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Lives were transformed at Leader’s Summit and SYATP!

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Watch this incredible video as Jamias, First Priority student leader, shares how he came to Christ through First Priority! It’s such an incredible testimony!

 

Lives were transformed and students were equipped at Leader’s Summit!

On Thursday, September 22, First Priority held its 17th annual Leader’s Summit where nearly 250 students, faculty sponsors and campus coaches were in attendance. We were very encouraged as THREE students professed Christ at Leader’s Summit! “I just wanted to let you know because I am SO encouraged; one of the girls that came today is searching and she prayed to receive Christ as her Lord and Savior,” said First Priority Campus Coach and Local Youth Pastor David Ivestor. “You guys are doing great things!”

This year’s theme was “Are You Ready?” Students were asked a series of questions: “Are you ready to be Gospel-focused? Has the Gospel changed your life? Who is God calling you to share that Gospel message with at your school?” In order to have First Priority at your school, students must lead. We had six amazing students share about what they are doing to take a stand on their campus. Challenges were given to students to have a disciplined time of prayer in their lives and spend time with the Lord so they are full of the Word and not conformed to the world around them. Some students were so vulnerable about sharing personal stories of what God had delivered them from and how their parents were healed of addiction in their lives because of their prayers and faithful witness to be salt and light in front of their families. They spoke about being bold for Christ and they have seen Him do incredible things. High school students have been visiting the middle school near them and praying with students for their campuses. The focus question at Leader’s Summit was, “Are you ready to lead First Priority and see the Gospel go forth at your school?”

Pictured is Moody High School’s First Priority student leadership team

The Call to Share session was based on our EPIC strategy to take the Hope of Christ to every student:
  • Equipping students to know how to share the Gospel
  • Preparing students to share their personal faith story
  • Inviting students to come and share the simple Gospel message with response cards
  • Connecting students to God, a First Priority club, to have community and to connect them to a church family to grow in their faith and be discipled. Are you ready to be strategic to reach your school?

Sessions were led on how to share the Gospel using the Four Icons, how to share your testimony, how to connect students into local churches, and how to overcome objections and take practical steps to get students involved in the local church.

The conclusion of the day was the Call to Prayer and students prayed for one another and many were prayed over to be sent out and ready to reach their school with the Hope of Christ. It was such an incredible life-changing event! We hope you will take a moment to check out more pictures from the day below.

More Leader’s Summit Pictures

 

Thousands gathered locally for See You at the Pole

On Wednesday, September 28, thousands of local students participated in this year’s See You at the Pole™ (SYATP). Millions of students were involved globally. Before school, students joined together at their school’s flagpole in prayer for their friends, school, city, state, nation and the world. Many lives were touched, changed and challenged by one of the nation’s largest prayer movements. First Priority and SYATP are celebrating 32 years this school year!

This year’s SYATP theme was “Aflame” and the scripture verses were Romans 12:11-12 – “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

During SYATP, we receive numerous testimonies of how God moved in our schools and through our communities. We hope you’ll take a moment to read a few incredible testimonies below:

“Today we had over 30 high schoolers at See You at the Pole. It was freezing this morning but students still gathered together to pray for our teachers, our administrators, and our fellow peers. I am beyond grateful for the work God continues to show at Moody High School. I know God has great plans for us and He will continue to work not only in my school, but every Saint Clair County School as a whole.” – Kayson, First Priority Student Leader, Moody High School

“We had 85 students at See You at the Pole and 25 students received Bibles. Good things are happening on our campus! Please keep our school and club in your prayers.” – Kathryn, First Priority Faculty Sponsor, Etowah Middle School

“I want to testify about what God did at our See You at the Pole Rally! For the last five years over six churches have come together at different locations to worship and hear the Gospel shared by students! This year, we had seven churches represented and over 300 in attendance! We gave $170 to local missions and most importantly, 10 people professed Jesus as Savior! This generation is passionate about Jesus and sharing the Gospel with those around them, they just need an opportunity to do it!” – Phillip, First Priority Campus Coach and Representative

Please take a moment to check out a great SYATP news article and many other great articles from The Alabama Baptist here.

Thousands of students also participated in SYATP rallies held across the state on the evening of September 28. There were countless decisions made for Christ on this momentous day. During this important prayer event, students were encouraged to humble themselves in prayer and seek the face of God.

