Pastors & Youth Pastors

Pastors,

You are a gift from God to your local congregation. The God-given calling on your life is one of the highest honors bestowed upon an individual. We at First Priority appreciate your contribution to the Kingdom and to the ministry you provide to your congregation, city and community. Because of the significant role you play in your church, we want to ask you to join with us in reaching the student population of your church and community. You can do several things to really make a difference. The ideas and thoughts mentioned below are currently implemented in many local churches and are having a positive impact. Maybe you will consider the implementation of these ideas in your local setting. We at First Priority feel that you are a key to the mobilization of your students and congregation in presenting Christ's message of hope. You can make a difference as you care for the youth culture in your sphere of influence. The highest form of support you as a pastor and spiritual leader can provide is to include your community's school campuses in the overall mission of your local church. As you do this, you speak volumes to the youth and parents of youth in your congregation. Your support will open doors of involvement with community leaders, as well as make a powerful statement regarding the priorities of your church. Listed below are other things you can do to make an impact on the school campuses of your area.

Pray regularly for the schools, faculty, and students in your community. Include specific schools in your congregational prayer time; and if your church has a prayer ministry, be sure to include schools in the ongoing request list.
Facilitate the sending of students from your church as missionaries to their campuses. Just like foreign missionaries, students are missionaries to their campuses. Sending student missionaries will raise the spiritual standard in students' lives, as well as provide a powerful support base for your church's youth ministry. Have a Commissioning Sunday as a specific evangelism focus of the church.
Be a catalyst in bringing your city's churches, organizations and leaders together. The public school campus provides the common denominator for you to work together. Doctrines do not have to divide if the message of Christ is central. You can communicate a unifying strategy to other pastors and leaders by agreeing that the campuses in your community belong to all of you, not just one church or organization. Collectively, you become stronger than any one individual or organization.
Introduce your youth leader and student leaders in your church to other pastors and youth leaders in your community. Recent studies regarding trends in the church world discovered that denominationalism is declining. This culture is not as interested in a church's label as much as they are the product itself. As you lead the way in exposing your youth leader and students to other leaders in your community, you provide the greatest impetus for a city vision to be captured.
In moments of crises, schools often call upon local churches within their community. The problem is, all too often, the church is not involved until the crisis. You can be a part of bringing a solution prior to a crisis; and thus, solidify your efforts in a crisis if you have pre-established relationship and involvement.
Frequently encourage your students in regard to their mission. This generation is cause-oriented. If you keep the cause in front of them, you exert amazing influence to help them remain focused and committed to Jesus. This generation of Christian students is often over-preached and under-challenged. You can be a part of changing that.
You can support monthly the First Priority network in your city. People give to felt needs. If your congregation senses that you are committed to giving so students in your church and city will receive a clear presentation of the Gospel, you will be amazed at their subsequent response.