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Local FP Communities

Jun 14
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We made it to June!

By First Priority Of America, Local FP Communities

It’s June! Can you believe it? We are celebrating the end of the school year and the excitement of ending strong and looking towards an even stronger school year in the fall. We can’t wait to see what God is going to do in middle and high schools across our nation!

Local Club Spotlight: FP Blue Ridge

Three sophomore First Priority Student Leaders handed out popsicles and Life Books to every student in their high school that wanted them. They gave out more than 125 Life Books for “summer reading”. All three will be establishing First Priority clubs at their school in the fall.

May 06
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May Happenings

By Local FP Communities, First Priority Of America

May brings us together through Spring Meetings!
The first of four spring meetings happened on Monday and Tuesday in Nashville. It was a time to gather and share, learn, support, encourage, and have some fun through laughter and good food. We had 16 people from Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, and several of us met for the very first time. We are excited to see what God has in store in each of these areas as we look forward to next school year.

The Spring Meeting in Corbin, KY is happening today, and there are two more meetings this month. One in Fort Lauderdale, FL and one in Denver, CO. We are looking forward to hear the stories of God moving through the leaders and student leaders of First Priority and the life change they have had the opportunity to witness.

Local Club Story:  “This morning I received a message from a middle school teacher who is running two clubs on her own. We are not able to get into the school and haven’t been since last spring. She started the club up again in March. She had to break it into two lunches, as it grew substantially. I have been given a list, one for seventh graders and one for eighth graders who are interested in being trained this summer for next school year. This is super good news! As we are planning a training but this will hit the middle school and high school for next year.” – Sandy Mast, FP of the Lakeshore

Apr 08
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April Happenings

By Local FP Communities, First Priority Of America

April is a busy month! We are preparing for the 2021 Spring Meetings happening in May. The annual Spring Meeting is an event that happens in multiple cities so that we can gather in smaller groups to evaluate this past year and plan and set goals for the upcoming year. We also have a board meeting this month where we will reflect and plan for growth and changes for the 2021-2022 school year.

The First Priority of America writing team has been hard at work  developing new curriculum for the next school year. We are excited to see how EPIC next school year will be in the lives of students as they are equipped and prepared to invite and connect with others and their churches. We can’t wait to see how God is going to move!

Local Club Spotlight

First Priority Greater Springfield launched their first club last week! To hear more about FP Director Jeff Stanford and how he felt God’s calling to move him and his family to a new place in the midst of a pandemic, listen to the podcast episode 8 here.

Mar 04
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March Happenings!

By Local FP Communities, First Priority Of America

To Take the Hope of Christ to Every Student!

The mission of First Priority of America has been stronger than ever this past year as we have had to navigate the way we do things in the midst of a world full of changes. We have spent time adapting to these changes while also focusing on our 5 Year Plan of expanding First Priority of America to new areas, reaching more students with the Gospel of Christ!

First Priority of America is hiring. One of the newest areas we are expanding is into TN Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District. Do you know someone with business and ministry leadership who would fit with the mission and culture of FPoA? You can read the job posting here.

These two senior high girls at FP of the Lakeshore in Grand Haven, MI have been making videos to reach their peers for Christ! They have really put time and effort into reaching students for Christ in a fun and inviting way. Click the image to watch!

Many FP clubs are asking for prayer as things are so different this school year. Please consider becoming a Prayer Partner today.

 

Jul 01
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Your Story Matters.

By Nehemiah, Local FP Communities, Student Leaders

Joel Rowland, First Priority Director of FP Front Range, started a project called Your Story Matters where he interviews students and community leaders to bring Hope and Good News! Check out his interview with Claire, an 8th grader, as she tells her story of how First Priority impacted her life so that she could impact the lives of her peers.

 

Jun 17
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Exciting News about New Communities starting First Priority

By Nehemiah, Local FP Communities

When a new community starts First Priority, we walk though a 4 phase process. Just like good Baptists, all the beginning letters are the same, we might even throw a poem in at the end just to bring it home. Ha!

Phase 1 – Discovery: Building awareness in the community, casting vision, and building the different networks of support; youth pastors, students, teachers, and business leaders
Phase 2 – Deployment: A vision casting event happens where you recruit donors and leaders to work with the clubs. This is also the phase that you train your networks to launch clubs.
Phase 3 – Development: Start building an advisory team. This is the beginnings of a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Phase 4 – Direction: In this phase, First Priority of America is now helping expand First Priority by providing direction to new communities wanting to start First Priority in their area.

