Since public schools in Butler County cannot cross the line between the required separation of church and state, more and more of their students are crossing the street to nearby churches for voluntary Bible classes during the regular school day.

In a Bible school program led by CBM Ministries, students meet for one hour, one to four times a month for Bible-based lessons led by a missionary or volunteer.

Introduced to Butler County in January 2004 at Haine and Rowan elementary schools and Haine Middle School in the Seneca Valley School District, the program has expanded from three to seven schools. It now includes all elementary and middle schools in the Seneca Valley district and Buffalo Elementary School in the Freeport School District.

The group in charge of planning and leading these classes, CBM Ministries, was founded in 1935 as Children's Bible Mission. The Tennessee-based organization now has participants from New York to Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Oklahoma.

"Our main goal is to help bring biblical morality back to America," said Judy Virgili, director of CBM's Southwestern Pennsylvania Region.

In addition to Bible classes, the organization offers several Bible camp programs and correspondence Bible worksheets.

According to Virgili, all of CBM's program supplies, missionaries and expenses are funded by donations from individuals, churches and other community organizations.

There are currently five CBM missionaries at work in Pennsylvania, offering classes in Greene, Fayette, Beaver and Butler counties. Each is responsible for presenting information to churches and contacting school districts in areas where churches wish to host a new program.

Each new program begins by offering a one-hour class once a month to students in grades two through six. After the first term, classes may increase to two to four times a month.

Limiting participation by grade level allows all students to be taught in one classroom, noted Tim Newborn, a missionary with CBM assigned to Beaver and Butler counties.

Classes in Butler County now meet twice each month, giving Newborn and volunteers more time to focus on its Bible-based curriculum.

Attendance from each school varies from week to week based on parental preferences. Newborn said attendance at each of the schools has increased steadily.

Classes that contained about 10 to 15 students at the beginning of the last school year now average between 20 and 25 students, he said.

At Buffalo Elementary, which is now in its second year of the program, the rise in attendance was more dramatic, from six students registered at the start of the program to more than 20 students registering this fall.

While in the Seneca Valley School District, some of the classes use a donated bus service to travel from the schools to the churches, Buffalo Elementary School students are able to walk to the Sarver Free Methodist Church, just across the road from the school.

The Rev. Mel McRoberts, who recently became pastor of the church, said members were anxious to offer the program to students at the nearby school.

"We feel that God's placed us and our church right across the street to impact young lives for him," he said.

Though Newborn has heard concerns from teachers, school administrators and parents about taking students out of the classroom for Bible classes, he said the schools have been cooperative in scheduling time for the students to miss classes.

Thomas Saulle, principal at Buffalo Elementary, said the program has not affected its regular school schedule.

"We're not rearranging our schedule for 600 students for 10 or 15 (involved in the program)," he said. "The kids understood and the parents understood that it's their responsibility to make up whatever has been missed."

Since the program is optional, parents can decide to keep their child in the classroom for specific sessions if they are concerned with their child keeping up or catching up after an absence.

In Newborn's experience, however, the memorization techniques and class structure of the Bible classes reinforces behavioral and learning skills used in school.

"The kids seemed so excited and so attentive," said McRoberts' wife, Marlene, who recently became a volunteer for the program at the Sarver Free Methodist Church.

Leading the classes with CBM's "character based materials," Newborn said the program's biblical focus makes it neutral to participants from many Christian denominations.

"We stick to teaching the character trait and the basic Bible lessons, so we don't get into any denominational issues," said Newborn.

A typical CBM session includes a 20- to 30-minute lesson in which a Bible story and discussion focus on a character trait such as courage or truthfulness. Songs and games are often included to keep students interested.

The students are then divided into groups where volunteers, including parents, church and community members, lead small group prayers and review memorized Bible verses and take-home lessons.

Though participants do not receive a grade for their studies, points are awarded for attendance, memorization and worksheet completion. The points can then be cashed in for prizes or used as a method to compete from school to school for pizza or holiday parties.

To Newborn, the results of the program are simply "better students."

"It's definitely beneficial because there are good moral values being instilled," he said.

In the future, Newborn hopes to expand the program both in enrollment from the current schools and in the number of churches hosting the program.

Newborn also hopes to increase attendance to 40 or 50 percent of the students enrolled at each school.

To do this, he sends fliers home with children and encourages students to bring their friends.

Expanding to more sites, however, is a task that's out of his hands.

After Newborn speaks to churches, congregations are responsible for developing support for the program.

If there is significant interest, he then contacts the nearest school district to coordinate times for the program.

Since state law allows students to be excused for up to 36 hours per school year for religious instruction, new programs can be implemented without waiting for district approval.

Newborn hopes each church involved eventually will be able to lead the classes with its own volunteers, but he is committed to being available as long as he is needed.

"It could be a lifetime thing for me," he said of his work in Butler County. "It's really unlimited how large the work can grow."