The First Priority Podcast

Jeff Grenell leads us towards spiritual healthy ministry

After 4 decades of Youth Leadership, Jeff Grenell founded ythology to raise the level of Youth Leadership. ythology exists to educate, resource, and inspire youth and to train youth leaders to prepare the NextGen to lead in the Church and the world. Jeff has also written the books, #IfJobHadTwitter: When Hardship Hits the Palace and ythology: The study of youth

Roundtable with Chris Lane on First Priority of America Core Values

Chris Lane is the Executive Director and Founder of First Priority South Florida. He started FP in Ft. Lauderdale in 1998 and built it from the ground up. FP South Florida now has over 200 clubs in schools and is going strong. 

Chris is also husband to Wendy, and father of 4 boys (Josh, Jake, Jonathan and Josiah)

Jeff Wallace talks race and culture in our current environment

Jeff currently serves on the Student Leadership University Team as the Executive Director of the LIFT Tour and Youth Pastor Summit.  Jeff is nationally known as an urban ministry pioneer, communicator, innovator, and mentor. For 23 years, Jeff has served as Pastor of Youth Development at Peace Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia, where he oversaw all of the children, student, and young adult programming and then he transitioned to the role of Executive Pastor.  Jeff is also the Founder of FrontLine Urban Resources, Inc., which is an organization that provides resources and trainings to help leaders engage an evolving generation of families as well as teaching them how to redefine and reshape their traditional views of urban ministry and urban culture. 

Jeff received his undergraduate education from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and his Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Indiana Wesleyan Seminary in Marion, Indiana.  Jeff is currently working on his PhD in Organizational Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University. 

Jeff has produced several resources designed to empower and equip youth ministry leaders, parents, and students in a variety of contexts and environments. He is the author of Urban Ministry from Start to Finish, co-author of Everybody’s Urban, Urban LIVE curriculum, The Skinny on Communication, and 99 Things Every Guy Should Know. He is a writer in the Simple Truth Bible and a contributor in Reggie Joiner’s Creating a Lead Small Culture book. 

Jeff enjoys doing life with his wife Quovadis and three boys, Jeffrey, Christopher, and Cameron.

Practical parenting strategies during this time of uncertainty

Michelle Horton is a biblical counselor in Tampa, FL. Michelle has been on-staff with Heart Song for over 8 years. Prior to moving to the Tampa Bay area, she served as a counselor for Heart Song in Washington, D.C. She received her B.A. in Speech and Communication Studies at Clemson University and her M. Div in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to becoming a biblical counselor, Michelle pursued a career in television news for six years.

Wilson Clark becomes the next new Coordinator for First Priority!

Wilson is a native Floridian. He grew up in the Tampa Bay area and has spent the majority of his life in Central Florida.Wilson has spent the last decade working as a youth director serving various churches. In 2017, Wilson began working for First Priority Tampa Bay as an Area Director. While Wilson served as an Area Director, he successfully presented First Priority to numerous Youth Directors in East Hillsborough and helped launch groups on school campuses in East Hillsborough.

Wilson is passionate about equipping and training students to know their legal right to share the gospel with their peers through First Priority chapters and groups.

Wilson is married to his best friend Jenna; together, they have three children, Isaac, Ezra, and Hollis. The Clarks love the outdoors, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Disney World.

Bryson Breakley shares about reaching student for Jesus.

Bryson Breakey is the Youth Pastor at Bethel World Outreach Church—an Every Nation church in Brentwood, TN—and is a songwriter in the Every Nation Music community. Growing up in the Seattle area, he now lives in Nashville with his beautiful wife Rachel. He loves good music, good friends and vinyl records.

Round Table on Fundraising with Larry Franks

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 (33 years) and has two daughters, Chelsea (27) and Hannah (21). He enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, and is an avid Georgia Bulldog fan.

Virtual Clubs: What does this mean for First Priority?

Greg is a lifetime Birmingham area resident and ministry leader. He has been on staff with First Priority since 1996 after volunteering with the ministry for several years.  He has led First Priority movements both locally and nationally. Greg first served as a campus guide, and area director before serving as  Executive Director and continues today as President overseeing fiduciary and ministry operations. He hosted Priority Talk, a daily Christian based radio show from 2010-2018, and has written for Birmingham Christian Family Magazine and frequently represents First Priority in the community in the media.

Greg received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in secondary education and a Master’s of Divinity from New Orleans Theological Seminary. Greg has been a popular speaker for many churches, camps and conferences for nearly three decades; in fact chances are that Greg has been to your church or campus!

Greg resides in Gardendale, Ala. with his wife Sandi, and two children, Trent and Meagan.

Dave Gibson shares about the Go2020 plans.

Dave Gibson has over 40 years of local, national, and international ministry leadership experience. He currently serves as Executive Director of Go2020 USA and Go2020 Global Leadership Team.  Dave is the Senior Director of Missions & Evangelism at Grace Church of Eden Prairie, MN for over 30 years. Dave has also served as the Executive VP of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Executive Director of Mission America, and began in occupational ministry with Midwest Challenge. 

Dave and his wife Wendy have 5 children and 7 grandchildren

Hayden Roberts tells his story of being called into ministry as a student.

Hayden has been around the world of ministry his whole life with an itinerant speaker and church leader for a father. Hayden felt a divine appointment to ministry his senior year of High School and has been involved on staff for multiple churches and ministries ever since. He has a beautiful wife named Shannon and has a lab mix named Zion. He loves Students and desires to see them use their gifts and talents to further the kingdom of God. His hobbies include trying new hobbies and doing basically anything but board games.