First Priority is a strategy for the local church. It is a community owned movement. As Nehemiah, this means you will most likely go from leading followers to leading leaders. One of the first steps in developing a new First Priority is putting together an Initiation Team. From teachers to parents, from church leaders to business leaders, your Initiation Team will be filled with people who are overseeing others as well. This is a time for 2 Timothy 2:2 to come into effect in your life if it hasn’t already: and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. If this is a little intimidating, that is a good thing. You are on the edge of a God ordained call for your community. Your role is to help leaders see the crisis (students haven’t heard the gospel of Jesus – and sometimes what they have heard on the news has caused them to distrust Christians), understand the solution (working together as the body of Christ in our community makes us stronger), and how to fulfill the call (networks working together – each playing their role).
On a level, you will look for like minded people who believe in the same vision and mission that you do. Yet, most of the people you are looking for will be very different from you. A business leader generally needs a different set of strengths than a mom or a teacher; and each will bring a different set of abilities to the FP table to do what only they can do. Phase 1 of First Priority is a lot of networking. So you will need people who are social to get in front of others. You will also need people who like to follow up and send regular email updates. Phase 2 brings financial considerations and an accountant becomes invaluable.
Different Network leaders have different opportunities as well. Youth Pastors have the opportunity to invest in student leaders’ spiritual development alongside the parents, where the teacher does not. But the teacher is with the students for eight hours a day, which makes their consistency and influence key. EVERYONE plays a role and is important to the launch, health and success of a First Priority Movement.
Have open conversations with your new and growing team about what each person can bring to the table (prayer, accounting, influence, school leadership, community grants, etc). Whatever it is, everyone has strength that brings opportunity to influence students at school.
The more diverse your group is, the more beautiful working together becomes.
There is Hope,
Brad
