LifeWise Academy, a central Ohio-based Christian education organization, has unveiled its new headquarters in Hilliard, expanding its infrastructure to support its national program that teaches Bible-based courses to public school students during the school day. The organization, which began in 2019 and now boasts a presence in more than 30 states, celebrated the inauguration of its 24,000-square-foot facility on Friday, as reported by NBC4i.
Housed within what was once the Aquatic Adventures Ohio building, the new LifeWise headquarters includes meeting spaces, offices, and a production studio. Joel Penton, CEO of LifeWise, explained that the headquarters, which the organization purchased in 2024 for nearly $3 million, will be leveraged primarily for training purposes. "Every month we have a cohort of new directors that come for an intensive two-day boot camp, and with this training facility, it’s going to enable us to serve larger and larger groups as well as more frequent groups," Penton said in a statement obtained by NBC4i.
In line with Ohio's legal framework, LifeWise operates under a 2014 state law permitting religious instruction off school property. The recent House Bill 8, passed earlier this year, has stirred debate over concerns of disruptive impacts on the school day, conflicts among students, and questions about curriculum transparency. "If it is truly something that is attracting a lot of people then they wouldn’t have to mandate it," argued Natalie Hastings with Honesty for Ohio Education, a coalition of unions and progressive groups, according to State News. Critics like Hastings assert that the LifeWise program perpetuates a "sense of othering" and targets student conversion to its Christian perspective.
Despite the controversy, by year's end, LifeWise expects to serve over 100,000 students in 1,174 schools across 34 states, including a significant Ohio footprint in 305 out of 611 public school districts. "What we find is that when communities realize it's possible, they tend to get very excited, they get involved," Penton told The Dispatch. LifeWise's expanding influence and the new headquarters symbolize its commitment to furthering its religious education initiatives.
Alongside its educational endeavors, LifeWise is venturing into media with a documentary titled "Off School Property," set for a limited theatrical release on October 23. The film was produced at the new headquarters and illustrates the organization's dedication to amplifying its message.
