First Priority of Alabama

The Hope of Christ in Every Student

Thursday, May 4, is National Day of Prayer

by Leave a Comment

 

24 Virtues to pray over students in 24 hours

The first Thursday in May has been proclaimed a National Day of Prayer by the president of the United States. As you pray for our nation tomorrow, we would like to encourage you to pray for students, teachers, faculty and administration. Praying for students is not just a privilege…it’s a necessity. Students live in a tough world! Each day, students are subjected to literally thousands of offensive images and words. They face an enormous amount of peer pressure to become part of what is considered normal by the world’s standards. Without prayer, these students will not be able to stand against the insurmountable odds they will face from childhood until they leave this world. Please pray for the safety of each school campus. Please be in constant prayer for students who don’t know Christ. Pray that Christian students will be bold in sharing their faith and that God will take away any fears they may have. When you pass by a school, pray for that school. Make a school zone your prayer zone. The prayers for our students are endless. We have put together a prayer guide to help you as you pray on the National Day of Prayer. Below are 24 Biblical virtues that you can pray over students. Will you join this prayer movement? Commit today to pray!

  1. Salvation—”Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” (Isa. 45:8; 2 Tim. 2:10)

 

  1. Growth in Grace—”I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 3:18)

 

  1. Love—”Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them.” (Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:2)

 

  1. Honesty and Integrity—”May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection.” (Ps. 25:21)

 

  1. Self-Control—”Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do.” (1 Thess. 5:6)

 

  1. Love for God’s Word—”May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb.” (Ps. 19:10)

 

  1. Mercy—”May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

 

  1. Respect (for self, others, and authority)—”Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands.” (1 Pet. 2:17)

 

  1. Biblical Self-Esteem—”Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:10)

 

  1. Faithfulness—”Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts.” (Prov. 3:3)

 

  1. Courage—”May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions.” (Deut. 31:6)

 

  1. Purity—”Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions.” (Ps. 51:10)

 

  1. Kindness—”Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” (1 Thess. 5:15)

 

  1. Generosity—”Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.” (1 Tim. 6:18-19)

 

  1. Peace-Loving—”Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace.” (Rom. 14:19)

 

  1. Joy—”May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Thess. 1:6)

 

  1. Perseverance—”Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them.” (Heb. 12:1)

 

  1. Humility—”God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all.” (Titus 3:2)

 

  1. Compassion—”Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion.” (Col. 3:12)

 

  1. Faith—”I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.” (Luke 17:5-6; Heb. 11:1-40)

 

  1. A Servant’s Heart—”God, please help my children develop servant’s hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men.” (Eph. 6:7)

 

  1. Self-Discipline—”Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.” (Prov. 1:3)

 

  1. Gratitude—”Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 5:20; Col. 2:7)

 

  1. A Heart for Missions—”Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see Your glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among the peoples.” (Ps. 96:3)

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

by Leave a Comment

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?

New Year, New Opportunities!

by Leave a Comment

New Year, New Opportunities! 
  

It’s a new year filled with new opportunities! We hope you’ll take a moment to learn a little bit more about First Priority and the different ways you can be involved with this great ministry. The impact First Priority is making on students’ lives would never be possible without your prayer and support. Together, we can continue to reach students with the Hope of Christ. Let’s make 2017 the best year yet!
 
First Priority is a strategy for students to share the Love and Hope of Jesus Christ with every student in their school. We connect the CHURCH to the CAMPUS to share CHRIST with students. We are currently in our 26th year of ministry serving elementary, middle, junior high and high schools across the nation and world.
 
New studies from Barna say, “If Jesus is not already part of students’ lives by the time they leave junior high school, the chance of them professing 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.
 

First Priority helps the local church extend its ministry to school campuses. We partner together to work with schools to help set-up and organize clubs that meet before school that are student-initiated and student-led. The public school is the largest mission field in America. We provide Christian students with a platform, strategy and support for ongoing effective campus ministry outreach. These students are on a 9-month mission trip when school is in session. None of this would be possible without your help! There are several ways you can get involved:

 
Pray – The ministry of First Priority could never be what God truly wants it to be without consistent prayer. Ask your church congregation to pray over students and commission them to go and be disciples in their school. Please be in constant prayer for students who don’t know Christ, and for Christian students to be bold in sharing their faith. Pray for our staff, volunteers, faculty sponsors, campus coaches, students and schools. When you pass by a school, pray for that school. Make a school zone your prayer zone.
 