More See You at the Pole Pictures

Students spread Christ’s love this Christmas

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Throughout the year, and particularly at Christmas, many First Priority clubs participate in various mission and service projects to serve their school, community and the world for Christ. We would like to share several of those awesome stories with you!
– Spain Park High School students raised money to purchase 16 water filters for families in the Dominican Republic. Each filter will provide a family clean water for up to eight years. Until They Know is the ministry that will deliver the water filters and as a result these families will have the Gospel shared with them at the time of delivery and each time someone checks on the filters. Once the families receive a filter, Until They Know will continue to follow-up with them throughout the eight years. These students are passionate about reaching others with the Gospel at home and abroad.
– North Jefferson Middle School First Priority students collected gifts for Lovelady Center children.
– Pelham High School First Priority students gave out hot chocolate and candy canes to students to kick off exam season.
– Thompson High School First Priority students passed out candy canes and Bible verses to students.
– Oak Mountain High School’s First Priority club served hot chocolate to students to say “Merry Christmas” and share Christ’s love this holiday season!
– Calera Middle School First Priority student leaders blessed the school with goody bags containing candy, life books, and an invitation to First Priority. Just about every student and teacher at Calera Middle went home with a goody bag! “We pray that all who received them will read the life books and maybe even come to First Priority to hear more about the Gospel,” said Campus Coach Savannah Grace.
– Forest Oaks Elementary School’s FPKids club partnered with Liberty Baptist Kids Ministry in Chelsea to provide 244 candy goody bags to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. Kids brought in candy for Military and First Responders for a mission project.
We’re super proud of these students and their passion to serve others and reach them with Christ’s love. Students are inviting their friends to First Priority. Students are sharing their testimonies. The Gospel is being shared on campuses every week and students are responding with questions and professions of faith. God is using First Priority to change lives. Please pray for these students as they strive to reach Every Last One.

Merry Christmas from your First Priority family!

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Our family at First Priority would like to wish you and yours a joyful, blessed and safe Christmas season. Our prayer this holiday and throughout the new year is that God will bless, protect, comfort and guide you. Thank you for your support and partnership during 2018! We’re celebrating over 50 decisions for Christ that have been reported this school year thus far! We can’t wait to share more awesome testimonies with you of how lives are being changed in our schools. We’re looking forward to an incredible new year. Thank you for helping us give the gift of hope this holiday season!

 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ~ Luke 2:11

Recap and pictures from Trussville Golf Tournament

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Our first tournament in our Golf Challenge 2017 was a huge success! 
 
First Priority held its first tournament in our Golf Challenge 2017 last Friday, June 9, at the beautiful Trussville Country Club. We would like to thank all those who came out and participated in our event. We would also like to thank all of our sponsors who helped make this tournament a huge success. Golfers enjoyed lunch from Chick-fil-A Trussville, a round of golf, snacks and gifts. Participants also received the pleasure of talking with and hearing from local youth involved in First Priority from Bethel Baptist Church in Moody. Local Student Kayson Parker shared a personal story about how God has used First Priority to impact his life. We would like to thank these students for volunteering their time to serve at our tournament. We hope you’ll take a moment to check out pictures from this event. Thank you again to our sponsors and all those who came out to join us for the first tournament in our Golf Challenge 2017. It’s because of you that we are able to equip students with the tools they need to be effective witnesses in their communities and on their campuses throughout the school year. 
 
Thank you to our sponsors:
First Insurance Funding – Platinum Corporate Sponsor
AFCO/Prime Rate – Gold Corporate Sponsor
Imperial PFS – Gold Corporate Sponsor
McGriff, Seibels & Williams, Inc. – Gold Corporate Sponsor
CHUBB – Bronze Team Sponsor
Brasfield & Gorrie – Exclusive Hole Sponsor
Lamar & Associates – Exclusive Hole Sponsor
Associated Data Services – Shared Hole Sponsor
Lee Marlow – Realty South – Shared Hole Sponsor
Chick-fil-A Trussville – Meal Sponsor
Bethel Baptist Church – Refreshment Sponsor
First Priority Student Kayson Parker sharing how God has used First Priority to impact his life 

 

If you didn’t get to participate in this tournament, we still have one more opportunity:
 
Highland Park Golf Course
3300 Highland Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, at 8 a.m.
 
This tournament will be a shotgun start and includes your golf round, lunch, gifts and snacks. Prizes will be awarded to the first place winning team.
 
Individual Player
Cost is $250 per player.
 
