Our program is called Released-Time Christian Education, a time during the school day when students (when parental consent) are released from school to study the Bible). Our mission, using this program, is to provide biblical instruction for all public school children (grades 1-12) as an opportunity to get them to embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, grow in the Christian Faith, and apply biblical principles for living.
Released-Time Christian Education is an excellent and useful program for the Christian community. Through it, we are able to touch the lives of our young people and their families in a positive way. It provides an open door for us to share God's Word with Christians and non-Christians alike. The program is accommodated by the School District of Greenville County and was deemed constitutional the U. S. Supreme Court in 1952 (Zorach -vs- Clausen).
Our Bible class schedules and locations vary depending on our students’ school locations, grade levels, and class period times that do not sacrifice core classes. Elementary and middle school classes begin the second week of September and end in March. Elementary school classes are held at the end of the school day either on school property or at a nearby facility. Middle school classes are held during a 50-minute related arts class period each week at off-school campus locations. High school Bible classes are held off campus beginning the first day of school. Each high school student is eligible to attend our Bible course 90-minutes a day during the first or second school semester. Our high school Bible course is approved by the School District of Greenville County to be a social studies elective worthy of a Carneige unit if high school students successfully complete the course.
Any public school student may attend our classes regardless of race, religion, sex, age, national origin or handicap. Presently, the racial makeup of the Release Time student population is approximately 80% White, 15% African American, and 5% other. Again, students must obtain parental consent to participate in our program, and they are escorted to and from school for their Bible class by qualified volunteers of our organization.
We teach basic biblical truths and principles. It is our aim to teach principles, including skills that will enable young people to understand the Bible for themselves. Current issues such as citizenship, civic responsibility, peer pressure, self esteem, sexuality, substance abuse, family issues and conflict resolution will be considered from a biblical perspective. We also share the Gospel with students during each class session.
We recruit qualified teachers and creditable volunteers. All of our teachers must meet the qualification criteria established by our Board of Directors. Most importantly, all of our staff members (paid and volunteer) are screened properly. And too, it is required that they have lifestyles reputing them to be professed believers of the Christian faith and passionate about reaching young people for Christ.
The benefits of the program are many! We help young people understand God, His love, and His will for their lives. Also, we help children grow to cherish and care for themselves and others. We instill values such as honesty, compassion, integrity, loyalty, and belief in human worth and dignity. It is our desire to teach young people social skills from a spiritual perspective. They need these skills to function productively in our society.
Finally, since it is our desire to be a positive, dynamic force in Greenville County, we seek to share God’s Word so that lives can be changed forever. We want this change to begin in Greenville and extend throughout South Carolina and, ultimately, the nation. We will succeed. Our confidence is not based on our abilities, however. Our trust is in God. This is His work, and it will be His victory.
In Christian love,
Janice
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