Promote – Share the vision and mission of First Priority within your circle of influence. Pray about who would be blessed and interested to know about and support the mighty work that God is doing on our school campuses. We have a lot of resources available that you can share with others at firstpriorityal.com. Ask your church to give First Priority opportunities to speak and raise awareness about the ministry. Encourage your church’s youth pastor to promote First Priority with your youth group and to encourage students to attend club meetings, be on leadership and to invite their lost friends.
 
Participate – First Priority is always in need of volunteers. Most of the students in our schools will never step foot in a church, but they will attend school. We need to go to them. Encourage members of your church to get involved with First Priority and to participate and connect with students on our campuses. E-mail us at info@firstpriorityal.com to get involved.
 
Provide – Support First Priority financially and help ensure that every student in our area is reached with the Hope of Christ. It takes $3,000 to fund each school that we serve. I would like to encourage you to help support one or several of the more than 200 schools across the Greater-Birmingham Area. CLICK HERE to support First Priority. Call205.871.8886 or visit firstpriorityal.com to learn how you can join this Gospel movement to advance the Kingdom of God.
 
Will you commit to praying about how you can be involved with First Priority?

Will you pray for our students?

by Leave a Comment

Commit today to pray! 
Students are starting back to school this month and they need our prayers. Please join us in praying for students, teachers, faculty and administration. Praying for the students in our area is not just a privilege…it is a necessity. Students live in a tough world! Each day, students are subjected to literally thousands of offensive images and words. They also face an enormous amount of peer pressure to become part of what is considered normal by the world’s standards. Without prayer, these students will not be able to stand against the insurmountable odds they will face from childhood until they leave this world. Please pray for the safety of each school campus. Please be in constant prayer for students who don’t know Christ. Pray that Christian students will be bold in sharing their faith and that God will take away any fears they may have. When you pass by a school, pray for that school. Make a school zone your prayer zone. The prayers for our students and schools are endless. We have put together a prayer guide to help you. Below are 24 Biblical virtues that you can pray over students. Will you join this prayer movement? Commit today to pray!
  1. Salvation—”Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” (Isa. 45:8; 2 Tim. 2:10)

 

  1. Growth in Grace—”I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 3:18)

 

  1. Love—”Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them.” (Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:2)

 

  1. Honesty and Integrity—”May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection.” (Ps. 25:21)

 

  1. Self-Control—”Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do.” (1 Thess. 5:6)

 

  1. Love for God’s Word—”May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb.” (Ps. 19:10)

 

  1. Mercy—”May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

 

  1. Respect (for self, others, and authority)—”Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands.” (1 Pet. 2:17)

 

  1. Biblical Self-Esteem—”Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:10)

 

  1. Faithfulness—”Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts.” (Prov. 3:3)

 

  1. Courage—”May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions.” (Deut. 31:6)

 

  1. Purity—”Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions.” (Ps. 51:10)

 

  1. Kindness—”Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” (1 Thess. 5:15)

 

  1. Generosity—”Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.” (1 Tim. 6:18-19)

 

  1. Peace-Loving—”Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace.” (Rom. 14:19)

 

  1. Joy—”May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Thess. 1:6)

 

  1. Perseverance—”Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them.” (Heb. 12:1)

 

  1. Humility—”God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all.” (Titus 3:2)

 

  1. Compassion—”Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion.” (Col. 3:12)

 

  1. Faith—”I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.” (Luke 17:5-6; Heb. 11:1-40)

 

  1. A Servant’s Heart—”God, please help my children develop servant’s hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men.” (Eph. 6:7)

 

  1. Self-Discipline—”Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.” (Prov. 1:3)

 

  1. Gratitude—”Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 5:20; Col. 2:7)

 

  1. A Heart for Missions—”Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see Your glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among the peoples.” (Ps. 96:3)

There is hope for this generation!

