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Hope and Strength in the Face of Adversity: Lessons from James 1:12

By Local FP Communities, First Priority Of America, Podcast

When we are walking with God in life, there are times we can see His face shining upon us, and we know that life is good and He will be there for us when we need him. All we have to do is lean into Him and follow what He has commanded us to do. But what happens when things seem to not be going our way, and we feel as if spiritual warfare is all around us?

James 1:12 states, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

Recognize the moments in your life when things get hard. Seek Jesus and ask Him to help guide you in those times. He will not forsake the ones that love Him. He is willing to answer you and protect you! Jesus has come to give us strength and peace to continue living for Him. By battling our trials, His light will shine and we will be able to display where our Hope is found. Jesus is worthy of all our praise, whether we are facing good or bad times.

When reading scripture, you see that there are people who won’t recognize Jesus as who He is. However, every time Jesus interacts with a demonic force, they know immediately who Jesus is and the power He holds. When we go through a similar experience, never forget how capable Jesus is!

On this week’s podcast, Brad Schelling met with the Executive Director of FP ArkLaTex, Michael Butler. Michael shared with Brad that he has seen God working in his area, but he also can see spiritual warfare going around his clubs. He notices that there will be great gifts from the Lord in the clubs, but sometimes not everything goes as planned.

To hear more about Michael Butler and the clubs of the ArkLaTex area, click here.

This blog post was written by Kenley Kizer

Embracing God’s Plan

By Local FP Communities, First Priority Of America, Podcast

Answering God is sometimes a difficult task, but being able to pray and differentiate His
voice from others is important. God will call you to follow His plans, and may even ask you to do things that make you uncomfortable, but no harm can come from following His will for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 states, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the
LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’”

When we are seeking God, by calling out to him in prayer, we are allowing Him to use us as His vessel. His plans have never been to harm us or cause us hurt, but rather to teach us obedience and show us what good things may come from trusting Him.

Brad Schelling sits down in this week’s podcast to talk to Jacob Sharp. Jacob is the
Ministry Director of Rutherford Co. for First Priority of Greater Nashville. Jacob tells
listeners that he had prepared to say “YES!” to whatever God had planned for him next. Within the next day, he received a call asking if he was interested in being a First Priority campus coach at Rocky Fork Middle School.

Jacob was able to follow God’s voice and be an example of what obedience to the Lord
looks like– all because he was willing! If you would like to hear more about what God is doing in Jacob’s life, watch Brad Schelling and Jacob Sharp here.

 

This blog post was written by Kenley Kizer

Cultivating Effective Church Partnerships

By First Priority Of America, FP Tools

Building a partnership with the church, especially as a faith-based non-profit, is vital. So what does a good church partnership look like? Let’s find out!

1. Church Connection:

Connection is the first step to building a solid relationship with the church. Meeting with them is always goal number 1, whether through a phone call or even swinging by their office. In order to have a partnership with the church, you have to engage with them and visit the church. Real connection is an interaction between you and the church, not just leaving a message or a business card. Find people to interact with at the church who will notice that First Priority has something to offer them!

2. Church Engagement:

Next, we want to see the church engaged. There needs to be a constructive movement into the partnership. What does it look like for the church and FP to walk into a school together? The church engagement should involve the congregation, who are ready to help walk alongside FP. Together they can be equipping students to lead in their schools, and providing the encouragement they need through the Gospel. FP is able to go into the church and help fan the flame by walking with students on how to understand their testimony and how to share it.

3. Church Partnership:

Partnership is when the tangible movement is in the school. When the words of Jesus are coming out of the mouths of students; that is the type of movement we are looking for. We want the clubs to be active and engaged, ready to share the hope of Jesus with those who don’t know Him– all with the help of the church.

4. Church Adoption:

The final goal is adoption from the church. For the students who did not grow up in a church family, that come to know Jesus at a FP Club, we want the churches partnered to become that for them. When Jesus steps into these kids’ lives, they will want a place to worship and potentially bring their families. By partnering with the church, they will know where to go and who will welcome them!

