Day” is just a few weeks away, so I hope you’ll consider talking with your school-age children about their interest in participating. Students have the right to express their religious freedom, but it’s a muscle we have to exercise. Christians often retreat, rather than stepping forward and saying, “I’ve got every right to speak about my faith.”
To assist you, we have a website with all of the information you need to get started, including a full explanation of your student’s rights. We also have helpful tips on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
And make sure to join us for our conversation on today’s program we’ve called “Empowering Your Children to Be Bold in Their Faith” on your local radio station, online, or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.
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