The First Priority Podcast

Love Your School Initiative

Brad and Joel talk about how to better love your school by acts of service. You will hear from Larry Franks, FP Decatur, and Carina Deshotels, FP Tampa Bay/Pinellas County, talk about things they have implemented to love their school. 

Maxwell Leadership

Joel Rowland, FP Front Range, talks about the John Maxwell leadership training for students. 

John Maxwell is a New York Times best selling author, whose passion in life is growing and equipping others to do remarkable things and lead significant and fulfilled lives. Find out more about the ichoose course mentioned in this podcast here: https://firstpriority.club/leadership

Leadership Initiatives 1: The Story Initiative

Joel Rowland, Director of FP Front Range, and Justin Theriot, Ministry Director of FP Nashville, share the basics of the Story Initiative and how we can use the different aspects of it to encourage students and leaders to share their story. Your story does matter,  and First Priority of America wants to help everyone realize that so you can help spread the gospel through telling your story. 

E.P.I.C. Purpose Plan: Sean Hall talks E.P.I.C. and 3 parts to every club

Sean Hall is the Director of First Priority St. Louis Metro East. He was a student in First Priority in South Florida in high school. After graduation he interned in South Florida and helped out with First Priority clubs there. He is married to his wife Gina and together, they have served at FP St. Louis Metro East for over five years. 

E.P.I.C. Four Plan: Luke Still talks E.P.I.C. using the Four gospel tool

Luke Still is the Regional Director of Broward at First Priority South Florida. He is married to Elizabeth and together they have 8 children. 

E.P.I.C. Story Plan: Sarah McKinney talks E.P.I.C. on the YouVersion Bible App

Sarah McKinney is the student intern of writing at FP Front Range. She volunteers her time leading the team that develops the YouVersion Bible reading plan, writes and sends the newsletters, and even gives input into the curriculum that all the First Priority Clubs use throughout the United States. 

E.P.I.C. preview with Joel Rowland

Joel is the Executive Director of First Priority Front Range. His family moved to Denver in January 2020 to organize and lead the Front Range region. He has been in leadership roles for over 13 years including Lead Pastor, Jail Chaplain, Founder of a non-profit for at risk kids, Drug Court Representative, and Executive Director of First Priority in North Carolina. Joel is a Certified Speaker, Coach, Trainer, and Teacher with the John Maxwell Team. He is certified in Apologetics with the Ravi Zacharias Institute and is currently studying to become a Scholar in Biblical Linguistics and the Hebraic Context of the Bible through the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has studied abroad in Israel, Canada, and Ecuador.

Joel lives in Denver, CO with his wife Amber and their two kids. 

JD Simpson talks about the role that parents and youth workers play in First Priority

Dr. JD Simpson Jr. serves as the Executive Director of FP South Mississippi. He grew up in Louisiana and felt a call to ministry while in college at LSU. He served in ministry for several years before learning about First Priority. He was in full-time ministry and didn't have any intention of trying to work full-time and do First Priority. But God had other plans, and in 1999 he launched First Priority of South Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS.

JD has been married to his wife Carol for 33 years, and together they have four children, two boys and two girls. 

Larry Franks: Uniting Churches and Relationship Building

After 25 years of serving on staff in the local church, Larry Franks became the Executive Director of First Priority of Greater Decatur in November 2014. He served as the City Director for Greater Decatur for a number of years before coming on board as the Executive Director. His heart’s passion is to see students come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and for them to realize that there is HOPE. Larry has enjoyed watching God grow First Priority in Morgan and Lawrence counties from its beginning in 2009 on 18 campuses to currently being on 54 campuses. There have been over 4,800 students say YES to the HOPE of Christ on the public school campus over the last 9 years. Larry was recently awarded the Lynn C Fowler Non-Profit Professional of the Year by the Decatur-Morgan Chamber of Commerce. First Priority of Greater Decatur was also awarded the Non-Profit of the Year by the Decatur City School System. Clothe Our Kids received the Non-Profit of the Year by the Decatur City School System in 2019. Larry is married to Jessica (34 years) and has two daughters, Chelsea (28) and Hannah (22). He enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, and is an avid Georgia Bulldog fan.

Joel Rowland: Church Crisis

Joel is the Executive Director of First Priority Front Range. His family moved to Denver in January 2020 to organize and lead the Front Range region. He has been in leadership roles for over 13 years including Lead Pastor, Jail Chaplain, Founder of a non-profit for at risk kids, Drug Court Representative, and Executive Director of First Priority in North Carolina. Joel is a Certified Speaker, Coach, Trainer, and Teacher with the John Maxwell Team. He is certified in Apologetics with the Ravi Zacharias Institute and is currently studying to become a Scholar in Biblical Linguistics and the Hebraic Context of the Bible through the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has studied abroad in Israel, Canada, and Ecuador.

Joel lives in Denver, CO with his wife Amber and their two kids.