We want to see mission-oriented churches in partnership with FP to help leave legacies with First Priority and the people in their area, through connection, engagement, and partnership with FP.

If you’re interested in hearing more about this topic, listen to Brad Schelling and Steve Cherrico discuss this topic on the podcast here.

 

This post was written by Kenley Kizer

Fight or Flight

By Local FP Communities

We often use a football game as analogy for how First Priority is intended to work, with the Students Leaders being compared to the players on the field, adult volunteers as the Coaches for the clubs and the Faculty Sponsors as the referees. But what students face in their schools every day is not a game on an athletic field is it? It is spiritual warfare on a battlefield. And there is more at stake here than bragging rights and a pendant. We aren’t even two months into the school year and I have already heard multiple reports of students who gave up hope and ended their lives.

In the middle of all of this parents and students are making decisions about how they are going to deal with what is unfolding around them. Fight or Flight. These are the ONLY two options. Some parents make the hard decision to pull their kids from the public system and either home school or send them to a private school. But to the ones who feel called to stay I say take the fight to the enemy.

Reminds me of some lines from the movie “Lord Of The Rings”.

Aragorn to King Theoden upon learning that the enemy was just a days march away. “Ride out and meet them in battle!”

Theoden: “I will not risk open war.”

Aragorn: “Open war is upon you wether you would risk it or not.”

Fear and complacency keep many from engaging. But don’t be fooled, your Enemy knows where the battle is and is ALL IN.

Students are the ones who have the strategic position in the schools. They have a word of HOPE that their friends need and the freedom, for now, to share it. So Take Ground!

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”
~2 Corinthians 10:3-4.

First Priority is opening multiple new fronts in this battle in several counties this Fall, with new clubs planning launches in Washington Co., Sevier Co., Johnson Co., Hawkins Co., Greene Co., and Cocke County.

First Priority students have responded, with one Student Leader sharing the Hope of Christ with 80 students who attended their club. Another First Priority Club partnered with a church for a tailgate party at their school’s big rival game and one Student Leader shared the Good News about Jesus to crowd of around 100 bystanders.

Have you asked God if He wants you to get involved with First Priority? Pause today, take minute to get still and quiet and ask God if He wants you to support this work.

Let me know what He says…

David North
TN1 District Director

A Sling and a Prayer

By Local FP Communities

Have you ever used the expression “…on a wing and a prayer” ? Do you ever wonder how these idioms get started and go back to look them up. Well I did just that this morning.

Turns out the expression originated during World War ll from the film “The Flying Tigers”  when one of the pilots lost one wing of his plane and was attempting to land on “just a wing and a prayer”.

When God is building our faith, He often puts us in situations where our resources appear to fall well short of the need. But He typically doesn’t just say, “all right, out of the way, I’ll handle this.” No. He requires that we make use of the little we have and then pray for Him to miraculously stretch it to meet the present need. He seems to prefer to take the little we have and multiply it, instead of creating something from nothing. Why?

I think it is because God wants us to partner with Him, work together. He wants a relationship. If you look back on the creation account in Genesis, it seems this was the last time God made something out of nothing. Once man entered the scene, God began to enlist him in everything He wanted to do on this earth.

Adam had a garden to work, Noah an arc to build, Moses had a stick and Esther had influence. You might recall a young shepherd boy soon to be king whom you might say was, “livin’ on a sling and a prayer.”

Too often, we think like Andrew when he was faced with a hungry crowd of thousands. “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

We see our lack and assume God must not be asking anything of us. But that isn’t how God wants us to think. Quite often, the place of our insufficiency is exactly where God wants us to jump in.

Where do you feel you are already stretched too thin? Why not ask God if He wants to do something there. Is it time? Money? Maybe you think of yourself as the one talent guy in the parable. Here’s a tip. Don’t bury it!

