Many of us can recall childhood memories spent riding our bikes with friends or gathering at the local swimming pool. We played board games with our families and went to church on Sundays. As teens, we met at the mall, concerts or movies together, cruised around town and joined youth ministry.
Today’s youth, in contrast, spend multiple hours per day on their phones watching videos, playing games with strangers they call friends and comparing how many followers, “likes” or comments they have on social media compared with others they know.
Meanwhile, loneliness and poor mental health rates are soaring.
“If you really take a look at what world culture offers, it has led to the highest rates of anxiety and depression and suicide for youth today,” says Brian VanBuskirk of Noblesville. “It’s just continuing to climb, and it’s not something that’s just happened recently. You have lower church attendance by youth; you have lower biblical literacy and then fewer professions of faith.”
VanBuskirk is the Noblesville program director for LifeWise Academy, a Christian nonprofit organization that offers Bible-based education classes to elementary and secondary students attending public schools, as well as homeschooled students. Indiana’s House Bill 1137 requires a school principal to allow students, with written parental permission, to attend up to 120 minutes of off-campus religious instruction during the school day. VanBuskirk notes that it can take place during a student’s lunchtime and lunch recess.
Transportation is provided by LifeWise.
The curriculum covers the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation using Scripture, videos and activities. Each lesson includes a Bible passage that connects to character traits such as respect, love, kindness, humility and gratitude, with a focus on three areas. The first is the “head,” which is knowing what the Bible says; the second is the “heart,” how the passage relates to Jesus; and the “hands,” with a focus on how to communicate the message to share with others.
“There are a lot of different things that the world can offer as solutions, but with the Word of God, it just brings you in line with your Creator, and it just works out so much better,” says VanBuskirk.
LifeWise Academy has seen growing success in neighboring schools, including Hamilton Southeastern, Westfield Washington, Carmel Clay and Sheridan Community. Nationally, LifeWise is offered in 39 out of 50 states. Two churches in Noblesville are now host sites for White River Elementary School students attending the academy.
“LifeWise Noblesville cannot say ‘thank you’ to Green Valley Church of Christ and White River Christian Church enough,” says VanBuskirk. “We’ve had our first classes, and it is just beautiful the way the kids are responding to it. Perhaps even more important are the testimonials the parents have shared.”
According to the staff at White River Elementary, which shared written testimonials from parents, “One parent shared with us that their son chose to read his Bible at home — the first time he has done that!”
An additional parent of two says, “They are both so excited to represent the program and about the new students joining this week. Our family is so thankful for the saving work being accomplished through this program.”
VanBuskirk says that Noblesville LifeWise is seeking additional churches in Noblesville to serve as host sites to support up to 10,000 students attending Noblesville Schools, as well as homeschooled students.
“The whole concept is it’s a community-based program. It’s not a one-church program,” he explains.
VanBuskirk also welcomes those who want to serve as teachers in the program. Qualifications include two years of experience either as a public school teacher, Sunday school teacher or leader in youth ministry, along with a satisfactory background check.
On Monday, Nov. 16, the public is invited to a fundraising event at IMMI Conference Center in Westfield featuring guest speaker Sgt. 1st Class Sammy Lee Davis, a Vietnam Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and the inspiration behind the movie “Forrest Gump.” “This is truly the living Forrest Gump,” says VanBuskirk. “He saved three peoples’ lives while being massively wounded. He’s the only living Indiana Medal of Honor recipient.”
To register for the event, go to give.lifewise. org/lifewise/campaign-events/lifewise-academy-noblesville-honoring-sammy-lee-dav is?campaign=12296&checkout=1787374.
For more information about LifeWise Noblesville, including enrollment, go to Lifewise.org/program/1807650-noblesville-schools or contact Brian VanBuskirk at 808-631-1856.
