Texas Put the Bible in Schools. As a Christian, I'm Not Celebrating.
TL;DR: The Texas mandate to include the Bible in public school reading lists risks turning God's living Word into just another textbook, potentially inoculating students against the Gospel instead of drawing them to it.
The news out of Texas this past week should feel like a win for Christians, but I have to be honest: I'm deeply worried. The Texas State School Board has mandated that the Bible be included on a mandatory reading list for students . On the surface, it's the kind of headline many of us have prayed for. But as a dad, a small group leader, and someone who builds tools to help people engage with Scripture, I believe this is a profound mistake that could backfire badly.
My fear isn't that students will be exposed to the Bible. My fear is how they will be exposed. The Bible is not just another piece of classic literature to be dissected for its literary devices or historical influence. It is, as the writer of Hebrews says, "quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword."
Handing the Word of God to a secular institution to be taught by a potentially unbelieving, untrained, or even hostile teacher strips it of its power. It treats a divine revelation as a mere textbook. We are taking the holy and making it common, and I'm not convinced that's a path to revival.
The Mission Field or a Minefield?
This isn't just a theoretical concern. As a recent Salon article pointed out, there's a real danger this mandate will create more non-believers than believers . Think about it from a teenager's perspective. School is already full of required reading they often resent. Now, the Bible is just one more assignment to get through, wedged between The Great Gatsby and a chemistry textbook.
This forced-feeding approach is the opposite of how the Holy Spirit works. A genuine encounter with God's Word is a work of the Spirit, drawing a heart to repentance and faith. It's not a line item on a syllabus. The risk is that we inoculate an entire generation against the beauty and power of the Gospel, making them feel like they've "done the Bible" and have no need to ever open it again.
The purpose of Scripture is clear.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)
Instruction in righteousness cannot be outsourced to the state. That is the work of the church and the family.
The Wrong Tool for the Job
Now, I know the strongest counter-argument. A friend from church might say, "But this is a foot in the door! At least they're hearing it. It's better than nothing!" I understand the heart behind that. We want people to know Jesus, and we see an opportunity.
But a forced, academic reading is not the same as a genuine encounter. It's like forcing a child who hates vegetables to eat a whole plate of broccoli. You might win the battle of that meal, but you've lost the war for their relationship with healthy food. As I've written before, I'm a Christian, and I'm worried about this mandate precisely because it mistakes coercion for conversion.
The difference between a state-mandated reading and a Spirit-led encounter is everything.
Feature · Mandated School Reading · Personal Bible Study
Motivation · External (State Requirement) · Internal (Spiritual Seeking)
Context · Academic, secular, potentially critical · Relational, prayerful, Spirit-led
Teacher · A public school employee · The Holy Spirit, pastors, community
Goal · Literacy, cultural knowledge · Transformation, relationship with God
Likely Outcome · Resentment, intellectual dissent · Repentance, faith, spiritual growth
A Better Way Forward
The Great Commission was given to the Church , not the government of Texas. The responsibility for teaching Scripture to our children rests with us, the parents and the local church. This is the hard, slow, relational work of discipleship. It happens over the dinner table, in Sunday school, and in our small groups. It's not something we can accomplish with a legislative shortcut.
Instead of fighting for state mandates, let's equip ourselves to be better teachers in our own homes and churches. Let's create environments where our kids feel safe to ask hard questions. Let's model a love for the Word that is contagious. If you're looking for a way to start a personal habit, something as simple as a 30-day Bible reading plan can build a foundation of delight, not drudgery.
As someone working at the intersection of faith and technology, I see how tools can help. I build FaithGPT because I believe technology can support our spiritual growth by making Scripture more accessible. But AI, like legislation, is just a tool. It can be a great help or a great hindrance. We have to think carefully about the future of Christian education and ensure our methods align with our mission.
Our goal should be to cultivate a hunger for God's Word, not just a familiarity with its text. If you or your kids have questions that a secular classroom can't, and frankly shouldn't, be expected to answer, tools like FaithGPT can help you explore Scripture prayerfully and find answers rooted in God's truth, supported by the guidance of your pastor and church community.
We cannot legislate a revival. True faith is a matter of the heart, not the homework pile.
We wanted the Bible in schools, but we may have just taught a generation to close it forever.
Helpful Scripture resources
Contact & support
Email the FaithGPT team at hello@faithgpt.io or visit the contact page .
Explore FaithGPT
