Bottenfield Middle School Exciting Update B'ham AL

Students at Bottenfield Middle School are hungry to know and live for Christ daily. They are praying more and giving testimonies about how God is moving in their school in mighty ways. Bottenfield's First Priority Campus Club is growing every week with nearly 100 students in attendance right now. On Oct. 28, 2010, three students prayed the prayer to accept Christ into their lives for the first time. Wow! We serve a great and holy God.

Every week this campus club is an adventure. You might see a stomp dance or even hear a song sung by students. Club meetings should never be boring. Students like involvement. And, the key for a successful club is students reaching students with the love and message of Jesus Christ. Student involvement will always breed a healthy campus ministry.

I would like to give a special thanks to Bottenfield Middle School's Campus Coaches Debbie Marshall and Tyrone Fox for their dedication to inspiring students to live for Christ daily. They are showing us how the First Priority Campus Ministry continues to make a huge impact when students have ownership.

"Students are standing up and wanting people to know they love God," said Debbie. "It is truly amazing to see how God is moving on this campus."

James Cato

Another Life Changed - from October Newsletter FP South Florida

It is such a blessing when we see a student whose life was touched through First Priority return to invest in other students at a First Priority club. Stephanie Weinberg is one of those students. here is her story in her own words:

I was raised in a Jewish home, but i drifted away into New Age stuff such as tarot cards and reincarnation by the time i was 14. By that time i was smoking, drinking and hanging out with the wrong crowd. My childhood was very difficult and i struggled with depression as a result. I overdosed on drugs, nearly taking my own life. But God had another plan for me and I finally gave my life to Christ. I was 16 when i was introduced to the Christian world through the First Priority Club at Spanish River HS. Soon i found out how wrong i was about Christianity, God, life, and just about everything. That's when i started opening my heart and learning about God's attributers. He is good.

I attended First Priority because a friend invited me, I didn't want to disappoint her, so I went. Thank you Rachel! I felt so out of place at first, but I still kept going back every week. People actually cared to talk to me and i started asking tons of questions. They gave me a Bible because i didn't own one nor had i ever read it before then.

Even though at times i asked the most difficult questions, i never felt judged. Pretty soon, instead of it being just another after school club, First Priority because a safe place to hangout. I learned a lot from all the different speakers that came. I am now 21 year old, and i recently graduated from a two year ministry school. I am helping out as one of the campus coaches at Olympic Heights HS First Priority Club. I truly love and support this ministry with my whole heart because of what God has done for me through it. i believe that everything that i went through will be used for God's glory. I am SUPER excited for what he has prepared for me now and in the future. To whomever reads this article, i personally want to let you know that God DOES love you and everything good and bad will be used for His glory. God Bless you, Stephanie.

Every week 300,000 students participate in First Priority Clubs all over the country. God is up to something incredible, and we count ourselves fortunate to serve the Stephanies that are out there in Middle and High Schools all over our country!

Just 3 days til Kah-riss...

Name: 5 days of Kah-riss (5 days of grace)

When: the week of Otober 25-29

What: every First Priority Club in America is to put focus on missions

Where: at your school

Why: to see 7,000 students accept Christ in one week. This will only happen by the grace of God to bring glory to Himself. Would you pray for us as we get close? A number of our key cities have already jumped on board. Our goal is share the love and message of Jesus Christ and see lives changed. Thank you for your prayers and support as we continue to unite the local church to reach students at their school.

for more information, go to www.fpoa.org and click on the Kah-riss link, it will take you to our FB "fan" page...

Priority Parent October 2010 eUpdate main article...

A Note From a new City Director with F.P.

After coming to a realization that I, as a student pastor, was making a small ping (not even a dent) on the 10,000 students in my county, I started searching for a tool to make a huge impact for the kingdom. I contacted First Priority of America and asked how could I get this going in my area. The national guys got me right on the path of the 4 phases. i admit it seemed like a lot of hoops to jump through.

At times I became frustrated with others who had lack of motivation to help. I also was tempted to breeze right through and skip steps to just see the clubs happen. For the first time, I said no I will do this the right way, I will put in whatever it takes to build a lasting ministry for my city and county. By doing this, it took a lot of time. But a year later, after making a phone call to the national office and having Steve come and share the vision with about 8 youth ministers, today we have around 300 hundred people in our database and are launching at 15 schools.

I want to encourage whoever is reading this to follow the phases to the T and then you will see a thriving ministry a ministry that will out last you. If you don’t follow the guides and just throw a club together, you will see students come to know Christ but you will also experience that club failing over time, because it has no foundation. Take the time to build the foundation. Luke 6:49 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” This verse can apply to First Priority, Just as Christ was saying to those who do not put His words into practice is like building a house without a foundation, it will fall. The same can be said by not following these amazing guides, they are full of tips from past City Directors giving advice all summed up together to see you become successful.

I can not thank those enough for putting in the hard work before us to make this process as smooth and efficient as I have come to see it.

