NFL star Drew Brees encourages students to ‘live out your faith,’ bring Bible to school

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Focus on the Family's Jim Daly defends Drew Brees

NFL quarterback Drew Brees faced backlash for encouraging Christian children to bring their Bible to school.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is calling on students to participate in Bring Your Bible to School Day as a celebration of faith and religious freedom in America.

The Super Bowl champion, promoting the Oct. 3 event sponsored by Focus on the Family, is urging students to "live out" their faith, sharing one of his favorite verses, 2 Corinthians 5:7, which says "for we live by faith, not by sight."

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“So I want to encourage you to live out your faith on Bring Your Bible to School Day and share God’s love with friends. You’re not alone," Brees said in the video.

Organizers say bringing a Bible to public school is legal and participation in the faith-based event is voluntary and student-led.

“As a student in a public school, you have First Amendment rights to engage in voluntary, free speech conversations in a way that does not interfere with or substantially disrupt classroom time and academic instruction,” the website says. “That means you can voluntarily express your personal and religious beliefs to your classmates through verbal or written expressions, as long as you follow school policy and do not engage in these activities during classroom or instruction time.”

Bring Your Bible to School Day is a day for students to showcase their faith to their classmates, but parents in a California school district are suing after they feel their kids were unconstitutionally prohibited from handing out fliers promoting the event. (Focus on the Family)

Should a student need legal assistance, Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious liberty law firm, has offered to help free of charge.

Jim Daly, Focus on the Family president, celebrated Brees' participation Thursday, telling Fox News he has "deep respect" and gratitude for the outspoken Christian athlete.

"His influential voice helps to amplify the overarching theme of the event," Daly said, "that respectfully sharing and expressing your faith powerfully demonstrates God’s love in a world that’s in desperate need of hope and healing.”

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Brees recorded the video wearing a "Football 'N' America" t-shirt, promoting the non-contact youth co-ed flag football league he founded for children grades K-10.