by Leave a Comment

Hope
There is hope for this generation! 
During the 2015-2016 school year, middle and high school clubs began implementing First Priority’s HOPE Strategy, a 4-week cycle that is repeated every month:
Help Week – Equips and empowers student leaders to share the love and message of Jesus to their friends who have questions about their faith.
Overcome Week – Allows student leaders to be encouraged by a peer or an adult leader that they are “Called to Prayer” throughout their lives.
Prepare Week – Allows student leaders to share their story of what their life was like without Christ as opposed to the fullness of their new life with Christ.
Engage Week – Trains student leaders choosing to impact their classmates with the gospel of Jesus.
To assist with carrying out this strategy, First Priority developed the HOPE curriculum, a comprehensive, informational packet of resources that leads, guides and directs teacher sponsors, campus coaches and students as they prepare for their meetings. Teachers informed us that the HOPE curriculum was very exciting. It raised the bar for students and provided valuable resources for them to be successful.

We have received more and more reports of the impact First Priority is making on unchurched students. These students thirst for God but can’t make it to church on Sunday because they live in a family that doesn’t go to church. We have seen students grow in taking leadership who would not get that experience if it wasn’t for First Priority. We have seen lives changed due to the power of prayer. The great things happening in our clubs for God’s Kingdom is endless! The public school is the largest mission field in America. Students on our campuses work each week to ensure the Gospel is spread throughout their school. They are unashamed and eager to share their faith and help their friends mature in their relationship with Christ. The desire to see their friends accept the love and message of Jesus Christ is evident in the number of salvations reported each school year. While students are reaching students, God is at work shaping lives.

None of this would be possible without your help! There are several ways you can get involved during the 2016-2017 school year: Pray, Participate, Promote, Provide. Please click on those links for more info. We hope you’ll begin praying now about how you can get involved during the upcoming school year!

See You at the Pole Date and Theme Announced

by Leave a Comment

 
Mark your calendars now for one of our nation’s largest prayer movements! 

We would like to invite you to mark your calendars now for this year’s See You at the Pole™ (SYATP). We hope you will join the tens of thousands of students in our area and millions world-wide on Wednesday, September 28, as they participate in the 26th annual SYATP. Before school, students will join together at their school’s flagpole to pray for their friends, families, teachers, school, city, state and nation to God. SYATP is a student-initiated, student-organized and student-led event.
This year’s SYATP theme is “We Cry Out“ and the scripture verses are Psalm 24:3-6 – “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And, who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face-even Jacob.” This year’s theme message encourages us to seek God. With the current state of our country, we believe this year’s theme is perfect. We are encouraging students, school faculty, families, businessmen and women, everyone, to cry out in prayer for our nation.
For 26 years now, SYATP and First Priority have been about encouraging students to lead-out in prayer, live-out their faith and ask God to reveal who He is not only on their own campus but all over the United States and the world. SYATP brings students to their school flagpoles to intercede for their leaders, schools and families, asking God to bring moral and spiritual awakening to their campus, country and world. First Priority will once again coordinate our state’s efforts through: awareness, students gathering at their school’s flagpole, and community rallies planned for the evening of September 28.
Begin planning now! Here you will find many resources and tools to help you prepare for this special day. We will have local resources coming soon! In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us at 205.871.8886.
On Wednesday, September 28, 2016, make sure your family and community CRY OUT together and take part in one of the LARGEST prayer movements in our nation. GATHER at your school flagpole, PRAY for friends, families, teachers, schools and our world. ASK God to reveal who He is to your campus. PRAY, SEEK AND TURN TO GOD.

See You At The Pole marks 25 years of prayer

by Leave a Comment

SYATP Baptist PressCheck out the following article about See You at the Pole from Baptist Press.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) — I woke up extra early that fourth Wednesday in September to make my way to Falcon Middle School by 7 a.m., situated just off Highway 24 on the golden-yellow plains of Colorado. I was ready to participate in my first See You at the Pole.

As my dad dropped me off 18 years ago, I hopped out of the car and made my way to the circle that was forming around the school’s flagpole. Several students from different grades were there. We huddled close together and grabbed hands. We prayed for our state, our school, its staff and students and for that day to be all about God and glorifying His name.

“Amen,” I said aloud, recognizing what a privilege it was to freely pray in public at my school.