BRANDON STARNES FP of Greater Decatur, AL

Exciting updates from FP Birmingham

This year's "See You at the Pole" far exceeds any previous year I've seen. Students all around the state seem to have a new hunger for Prayer like never before. Campus coaches and teacher sponsors in the Hueytown, Fairfield and Pleasant Grove areas are reporting that students are on fire with a new passion to see the message of Christ be shared on campus. Being in a new school, Pleasant Grove in particular has seen teens come to Christ and receive salvation. Students at Hueytown Middle School are arriving early to hear the message of Christ each week and are encouraging their friends to join First Priority.

These are some exciting times to be in ministry when you see students take the lead and make a difference. All the hard work and dedication of local youth pastors and campus sponsors is paying off in big ways and we would like to thank you. The love and message of Jesus Christ is going forth and it's a difference-maker.

James Cato
Area Director

A thought from Steve Cherrico - FPOA City Services

A thought for anyone involved in leadership with First Priority across the US...

I wanted to drop you a quick note this morning. Over the past few weeks I have begun to feel something about what I do everyday that I had not in a long time. My actions were following through with our cause but my heart was not completely in it. This morning I had an interesting moment where in my devo time the Lord made me aware I had let “discouragement in”.

Reality was I did not even know what to call what I was feeling. But as I began to add up the thoughts and feelings this is what I came up with; “man this thing is hard.” “The local church doesn’t always get what it means to unify the body of Christ.” “They will invest millions into events and buildings, and then leave unity + evangelism as a step child to fend for itself.” “The world sends me emails telling me it hates me and my cause.” “No matter how hard I work, how many hours I put in, I know for sure there are still more students to be reached, is all this behind the scenes hard work worth it?” It all led up to discouragement.

I am guessing most of you have felt some of this at one point or another. Maybe, you are even contemplating some of those thoughts now. I want to share with you what the Lord gave me next that helped me on my path of recovery, today. He reminded me of these facts, and radically shifted my heart, I hope some of this does for your as well.

Did you know that in America right now there are over 3000 First Priority clubs on school campuses?
**The crazy thing is that this is a conservative estimate, our FPOA team finds 2-4 un-networked FP Clubs somewhere in the US, each week.

Did you know that each week on average about 300,000 students participate in those 3000+ FP Clubs?
**That means that today we have the job of reaching, raising, and releasing 300,000 campus missionaries. No other country in the world has that many dedicated mission staff.

Did you know that there are FP Networks working together in places like Tracy CA, Aurora CO, Grand Haven MI, Odessa TX, Suffolk VA, Corbin KY, Newark NJ, and Miami FL?
**There are over 45 Networked communities throughout the US working the FP Process, and at least 25 communities that have multiple clubs, multiple networks, yet do not have a initiator to start the unification process.

Did you know that this school year we have already had city report over 550 students giving their life to Christ for the first time, and being plugged back into local churches across the US.
**I am sure that number is higher considering we do not get club reports from every city at this point.

I hope each of you know my heart when I say these things. First Priority is NOT the answer. The good news of Jesus Christ being lived out and shared one peer to another is the answer! You and I have been given the great fortune to serve a plan that initiates just that, First Priority.

So today I want to finish this email with a blessing on you, that if discouragement has crept in, that the Lord will help you kick it out (Philippians 4:4-9). That if the world hates you, you who serve Jesus will know that it hated him first (John 15).

May each of you who who work so hard, and give so much, and hurt so deeply for students in your city be found in the peace, grace, and mercy of Jesus.

May each of you who give your life to the high hopes of seeing every student on every local campus experience the love and message of Jesus Christ, get to experience the fruit of that hope today.

May each of you find your rest in the same gospel that you work so hard to serve. That is the good news of Jesus Christ, and may His love for you be as real to your life as you want it to be for the students you desire to reach.

Finally, that you will find hope as part of a body of believers that we call the FP Family, and that together today we will bring Jesus glory! Amen.

Peace,

Steve Cherrico
First Priority of America - Director of City Services
615-491-4129 cell 973-731-7744 office
http://www.fpoa.org
http://visionpassionfaithfulness.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/steve.cherrico

FP Birmingham, Announces New Area Director

Benny Bowman
Area Director
First Priority Greater Birmingham

Benny accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior at the age of 18. In 1986, Benny was ordained as a deacon and in 2005 he was ordained in ministry. He has served in various capacities in student ministry since becoming a Christian. Benny has served as a student minister for over 17 years. He has been with First Priority since 1996 as a network president and Board member. Benny has just recently joined the First Priority Staff Team as an Area Director. He is a member of First Baptist Church Pell City and is currently serving as interim student minister at First Baptist Leeds. Benny has been married to his wife, Connie, for 29 years. Benny and his wife have two adult children and their spouses, Joel Bowman (Christy) and Maegan Jolly (Vann) that reside in Pell City.

You may contact Benny at benny@gofirstpriority.com.