Reasons to be a First Priority leader include:

  1. Sharing the HOPE and truth of Jesus with friends at school
  2. Developing a stronger, deeper faith
  3. Developing leadership and public speaking skills
  4. Working with and serving other students
  5. Mentoring younger students to become leaders
  6. Using the experience on college and employment applications
  7. Working with First Priority students at other schools
  8. Having access to Alumni Program benefits after high school graduation

 

The requirements of a First Priority leader:

  1. Follow Jesus as Lord and Savior
  2. Live a life in agreement with God’s Word
  3. Attend a local church regularly
  4. Attend REVIVE or team training
  5. Others-minded and service oriented
  6. A team builder and inclusive
  7. Faithful and reliable, and willing to follow the guidelines of First Priority
  8. A leader interested in seeing others reach their potential in Christ
  9. Able to attend and lead the weekly meetings

REVIVE Student Training

REVIVE training is for students who are interested in serving in leadership or participating in a First Priority group on a middle or high school campus in the Tampa Bay area. To register training, please click HERE 

 

First Priority Alumni Program

First Priority of Tampa Bay alumni are invited to join through the First Priority of Tampa Bay Alumni Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/381876453087033

How to launch your club:

Please be advised that if students desire to use the First Priority name, they must use the weekly EPIC lessons and follow the required guidelines for meetings.

 

  1. Download the guide for starting a club: Steps for starting a club
  2. Confirm faculty member is available to host meetings
  3. Confirm meeting day, time and location (for each lunch period, if applicable)
  4. If needed, provide the administration with Letter of Intent to Meet
  5. Set a date for the first meeting
  6. Notify First Priority with meeting information
  7. Meet with student leaders to plan the first EPIC cycle; have all resources needed EPIC flyer 2 to a page
  8. Use the first meeting to train students on the purpose of First Priority
  9. Request help from First Priority as needed Contact US

Understanding religious rights:

These resources help students to understand their rights for meeting on campus, regardless of the meeting’s content (religious, political or otherwise). To see the Equal Access Act legal document click here.

 

  1. Understanding the First Amendment (1403 downloads)
  2. Understanding the Equal Access Act (1327 downloads)
  3. Bill of Rights for Students (1153 downloads)
  4. Religious rights on school campuses (1071 downloads)
  5. Religious Freedom Pamphlet
  6. Descrimination of viewpoint

Apologetics for students:

Want tips on how to defend your faith? Click here: http://www.bethinking.org/apologetics

To find incredible videos that answer questions about Christianity: The John 10:10 Project

Questions and answers for students:

Have questions about you rights? Click here: Questions and answers for students (1222 downloads)

To see the Equal Access Act legal document click HERE

Do student-led clubs/groups have the right to put parameters on who is able to lead? Yes. Click here to read the Supreme Court decision: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1265184.html

Are schools allowed to mandate a minimum size of a student group? No. Religious Freedom Pamphlet 

Are student groups required to have a teacher sponsor? No. Religious Freedom Pamphlet

Are student [religious] groups allowed to promote meetings? Yes, if other groups are also allowed. Religious Freedom Pamphlet

Tips for sharing the gospel:

At Dare 2 Share, they train teens how to share their faith because a lot of teens and adults know how to bring up the gospel, but don’t always know how to share the gospel. Sometimes the gospel is hindered because of fear or uncertainty. The goal at Dare 2 Share to help every teen and youth leader feel comfortable to fearlessly share the gospel with their friends, family, students and peers.

Dare 2 Share: Learn how to share the gospel with a practical, 4-minute crash course

The Bible Project is full of incredible short videos of visual explanations that show how the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus.

The Bible Project

Resources for behavioral health support:

First Priority of Tampa Bay has expanded programming to include behavioral health resources for students. Please check out these videos of Michelle Horton-Gall, a mental health counselor, talking about important mental health topics:

Click here to watch a video on anxiety 

Click here to watch a video on depression 

Click here to watch a video on negative self talk