It Started Here in Baltimore Maryland

Fifty Years Ago
Bible and Prayer Removed from our Schools
courtesy free clip art

Our missionary Martha Wright, full time children’s minister in Maryland reports:

It was in 1960 that Madalyn Murray walked into her son's classroom at Northwood Elementary school, Baltimore Maryland and heard the children reading the Bible and praying.

As a proclaimed Atheist, she became furious, and immediately launched her own crusade to get Bible reading and prayer taken out of our public schools.

On June 17, 1963 the Supreme Court in an overwhelming 8-1 decision ruled that the opening of schools with Bible reading and prayer exercises was unconstitutional.

This coming June it will be fifty years that the Bible and prayer was removed nation wide from our schools.

You may know about the Supreme Court decision of June 11, 2001 where the justices voted 6-3 that the Good News Club must have equal access to public school facilities like any other club.

This has been a window of opportunity God has given us to teach the Bible unfettered to today's children.  We have 90-120 minutes per week to teach the Bible, teach the kids to pray, teach them to memorize Scripture, sing songs about God and the Lord Jesus and to teach them about missions!

But we don't know when this privilege will be taken away. In the meantime, we need to aggressively challenge every Bible-believing church in America to adopt its local community school to take the light of the Gospel to this vast mission field.

A half-a-century has gone by since that horrible decision, and the moral decay of our country is evident.

It all started in Baltimore -- NOW LET'S GET THE BIBLE BACK INTO EVERY SCHOOL IN BALTIMORE AND ACROSS MARYLAND!

Right now, on this 50th anniversary, we have put together a team of experienced teachers who are ready to establish a Good News Club at Northwood Elementary School, where the ban on the Bible first took place.

For me, getting the Bible back into that school will be like placing an American flag on the moon! Please pray as we meet with the principal, that she will give permission.

The vice principal attended two workshops we recently held at our state headquarters! She retired February 28 but will be an advocate for the club! Thanks for your prayers for open doors to this school.

The Good News Club at Lockerman Bundy Elementary has been going for five weeks. I was at the first club and 48 children were eagerly waiting to hear about Jesus.

Four teachers from the school are teaching their children God's Word each week. (Is that amazing, or what?) They know more than anyone how needy these children are. They know it's only by God's power that the lives of these kids will be transformed! The enrollment is now over 60!

Keep praying that many of these children and their families will come to Christ Jesus! I see a revival coming in that school!

We launched two more clubs in inner city Baltimore, also in needy schools and bad areas of the city. God is doing something special as these children memorize His Word, sing songs about God, learn Bible lessons and make decisions that will change their lives forever.

Corporal Holifield, a Baltimore City police officer who oversees security for over 40 schools in his district, was anxious to get a club going at Barrister Elementary.

 

We pulled a team together and had our first club last week. It was a joy for me to witness the enthusiasm of these children.

However, it was sad that when the teacher asked the children "Do you know what sin is?" that not one child in the group knew the answer. That was a new one for me! But kids here in the United States of America are so Biblically illiterate that it's amazing.  May the Lord continue to bless you richly as you serve Him!

Send all missionary support to: Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF)

Box 348 Warrenton, MO 63383

Please designate for account HQ 000 9753 00

Dr. Martha J. Wright,  Executive Director CEF of Maryland   (410) 944-6435

This post is Linked up with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday

 

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