ASHLAND — Ashland will be the first county in Ohio to offer biblical classes to all area school districts through LifeWise Academy, according to Ashland County Ministerial Association’s Faith Fund President John Bouquet.
Through the released time religious instruction program, public school students in first through fifth grades will be able to take an off-site Bible class during school hours.
School districts involved include Black River Local School District, Ashland City Schools, Loudonville-Perrysville Exempted Village Schools, Crestview Local School District and Mapleton Local School District.
Students in first through fifth grade can pay a $20 participation fee and opt in to take a Bible class at a remote location.
These classes require parental permission and receive no funding from the school. They are aimed at teaching life lessons to students through reading the Bible.
“In a five-year span, (the students) will go through the whole Bible in a very systematic manner, as well as develop the character traits that go with it,” Bouquet said.
He and his team spent the past 18 months speaking with area superintendents and principals about the program.
“We’re going to be the first county to do it in all of our school systems,” he said.
He estimates the program will cost the county’s participating churches and businesses $400,000.
The Ashland County Ministerial Association has been raising money for this program and other parachurch ministries through its faith fund.
“Thus far, we have commitments of about $180,000,” Bouquet said. “One of our parachurch ministries at Transformation Network gave us a commitment this year of $33,000. Our churches have raised about $42,000.”
All of the donations received go towards the involved organizations. The Ministerial Association has a guideline in place that only a few thousand dollars can carry over in the Faith Fund the following year; all funds must be speedily given to the local organizations.
“If you say your money goes to a particular organization, that’s where it will go,” Bouquet said. “Ashland is a very generous community.
“We are so excited about what God is doing to keep our team unified — a common mission strengthens the team.”
The organization is currently targeting retired teachers, pastors and youth pastors in the area to teach the classes. Those hired will receive a wage roughly equivalent to that of a substitute teacher.
LifeWise Academy is a new program that was developed by working with an organization in Columbus called Stand For Truth Ministries.
