In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sat in a frigid jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama. Outside, the nation burned with division, unrest, and injustice. He had no legal defense, no allies beside him, and no certainty about the future.

But he had one thing: the Word of God in his heart.

In his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King repeatedly quoted Scripture, grounding his case for justice not in opinion but in the moral authority of God’s Word. He quoted or alluded to more than 50 biblical passages, drawing on his extensive knowledge of Scripture from memory.

Now, imagine a public-school classroom where students study Dr. King’s words but are not allowed to read the book that inspired them.

This illustrates the hypocrisy we face. American schools are expected to teach and uphold justice, yet they actively undermine the foundation of King’s moral argument.

However, the larger issue is that research indicates that keeping the Bible out of schools negatively impacts students.

The Bible’s Proven Power to Change Lives

Research from the Center for Bible Engagement’s Power of 4 study, which examined over 400,000 people, found that casual Bible reading doesn’t change lives. But engaging with Scripture four times a week or more does.

Those who did saw significant improvements in mental health, decision-making, and moral behavior -- including lower levels of loneliness, anger, substance abuse, and pornography use.

While the study analyzed individuals of all ages, its findings suggest that younger people -- who are increasingly grappling with depression, anxiety, and identity confusion -- would likely experience similar benefits.

The research found that individuals who engage with the Bible regularly experience 30% less loneliness, 32% fewer anger issues, and a 60% decrease in feelings of spiritual emptiness. Additionally, pornography use declined by 62%, substance abuse by 57%, and gambling by 74%, while participation in faith-sharing increased by 228%.

If a secular program yielded these results, every school in America would adopt it. However, since it’s the Bible, they are compelled to ignore its benefits.

And here’s the key takeaway: engaging with Scripture four times a week isn’t just helpful -- it’s essential. Anything less, and people see no measurable difference compared to those who never read the Bible.

So, why are American schools being asked to restrict access to a book that has demonstrated its ability to transform lives?

Oklahoma: A National Tipping Point

The Oklahoma Supreme Court recently issued a temporary stay on the state superintendent’s directive to place Bibles in public schools. This means the directive is on hold but has not been canceled -- the legal battle is still ongoing.

Meanwhile, these same schools promote ideological curricula on gender identity and revisionist history while obstructing voluntary Bible programs.

Public schools are used to promote radical ideologies, alter history, and mislead children about reality -- yet the Bible is deemed too dangerous? The lawsuit against Oklahoma’s Bible directive is part of a more significant movement to erase biblical influence from American education.

Parents argue that the state is interfering with their right to direct their children’s upbringing. Teachers fear losing their jobs if they fail to comply with the Bible directive. Activists claim that spending state funds on Bibles violates church-state separation, but they have no problem with taxpayer dollars funding secular progressive curricula.

If Oklahoma falls, other states will follow, ensuring that the next generation never hears the biblical truths that built this country. This battle isn’t just about one state; what happens in Oklahoma will set a precedent for the entire country.

The Bible’s Role in America: An Inconvenient Truth

Regardless of how much secular activists attempt to rewrite history, they cannot erase the truth: the Bible has shaped this nation.

Our legal system, human rights and even the concept of justice itself are deeply rooted in biblical principles. John Adams once wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

The Founding Fathers recognized an important truth that we are forgetting: a nation without biblical morality cannot sustain freedom.

Even Oklahoma’s top education official, Ryan Walters, defended the Bible’s inclusion in schools not as a religious mandate but as a historical necessity. Biblical principles shaped the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the civil rights movement.

If our schools are serious about teaching history and moral courage, why are they erasing the very book that guided leaders like Dr. King?

The Bible Isn’t Being Pushed -- It’s Being Kept Out

Let’s be clear: no one suggests that schools should force students to read the Bible. However, many schools currently restrict Bible literacy programs, prohibit formal instruction on its historical influence and reject efforts to provide students with voluntary access to Bibles in classrooms -- all while allowing secular ideologies to dominate the curriculum.

Instead, schools are asked to promote confusion and moral relativism while prohibiting essential moral instruction. They claim to promote diversity while perceiving biblical values as a threat.

Activists’ true reason for opposing Bible instruction is not related to funding. It is about eliminating biblical influence from public education -- by any means necessary.

How You can Help

The battle for biblical literacy isn’t coming -- it’s already here. If we don’t act now, our children will grow up in a nation where biblical truth is forgotten. This is our moment. Speak up, get involved, and safeguard biblical literacy before it vanishes entirely.

Speak up at school board meetings. Demand that schools allow Bible literacy programs and uphold religious freedom. Support policies that protect students’ rights. Contact lawmakers and advocate for policies ensuring students can access the Bible in schools. Prioritize biblical literacy at home. If schools can’t teach the truth, parents must. Commit to engaging with Scripture regularly as a family.

The Choice is Ours

We have removed the Bible from schools, and we are witnessing a generation fall apart. How much longer will we allow this to continue?

But this is not the end of the story -- if we act now, we can restore biblical truth to our nation. We can raise a generation grounded in faith, strengthened by wisdom and unshaken by confusion. We can revive an education system that teaches truth instead of ideology, stability instead of chaos, and morality instead of relativism.

This is our moment. History will remember our choices.

Dr. Stephen Cutchins brings over 20 years of leadership experience in education and ministry across four states. He has been actively involved with Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES) for more than 16 years and now leads the Center for Innovative Training, Truth That Matters, as Executive Director. In addition to his role at SES, Dr. Cutchins serves as Teaching Pastor and Multi-Site Specialist at Upstate Church in South Carolina, recognized by Outreach Magazine as one of the top 10 fastest-growing churches in the nation. Dr. Cutchins has coached leaders nationwide through the North American Mission Board and is a sought-after speaker for churches, conferences, and events nationwide. As the founder of The Cutchins Institute, LLC, he leads a team specializing in executive coaching, consulting, and counseling services. An accomplished author, Dr. Cutchins has written and contributed to several books, including works published by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

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