Prayerfully consider if God is asking you to partner with Him in the work at First Priority. Good things continue to unfold! This school year we have seen over 150 decisions to follow Jesus!

So pick up your sling, give it a whirl, say a prayer and let’s see this GIANT of unbelief in our schools come tumbling down!

Sincerely,

David North

How Exciting!

By First Priority Of America

What an exciting school year we have had! So many stories of life change and students accepting Christ for the first time, as club numbers continue to grow.

We also announced on May 1st the two winners of the First Priority of America $500 leadership scholarship. They found out last week while recording a podcast with Brad Schelling, (podcast to come out later this month) that a donor wanted to increase this year’s scholarship. They were overjoyed to learn on the podcast that the scholarship they are to receive went from $500 to $5000!! God is good!! Here is a little more about each of the recipients.

 

Showers of Blessings in April

By Local FP Communities

Before diving into some April highlights, let me tell you a brief but true story of how the day sometimes goes working at First Priority.

Tuesday

  • First Priority guy ignores warning lights on his car dashboard, reasoning that they’re probably false alarms.

Wednesday

  • 6:15am – left house for 7:30am club meeting.
  • 6:45am – First Priority guy rethinks his theory about warning lights when car breaks down on the interstate.
  • 7:00am – Calls for tow truck and arranges transport with hopes of making an 11am club meeting.
  • 8:30am – Misses ZOOM call meeting trying to get a tow truck lined up.
  • 9:30am – Back up transportation arrives…but with a flat tire. Sheeesh.
  • 10:00am – The back up to the back up transportation arrives, but with an empty gas tank, seriously.
  • 10:05am – First Priority guy starts to wonder who doesn’t want him at these club meetings today.
  • 11:00am – First Priority guy arrives at 11am club to find record attendance but the speaker is sick and the Club Coach couldn’t make it either.
  • 11:05am – First Priority guy delivers on-the-spot Gospel message, realizes God gave him the illustrations he needed through the events of the morning, about not ignoring “warning lights” in your life.

Days like this can be a good reminder that God really does work all things together for good when we are committed to HIS purposes. Sometimes you just have to look for it a bit longer.

Now for the latest…

Chucky Doak HS had a record attendance meeting with 10 additional souls joining the normal FP crowd.

Sullivan Heights MS had a fantastic INVITE week with 12 salvations!

In Hawkins County over 100 students were introduced to the ministry of First Priority at a youth event called Fusion.

University High launches their club this month with the 8 trained students leading the way.

Little Milligan Elementary had two students respond to the Good News at their very first INVITE week while TA Duggar Intermediate followed up with two of their own.

We need your prayers. This is a critical time of year as we are identifying our student leaders and volunteers to carry on existing clubs and launch new ones for the upcoming school year.

That said, it takes resources to pull this off so please consider a monthly investment to First Priority as you review your giving priorities for the upcoming summer months.

Thank you for your faithfulness to this ministry!

Sincerely,

David North

How’s Your Bracket Looking?

By Local FP Communities

It’s “March Madness”, where the truly fanatic college basketball fan tries to successfully navigate the gauntlet of predicting winners and losers to correctly choose who makes it to the championship. We do our own version of “Bracketology” when we navigate decisions on which ministries will be good “investments”.

More on that in a moment. But first, have a look at this short video clip from the movie “Chariots of Fire”, a true story about Olympic rivals and teammates Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddel. 

Notice Abrahams reaction to losing to Liddel in what would turn out to be the only race they would ever run against one another. It seems Abrahams wants a guarantee of the win before committing himself to the training again. Is that you? You’ve counted the cost, and given the high price, you want to know that the time, talent, or treasure you are considering putting into First Priority will be worth it, that the pay off will justify the investment. “Do I dare make the emotional investment in believing that there is hope for our schools?”

