MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A movement in Memphis is aimed at giving students something they can't get in the classroom. Lifewise Academy is literally moving students in a new direction. Their weekly lessons go by the book — only in this case, that book is the Bible. In the middle of the school day, students at Riverwood Elementary leave school and hop on a red bus for a short trip to Grace Celebration Lutheran Church. "Yes Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so," the children sing. Even the time on the bus, is learning time, making the most of the mere 50 minutes or so they have to share a lesson."Everything is special about Jesus because he made us. He loves us. Jacob listen. He protects us," the teacher says. This is Lifewise Academy, a program that is gaining traction around the country and right here in Shelby County, where they are transporting students from their school once a week, to structured Bible study and character education. "What we are seeing is lives being changed, said James Brodnax, the Executive Director of Lifewise Shelby County. He says it's all legal after a 1952 Supreme Court Ruling on "Release Time for Religious Instruction," which says students can be released from school during the school day to receive religious and moral instruction. There are three caveats: Parents must give permission, it must be done off school grounds and it must be privately funded. "To me this is the greatest missed opportunity that we have had as a church to pass the gospel on to the next generation," Brodnax said. ELECTION GUIDE: Presidential, state and local races, Nov. 5, 2024 For the last two years, Shelby County has been tapping into this space and providing students whose parents allow it to hear lessons from the Bible with a focus on character issues like integrity, trust and obedience. Grace Church was quick to sign on."A lot of churches and schools don't know about it. When we learned this was part of the law and we had this opportunity, we jumped right on it," said Rev. Terry Tieman, Senior Pastor at Grace Celebration Lutheran Church. The church says the bus was donated to them. Now it's equipped for Lifewise. They say when kids see this red bus coming, they get excited. "We think we have an opportunity to change the culture of Memphis, change the characters of families and children," Tieman said. And Lifewise says things are already changing, "When kids are coming into this program, we are having less anxiety in their lives, less depression, less thoughts of suicide because they are beginning to realize they have a purpose in life," said Mary Wasson, Lifewise Regional Program Director. "We are also finding suspension rate in classes are going down. Attention is increasing."It's why they are hoping more schools and parents will sign on, more churches will step up with space and more businesses will join as partners. "This is no cost to the families, this is no cost to the schools," Wasson said. "It just seems like a win win. We just need to get the parents permission. We need to get the churches to come along side of us so we have a safe place for these classes to be taught." Recently, a Satanic club raised worry after Memphis Shelby County Schools allowed it to hold an after school club meeting in one school building. Memphis school district settles lawsuit with Satanic Temple "MSCS allowed them to come because of their laws and constitution. So they were able to run their program. I don't know exactly how well they are doing. But I know we are trying to spread the gospel as much as we can," Brodnax said. And it seems to be catching fire with students. "It was so exciting today to hear one of the students, the very first thing he said when he was leaving was 'When are we coming back?'" Wasson said. Students are even given Bibles to take home. "They can then become the evangelists in their families and their communities," Brodnax said. "We haven't even hit the surface of the potential for what we can do in our city. We're excited about the next phase." Lifewise Academy is currently in seven schools in Shelby County, witgh another nine schools in the pipeline for Spring 2009. It serves 144 students.