The whole prayer time was “ours.” Just students gathered together. It brought with it a sense of accomplishment, freedom, honor and responsibility. We may have been young but we took a stand for our faith and learned the importance of prayer along the way.

Sept. 23 marks the 25th annual See You At The Pole (SYATP), a student-initiated, student-organized, student-led event that started with just 10 students in Texas in 1990 who wanted to pray for their school. In 25 years the movement has grown to see more than 3 million students participate across the United States and in more than 20 countries.

With the theme “UNITED” drawn from Acts 1:14, SYATP 2015 encourages a time “to commit to global unity in Christ and prayer for this generation,” said Matt Wilson, executive director of First Priority Greater Birmingham, an Alabama sponsor and coordinator of SYATP.

“We are encouraging students, school faculty, families, businessmen and women, everyone, to unite together as a community in prayer for our nation,” Wilson said.

SYATP coincides with the annual Global Week of Student Prayer (Sept. 20–26) when people are encouraged to find new and unique ways, places and times to pray in groups throughout the week for the world, community leaders, schools, staff and families.

CLICK HERE for original source from Baptist Press.

Share your See You at the Pole 2015 experience

by Leave a Comment

syatp web

Share your See You at the Pole 2015 experience
#SYATPAL

 

As you know, See You at the Pole (SYATP) “UNITED” is next Wednesday, September 23. Before school, students will join together at their school’s flagpole to pray for their friends, families, teachers, school, city, state and nation to God. We would love for you to share your SYATP experience with not only us, but all of Greater Birmingham.

 

Please send/post the number of students who gathered around your school’s flagpole, quotes from the day, testimonies, pictures and videos to the social media outlets below. Please be sure to use #SYATPAL with all of your SYATP posts. The following are ways you can share your SYATP experience:

Facebook: FirstPriorityAL
Twitter: @FirstPriorityAL Tag #syatpal
Instagram: Tag us @FirstPriorityAL Tag #syatpal
Text: Text FPAL to 95577

 

We look forward to hearing about what God is going to do on your campus next Wednesday!

 

Click here for a listing of local See You at the Pole Rallies

 

Click here for more information about See you at the Pole

 

Will you pray at the flagpole on September 23?

by Leave a Comment

SYATP_LOGO (2)

We would like to invite you to join the tens of thousands of students in our area and millions world-wide on Wednesday, September 23, as they participate in the 25th annual See You at the Pole™ (SYATP). Before school, students will join together at their school’s flagpole to pray for their friends, families, teachers, school, city, state and nation to God. SYATP is a student-initiated, student-organized and student-led event. CLICK HERE for SYATP resources. CLICK HERE for the listing of SYATP Rallies.
          This year’s SYATP theme is “UNITED“ and the scripture verse is Acts 1:14 – “They all met together and were constantly UNITED in prayer.” This year’s theme message encourages us to commit to global unity in Christ and prayer for this generation. With the current state of our country, we believe this year’s theme is perfect. We are encouraging students, school faculty, families, businessmen and women, everyone, to unite together as a community in prayer for our nation.
          For 25 years now, SYATP and First Priority have been about encouraging students to lead-out in prayer, live-out their faith and ask God to reveal who He is not only on their own campus but all over the United States and the world. SYATP brings students to their school flagpoles to intercede for their leaders, schools and families, asking God to bring moral and spiritual awakening to their campus, country and world. First Priority will once again coordinate our state’s efforts through: Awareness; students gathering at their school’s flagpole; and community rallies planned for the evening of September 23. To encourage one another, plan to listen to 93.7 WDJC radio, 92.5 FM or 850 AM WXJC throughout the day and share the victories and struggles associated with this momentous day.
          On Wednesday, September 23, 2015, make sure your family and community UNITE together and take part in one of the LARGEST prayer movements in our nation. GATHER at your school flagpole, PRAY for friends, families, teachers, schools and our world. ASK God to reveal who He is to your campus. PRAY, SEEK AND TURN TO GOD.
          CLICK HERE for the following SYATP resources: downloadable poster to hang in your school, news release and graphics. CLICK HERE for the listing of SYATP Rallies.
VERTICAL_BANNER (2)

 

Main menu