Local

Taking the Gospel into Public Schools

 “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” –  Matthew 9:37-38 NLT First Priority clubs exist on over 165 campuses in southern Florida seeking to share the Gospel in public schools. This is done through student-led campus clubs meeting once a week. Many are shocked to hear that First Priority only has 12 paid staff members. A team of twelve staff members network an unpaid volunteer staff of 165 faculty sponsors and well over 125 youth pastors and leaders, […]

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Connecting the Church to Reach the Campus for Christ

Three of the largest school districts in the country are right here in South Florida: Miami-Dade County is the 2nd largest, Broward County the 5th and Palm Beach County is the 12th. These are only three of the five counties First Priority serves. Startling evidence shows that 96% of those students do not attend church or show evidence of a personal relationship with Christ, which demonstrates the urgent need for us to meet them where they are — the campus. The greatest influence on a teenager is a peer, so First Priority partners with the local church to equip students […]

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School Can Be a 9 Month Mission Trip

The Dominican Republic, Kenya, Colombia, Southeast Asia, Haiti — these are some places that may pop into your head when you think of a mission trip. Mission trips are altruistic endeavors by church groups to provide physical and/or spiritual relief in times of crisis. At First Priority students are equipped for a mission trip to places that desperately need Jesus. It is estimated that where they go 96% of the population is without Jesus. Where’s their destination? The public school campus. If you have gone on a mission trip before, it may have lasted a week, a month or a […]

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First Priority: Connecting the Church to Reach the Campus for Christ

  Three of the largest school districts in the country are right here in South Florida: Miami-Dade County is the 2nd largest, Broward County the 5th and Palm Beach County is the 12th. These are only three of the five counties First Priority serves. Startling evidence shows that 96% of those students do not attend church or show evidence of a personal relationship with Christ, which demonstrates the urgent need for us to meet them where they are — the campus. The greatest influence on a teenager is a peer, so First Priority partners with the local church to equip […]

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Putting Hope Within Reach

Teen Challenge Women’s Home is a residential discipleship program located in Davie that helps women break off the destructive chains of drug addiction and alcoholism that ensnare them. According to Teen Challenge literature, there are over 278 million drug users worldwide. Sadly drug addiction shatters lives, but Teen Challenge works with adults, youth and families to help them pick up the pieces by offering life transformation to individuals through Christ-centered programs. Rick Fernandez, executive director of Teen Challenge in Davie since 1988 and a graduate of the program, explained they are “home to up to 16 hurt, abused women – […]

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Republicans Vie for Congress in District 22

The Republican Primary election on August 26 has three republicans competing to represent Florida’s 22nd Congressional District. After that date, one will have the chance to replace incumbent democrat Lois Frankel in the general election on November 4. That person will represent about 650,000 people across five cities. He or she would be their voice on the federal level. All three candidates – Andrea Leigh McGee, Paul Spain and David William Wagie – support a limited government, a balanced national budget, a simplified tax code and making changes for job growth; however, you may find that they vary on social […]

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Contini Challenges Incumbent Circuit Court Judge

Voters will have the opportunity to decide whether to choose Attorney John P. Contini or incumbent Judge Steven B. Feren for Broward Circuit Court Judge on August 26th. This election will determine who decides cases related to family court and juveniles, so there are many factors to consider. These cases require care and wisdom to avoid rashness or the sway of persuasion that comes through outward impressions, being able to discern right and wrong with utmost caution as those deliberating over the lives of those under their responsibility. It also means managing a full docket of cases without getting bogged […]

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Strength In Weakness

How do you view your weaknesses? Do you boast in them? Weaknesses and hardships are not typically something people boast about, but they can be. You wouldn’t naturally think that your weakness is an asset, that your trial is a gift or that your problem can actually make you more effective in life, but it’s true. The Apostle Paul once had a “thorn in the flesh,” some weakness that was harassing him, but he learned how to boast in it and be content with it, and you can too. The problem of weakness One of the problems of weakness is […]

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Paddle Out in Memory of Phil Pechonis

In memory of a beloved friend, minister and surfer, more than a hundred supporters paddled out in memory of Phil Pechonis at Deerfield Beach pier on July 18. Pechonis, the former general manager of Island Water Sports, passed away on July 14. He is survived by his wife, Megan, and his children, Max, 18; Zach, 16, Katie, 11; and Alex 10. The family moved to North Devon, England, to start a church in September of 2000. In 2002 he co-founded a Christian Music Festival, Creation Fest in Woolacombe, Devon, which has gone from a one-day to a week-long festival. “Phil […]

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Christian Persecution in the 21st Century

Often we think of the serious persecution and martyrdom of Christians as being something primarily in the early Church times or in the Middle Ages during the Holy Wars and the Crusades. Nothing could be further from the truth, as there is evidence that there is a greater degree of persecution of Christians and believers dying for their faith today than at any time since the time of Jesus Christ. According to Prisoner Alert, a ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs, Christians are being persecuted for their faith in more than 40 nations around the world today. In some […]

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