Hole Sponsorship
If you’re not able to play in the tournament, we hope you will consider a hole sponsorship:
 
Exclusive – $500
Includes a full color sign with your or your company’s name placed at the tee box. Your sign will be the only hole sponsorship on this tee box and the sponsor name will be recognized in our E-newsletter.
Shared – $300
Includes the same as exclusive hole sponsorship with the exception that your sign will not be the only hole sponsorship at this tee box. Click here for more information on hole sponsorships. 
 
The vision of First Priority is to see the Hope of Christ in every student. Your support helps us to achieve this great goal. We truly appreciate your support and the impact you are making on students’ lives. We hope you will save the date and make plans now to join us for our Golf Challenge 2017!
Congratulations to our Trussville Tournament winners! 

Join our Race to 100 Challenge!

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What if I told you that for just $25 per month a student’s life could be changed forever? Yes, you read that right! That’s a large pizza and an order of bread sticks once a month. We would like to inform you about our Race to 100 campaign. We’re racing to find 100 people to give $25 per month for the next 12 months. That’s $300 a year. Your monthly gift will be used immediately to develop campus ministry for students on their local school campuses. Our goal is to reach every school in 22 school systems across central Alabama; that’s nearly 170,000 students. But, we can’t do this alone, we need your help. Will you prayerfully consider joining our race and giving $25 per month for the next 12 months?

The following are 12 important reasons to join the Race to 100:
  1. The largest mission field in the state of Alabama is the public school.
  2. More students will be equipped to share the Gospel with their peers.
  3. New resources will be developed to train students with evangelistic tools to share the Gospel.
  4. New First Priority clubs in middle and high schools will be started across our area.
  5. We will be able to reach a younger generation by starting new FPKids clubs in elementary schools.
  6. We will hear more student testimonies of “I came to know Christ through my First Priority club.” For some students, First Priority is the only youth group they are exposed to.
  7. First Priority’s HOPE Strategy works! Students come to know Christ every month.
  8. First Priority connects local churches as the body of Christ to build the Kingdom of God.
  9. A First Priority volunteer will make a difference in the lives of hopeless students.
  10. You will help students promote See You at the Pole on their local school campuses.
  11. You will help provide doughnuts, biscuits, pizza, drinks and other incentives for more students to attend club meetings and hear the Gospel.
  12. Students who respond to the Gospel will continue to be followed-up with by the local church.

For more than 25 years, First Priority has worked with local churches to raise up a generation of students who will choose to make Jesus Christ their First Priority. For years, church leaders have heard the claim that nearly nine out of 10 Christians accept Jesus as their Savior before the age of 18. If that statistic was accurate in the past, it no longer depicts U.S. society. Now Barna says that, “If Jesus is not already part of their lives by the time they leave junior high school, the chance of them accepting Him as their Lord and Savior is very slim (6% to be exact).” That is why we unite the body of Christ with a plan of action to influence the school with the Gospel.

 
Please prayerfully consider continuing your important partnership with the ministry of First Priority by joining our Race to 100. Thank you for your continuous support!
 

We have a New Year's Resolution – Will you take the challenge?

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pray button
We have a New Year’s Resolution – Will you take
the challenge?  
Experts say it takes 21 days to make a habit. How are your New Year’s resolutions going now that we are 19 days into the month? First Priority has a new challenge for you and it’s very simple… Pray! Will you commit to praying the following over the next 21 days? Students and teachers need your prayer and support; they live in a tough world. Our prayer is that you’ll be able to stick to the challenge, create a new habit of prayer and continue to pray throughout the year.
Here is the challenge for the next 21 days:
1. Pray for students to be bold about letting their light shine.
2. Pray for parents’ hearts to engage daily with their children.
3. Pray for all those who don’t know Christ.
4. Pray for God to place one person on your heart to begin to pray for every day that they will come to know Jesus.
5. Pray about supporting First Priority every month. No gift is too small.
6. Pray for our First Priority Board and Staff.
7. Pray for our school principals.
8. Pray for our teachers.
9. Pray for our students to have teachable spirits.
10. Pray for the churches by name that surround where you live.
11. Pray for the youth pastor at your church to have favor with his/her students.
12. Pray for Godly wisdom.
13. Pray for the Gospel to go forth in a powerful way.
14. Pray that we would truly love one another.
15. Pray for our governor and president.
16. Pray for protection over our nation.
17. Pray for revival here in America.
18. Pray for the truth of God’s Word to be spoken and not compromised.
19. Pray that God will provide students with wisdom and boldness when sharing Christ with their friends.
20. Pray for the safety of students, teachers and faculty in our schools.
21. Pray that students will unite together for the cause of Christ.
Will you take this challenge and commit to praying over the next 21 days?