G. K. Chesterton wrote,

“The one taste of paradise on earth is to fight in a losing cause…and then not lose.”

NEWSFLASH – We are winning and WE WILL WIN!!! Guaranteed. How do I know?

“…thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”                              – 1 Corinthians 15.57-58

And if God’s promises alone aren’t enough to keep you encouraged… then have a look at these little graces He has given us along the way through March.

So if you have committed, be encouraged and accept our gratitude. If you have yet to commit, I say, “Jump In!”. You’ll be glad you did. 

Partner

Did you know?

By First Priority Of America, Events

Did you know that we are offering two leadership scholarships this year to a deserving senior who exemplifies leadership in their First Priority Club! We are excited to offer this opportunity to help our student leaders continue to grow and lead as they seek the next step towards their futu

We are also looking forward to the annual Spring Meetings which will take place in two cities:

Nashville May 1-2

Tampa May 8-9

Spring Meetings are a chance for us to reflect on this year and look towards even greater things for the coming year.

God is on the move and it is evident in the stories that we witness and the growth in our club numbers so far this year.

One story, I want to share, comes from First Priority Permian Basin. They had their students create and share cardboard testimonies. Students shared how the love and support they received through their FP Club, helped them make the turn from broken to healed. Students were “not seen”, “felt like a nobody” before Jesus and now “feel loved”, “like a somebody”. Many found very concrete answers to heavy problems, a place to live; a set of parents. One student stated if all the stories told were true, she wants to get to know Jesus.

We are thankful for the willingness of student leaders who are sharing the Gospel with their peers.

In case you were wondering…

By Local FP Communities

What has First Priority been up to in February? Plenty!

In Cocke Co. we met with Mike Hensley, Director of Missions at the East Tennessee Baptist Association, along with a number of other folks from churches in the area, to plan our next move towards starting clubs in the remaining schools. Thank you to Cindy Davenport for jumping in as a Club Coach and helping Paula Huff out at Parrottsville Elementary.

In Hamblen Co., we met with several pastors, youth pastors, and potential investors to plan for First Priority launches this Fall or sooner! Westview Elementary has already been at it with Pastors John Rogers and Charlie Brewer leading the charge!

In Greene Co., Abel Carrico, Nick Cannon, Dan Jacobs, Ken Brewer, Jaq Castillo, Jimmy Jordan, and Justin Carson are swinging for the fences with 5 clubs up and running and plans to launch the remaining 5 Middle and High Schools well under way. First Baptist Church of Greeneville, hosted our monthly club coach meeting where we ate more pizza than I could pray over in good conscience.

In Hawkins Co., we had a standing room only club meeting at Rogersville Middle, with Luke Smith passing out cheddar rounds as students streamed in and offering free cholesterol tests afterwards.

In Sullivan Co., First Priority students at West Ridge and Tennessee High handed out Valentine’s Gospel cards and candy to over 1800 friends at their schools.

In Washington Co., Daniel Boone High’s First Priority club did some outside the box thinking and met during lunchtime, resulting in 3 times the normal attendance where one student was inspired to renew their commitment to Jesus.

In Carter Co. we launched clubs at Hampton Middle, Happy Valley High, Little Milligan Elementary, and T. A. Duggar Middle.

In Uncoi Co. the following churches have teamed up to launch First Priority:

  • North Ridge Community Church
  • First Christian Church
  • Calvary Baptist Church
  • Unicoi Christian Church

So what has this flurry of activity produced year to date?

Thank you for your continued investment in our work at First Priority! Lives are being transformed! To God be the Glory!

Will you prayerfully consider a monthly investment of $50, $100, or more toward our work at First Priority?

Your giving allows us to Take the Hope of Christ to Every Student by Uniting the Local Church to Start First Priority Clubs on Every Middle and High School Campus, so that Every Student Has the Opportunity to Hear the Gospel From a Friend.

TN-1 Give 

Sincerely,

David North

 

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