With all that said we at FPoA are excited about the future expansion of First Priority into other communities. We are currently helping 8 cities get started. Kansas City, Orlando, Fort Worth, Denver, Richmond VA, Fredrick, MD, Springfield, MO, and Jackson, MS. We currently have what we like to call a Nehemiah in 5 of these communities. (Nehemiah showed up and leveraged what was already in the city to rebuild the torn down walls of Jerusalem). Jonathan Pugsley in KC, Wilson Clark in Orlando, Joel Rowland in Denver, Beth Endeda in Richmond, VA, and Jeff Stanford in Springfield, MO. Please pray God gives favor to these new coordinators as they work to build networks and train to start clubs this fall. Also be in prayer that God raises up a Nehemiah in the rest of the cities. If you have not seen our 2 minute Nehemiah video you can click here and see it.

We also want to let you know that we pray God uses you in your community to see students come to Christ. We are in a time in our history where the message of the gospel is important to share with our country and especially students. If you would like to get First Priority started in your community, please visit www.firstpriority.club/startaclub. We would love for you to join our growing First Priority family.

 

Jun 10
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FP Student Leaders keep leading after they graduate

By Nehemiah, Local FP Communities, Student Leaders

I have heard story after story about FP student leaders and even students who weren’t leaders going on after they graduate to serve in First Priority in some capacity. Some of them have become a campus coach, faculty sponsor, priority parent, or even a full-time Director of FP in their area. It is amazing to see the club that they once valued in middle or high school, becoming a big part of their life as an adult as well. Here is a story out of FP Blue Ridge about a recent graduate who plans to keep helping with First Priority beyond high school. This is from FP Director Haley Wherry:

A First Priority Student Leader who just graduated called me. In 7th grade, he launched First Priority in his middle school, and then was a leader who revitalized First Priority in his high school. His younger brother was a leader in the middle school and will be a leader in the high school, and his youngest brother will be a lead in the middle school this year. The reason he called me was to ask if First Priority was in any of the schools near the local college he will begin attending in the fall. He wants to be a Campus Coach in one of them. When I told him that no schools in that area had First Priority clubs, he said he would help to launch at least one club in one of the schools and coach it while he was in college. He then told me that he was going to college to be a teacher and that he would be a First Priority Faculty Sponsor wherever he served in the future.

First Priority is changing the lives of students. It works. And it’s long lasting. And our hope is that we can see First Priority in every school across the nation so that all students can hear the Gospel of Christ.

Apr 29
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5 Things you can do from home

By Nehemiah, Local FP Communities

It is hard to believe that we have lived this way for over a month now. We have heard so many times that these are unprecedented times and we wonder when or if things will ever be the same again. There are so many questions that only time can answer.

As we patiently wait, we realize the obvious; we are not in control. This is the lesson that the entire world can learn. As sure as we are not in control, we realize that God is in control. He is still on the throne, He is still at work and He still cares.

There are a lot of things we can’t do during this time but instead let’s focus on what we CAN do…

Our faith CAN increase at a time like this.
We CAN grow: study the Word and pray more.
We CAN look for God in all of this.
We CAN share the Hope we have in Christ.
We CAN make the most of the opportunity. (Ephesians 5: 15 – 17)
I want to encourage you. God is faithful and His promises are new each day. Rely on Him and draw your strength and help from Him.

First Priority has been challenged to be creative and innovative during these times and we are excited to see the Gospel continue to go forth via virtual clubs – Praise God!

Chris Lane
FP Executive Director South Florida

Mar 05
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To Love God and To Love Others

By Local FP Communities

A story about loving others told by FP Director Amber Johansen from one of her clubs in FP Tampa Bay.

This past week, I visited a First Priority club in a local high school. In this particular group, they meet each week during the three lunches. In the first lunch, there were three students who were Buddhist and one whose father was Muslim. The other students began asking questions about their faiths and a wonderful conversation ensued. I was particularly struck by how graciously the First Priority students interacted with these students, showing genuine interest. They humbly answered questions about Christianity and eventually shared the hope of Christ in a loving way. It was touching and inspiring.

This group perfectly reflected Christ’s call on our lives: to love God and love others. May we all reflect the same humility, love, and faithfulness of these First Priority students.

Feb 19
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Are you ready to start club?

By Nehemiah, Local FP Communities

Exciting things are happening in FP Tri-county. They held a First Priority Training this week and expected about 50 people.

70 people showed up!!

 We explained First Priority and then trained them on our HOPE cycle.
 
At the end we split them up into schools and they filled out paperwork to turn into their schools. Out of the 8 potential schools, we had enough people to start 6 FP clubs!
 
The other 2 potential schools had students there, but were missing a faculty sponsor. They had commitments but the flu hit those 2 faculty. So we should be able to launch those 2 clubs in a couple of weeks.

Below is a picture of the students coming up and the rest of us praying for them to be sent out as missionaries. 

We gave each school 1 case of FP Bibles, 50 decision cards, and 3 copies of 8 weeks worth of curriculum to finish out the year.
 
Praise the Lord for the excitement and passion over there for the schools! Let’s keep praying especially now as their clubs launch.
 
Are you ready to start a club? 
 
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