| www.fpoa.org
First Priority is a Christian Club in our middle and high
schools throughout America. These clubs are started and ran
by students for students. They are required to have a teacher
sponser and encouraged to have an active youth minister (coach)
from a local church to assit them as needed. Student leaders
are expected to meet on a regular basis to evaluate past meetings
and to plan for future meetings. A couple of desires of First
Priority are to provide a time each week for Christian students
to encourage each other in the faith and to reach out to their
peers by using the four-week ACTS Revolutionary Strategy.
History
The ministry of First Priority clubs was first introduced
to Pensacola during 1996-97. On the verge of closing after
just one year of operation, First Priority of Northwest Florida
found a champion in the Waterfront Rescue Mission.
First Priority of Northwest Florida began its second year as sponsor
of only seven Christian clubs out of more than 30 middle and high
schools. By the end of that school year, First Priority had more
than doubled in scope with 15 student-led evangelistic clubs meeting
weekly. At the onset of the 2000-2001 academic year, 29 secondary
schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties had active First Priority
clubs. Efforts are underway to establish First Priority clubs in
Crestview and other Okaloosa County communities.
Just this summer the Waterfront Rescue Mission expanded its school-based
prevention ministry by adopting First Priority of Southwest Alabama,
with a territory that covers Mobile and Baldwin counties. A number
of schools in Baldwin County currently have First Priority clubs.
The Waterfront Rescue Mission provides breakfast once a month for
each First Priority club’s evangelistic meeting and pizzas
for evangelistic rallies throughout the year. Through the combined
efforts of First Priority and the Waterfront Rescue Mission, more
than 2,500 students have come to Christ and united with local congregations
of various denominations. Only God knows how many tragedies are
being averted because of the presence of Christian clubs and their
members who are reaching out to classmates. |
