“I wear a lot of hats here at the school and First Priority is one of the last ones I would give up,” said Moody Middle School First Priority Teacher Sponsor Kristie Gibson. First Priority has been meeting at Moody Middle for over 19 years. First Priority Campus Coaches Bro. Billy Abrams, pastor at Cedar Grove Baptist Church, and Bro. Travis Wilson, pastor at Moody United Methodist Church, are very involved with this club and attend each week to inspire students with encouraging words as they follow Christ and seek to bring their friends to Him.

“Students always look forward to the oatmeal cream pies that Bro. Billy brings them each week during the club meeting,” said Kristie. “Our club also sponsors a child named Carol Alvearez, and the students are always happy to bring an offering for Carol and they take time each week to think about her and pray for her.”

About 200 students attend First Priority each week at Moody Middle School. Club meetings begin with prayer and music led by the students. On Friday, March 23, students opened with the “Potato Chip Song.” The words to the song are, “Potato Chip, Potato Chip, Crunchy, Crunchy, I love Jesus a bunchy, bunchy.” The meeting then continues with a student reading from God’s Word. The scripture for that day’s message was Mark 2:1-5. In this passage Jesus forgives and heals a paralyzed man. Bro. Billy read a story to the students about a man who was in jail for life for a crime he committed. While in jail, someone shared the message of Jesus Christ with him. He then had real life-changing faith and found Christ. He was forgiven of his sins and the crime he committed. Bro. Billy explained to the students that is what the point of the passage and First Priority is all about: making Jesus your First Priority and sharing Him with others. “God can forgive and save anyone, just like He did for this man,” said Bro. Billy. “We must share God and His Word with others.”

At the end of the meeting, students from the First Priority Leadership Team shared the following with us:

“First Priority is a time of the week other than going to church that I can worship Jesus and tell my friends about Him. It inspires me. I can remember in fourth grade when we would be waiting for the club meeting to start Bro. Billy would encourage us to invite everyone in the hallway to come to the meeting.” ~ Anna, student

“I don’t get to attend church on Wednesday nights because of homework and practice, so I like getting to come here to First Priority.” ~ Tyler, student

“Through First Priority my passion to learn about Jesus is stronger.” ~ Cody, student

Are you sharing Jesus with the lost? Who can you share Jesus with today? He can save anyone, no matter what.

Moody Middle School First Priority Leadership Team pictured with Bro. Billy Abrams and Teacher Sponsor Kristie Gibson.