FP Birmingham, New Blog Site

http://blog.gofirstpriority.infomedia.net/


James Edward Cato

Area Director

First Priority Greater Birmingham

James has been involved with First Priority for the past 10 years in the Highway 78 area from Sumiton to Forestdale. James has served as youth pastor at several local churches along Highway 78 where he organized rallies for local churches to fuel campus ministry. James immersed himself in local campus ministry and volunteered as a campus coach at Bottonfield Middle School and Minor High School and is now serving as area director in the Highway 78 Network.

James has been on staff at First Priority for the past year and has also become the area director for Hueytown and Pleasant Grove. James currently serves on staff as youth pastor and young adult Sunday school teacher at Living Word Ministries in Gardendale. James is also a youth and young adult speaker on Sunday night for church congregations in his area. James received ordination through the Church of God in 2006 with 26 college credits in biblical studies and pastoral counseling from Lee University.

James was raised in the Mount Olive area and graduated from Corner High School in 1992. After graduation, James served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a weapons instructor and machine gunner. James has been married for 16 years to Christy from the West Jefferson area. Christy is the Director of Operations at Revenue Discovery Systems (RDS) of Birmingham, where she has worked for more than 12 years. James and Christy have two sons: Drake, 14, who attends Dora High School and Dawson, 8, who attends Sumiton Elementary School. James and his family live in Twilly Town outside of Dora, Ala., where they enjoy giving back and serving in their community.

You may contact James at 205.871.8886 or james@gofirstpriority.com.

Be on the lookout for our next staff member spotlight: Benny Bowman.

FP Decatur Makes the local news...

First Priority launches Fifth Quarter meetings, student clubs in area
Campus-based Christian First Priority student clubs will start soon in some local schools, said Brandon Starnes, city director in Decatur for First Priority America.

He said 70 people, including students and teachers, attended a training session.

“We want to equip students to reach the biggest mission field in their lives, their schools,” said Starnes, student minister at Westmeade Baptist Church.


Many of the 8,500 students in schools in Morgan County are not involved in churches, he said.

First Priority campus clubs meet weekly on campus during non-curriculum time. They are non-denominiational, student-initiated and student-led, leaders said.

Groups at Austin High and a school in Madison are ready to begin First Priority clubs, he said.

Starnes said that equal access laws allow students to run Christian clubs at their schools just as other organizations.

First Priority, along with churches and businesses, are sponsoring fall Fifth Quarter gatherings after football games. The first will be at Decatur Baptist Church on Aug. 27 from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. Bobby Bonner, a former Cardinals baseball team member, will speak.

Starnes said makeup training sessions for anyone interested will be Sept. 12, 19 and 26 at 2 p.m. at Westmeade’s youth building, The Refuge at 1626 Runneymeade St. S.W.

For more details, call Starnes at 256-606-7925.

Melanie B. Smith

On the Net

First Priority Decatur, www.fpdecatur.org

First Priority on Facebook, www.facebook.com/fpdecatural

New Blogpost by YM360.com

“Public schools are the largest mission field in the USA.”

This is a common refrain from Matt Wilson, Executive Director of First Priority (Greater Birmingham). And you know what? Matt’s right.

Our public schools are fertile fields ripe for harvest. And First Priority is one of the most effective organizations in the country for reaching them.

That is why youthministry360 is honored to be partnering with First Priority to impact this generation (and future ones) of teenagers.

We love First Priority’s Vision Statement:

A City Wide Church Vision with a Comprehensive Plan of Action to Reach This Generation of Students with the Love and Message of Jesus Christ.

We like the intentionality of this statement. Two things particularly jump out to us:

City Wide Church Vision

At youthministry360, we are passionate about serving and equipping youth workers in the local church. First Priority, more than any other national organization we have encountered, lifts up the local church.
First Priority are experts at helping youth workers develop and maintain networks, and supporting youth workers through these networks. This commitment fits right in line with youthminstry360’s DNA. We have loved watching the ym360 community grow and evolve. When youth workers equip other youth workers through their own experiences and passions, the Church only gets stronger.
Comprehensive Plan of Action

First Priority has a lot of different ways to help youth workers raise up student leaders on school campuses. Whether it is student-led clubs at school, See You At The Pole rallies, or any other of the many initiatives organized by local First Priority chapters, they are so great at putting their values into action.
There are simply a lot of things that First Priority has been doing for years that match up very well with youthministry360. So, we have committed to working together to reach teenagers for Christ and to support youth workers in the local church.

What does this partnership look like? Great question. Right now, we’re still figuring it out. But here’s what we know . . .

We are passionate about developing excellent, Bible-centered resources that are creative and culturally relevant. So, there is a lot of potential here.
We love to leverage our network of youth ministry experts. You can bet there will be some great opportunities for youthministry360 to intersect with First Priority’s city-wide networks to create some incredible training opportunities.
We’re still ironing out the details. But you can count on us to keep you updated. For now, we’re just excited about the incredible opportunities this partnership represents for you . . . the youth worker.

Andy Blanks is the co-founder of youthministry360. Andy has worked in youth ministry for 12 years, almost exclusively writing, designing, and developing curriculum. Andy is a teacher at heart and loves to challenge teenagers and youth workers alike through his writing and speaking.

Latest First Look from Greater Birmingham

Why is being a campus missionary so important?

As a youth worker, I know that you are passionate about reaching this generation with the love and message of Jesus Christ. Why else would you do what you do? Your camp rocked this year, small groups are in full swing and your Wednesday night services this year are going to blow the kids away. But, what about the other students? What do we do about the students who will never EVER come to a church or church sponsored event? These students are also known as... the majority. On average, 12 percent of students attend church. Your numbers may spike to 20 percent if you are in the Bible belt. Don't believe me? Talk to the churches in your community and run the numbers. It will shock and motivate you. I did in Birmingham, Ala., and it was dead on.
Knowing these things, we can all agree that public schools are the largest mission field in the USA. Twelve percent of students attend church, 95 percent attend school. Do the math.
What do we do then? What is our role? You and I are not there 8 hours a day. We are fortunate if we are allowed to each lunch there weekly, do a devotion here and there, and attend the school functions.
Our responsibility is to raise-up Campus Missionaries out of our groups and give them the resources to be successful.
Campus Missionaries are students who care about their friends and others who walk the halls of their campus every day. Campus Missionaries have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They are interested in seeing Jesus have an impact on their campus and in the people they influence. Campus Missionaries are willing to do whatever they can to see that Jesus is represented on their campus.
Becoming a Campus Missionary
To become a Campus Missionary you need to:
· Have a desire to see your campus impacted for Jesus Christ;
· Begin praying daily for the people in your school;
· Be involved in your local church youth ministry;
· Be willing to tell your story and how Jesus has impacted you; and
· Tell the Gospel story to those who will listen.

The Campus Missionary's Priorities
Campus Missionaries have the opportunity to do several things, but none are more important than these:
· Live the life.
Your example of a strong Christian testimony is a powerful tool in your school.
· Pray for your friends and your school.
You may be the only one who is praying for them.
· Tell the story of Jesus.
It all comes down to you presenting Christ at school to those whom you can.
· Begin or support an ongoing campus club or ministry on your campus.
· Give to other missionary efforts.
Your church probably has mission programs or people you can support.

Matt Wilson, First Priority Executive Director