adding a dynamic home page

I have designed a custom template for a client. I would like to add a slideshow plugin which has been installed so the customer does not have to understand jQuery to install pictures. The plugin needs to post to the front page so I cannot use static front page. I am wondering how to make a dynamic front page. I have used home.php and this make the template the front page in static form. I have used front-page.php this put the template in dynamic form but list the page on nav menu but the first page displays is the recent post page, which is blank. In the setting/reading there are only options for static or recent post. The recent post page should be the slide show. The navigation only has the home page listed, I click home and the page opens with the plugin. How can I get this page to display as the home page? I have only used static front pages in the past. Any help would truly be appreciated.