September 21, 2026
Ahead of Fields of Faith global outreach event, FCA asks athletes: ‘Where’s your field?’
Student-led movement brings together athletes and communities Oct. 14 for worship, testimonies and a call to live out God’s Word
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the estimated 27.3 million U.S. young people participating in organized sports, a field, court or gym is more than a place to compete. It’s where friendships form, community grows and influence takes shape.
As the 2026 Fields of Faith global date approaches, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is challenging these competitors to consider how they can use that influence. On Wednesday, Oct. 14, athletes and communities around the world are invited to gather in sports environments around a simple question: “Where’s your field?”
“Every athlete has a field of influence,” said Josh Gilreath, FCA Chief Operating Officer. “Wherever they compete and whatever sport they play, people are watching how they live. The question is whether athletes recognize the people around them and the opportunity to reach them. Fields of Faith gives athletes a way to bring their peers together around God’s Word and use their influence to have a positive impact on their community.”
Fields of Faith is an FCA outreach program built around a crucial distinctive: Students organize and lead the events themselves, challenging their peers to read the Bible daily and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.
The program begins with worship designed to prepare participants’ hearts and minds to connect with God. Athletes share personal testimonies, while a closing speaker presents the Gospel and challenges attendees to read the Bible daily. Attendees are then invited to respond, receive prayer and take next steps in their faith. And while athletes lead the gathering, the entire community is welcome to attend.
Then-Oklahoma FCA Area Director Jeff Martin was inspired to create the event by the biblical account of young King Josiah gathering his people to hear God’s Word and challenge their culture. Martin saw athletic venues as natural gathering places where students could reach peers already connected through sports.
In 2004, that vision became a reality when more than 6,000 students gathered on athletic fields across Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas, with more than 100 responding to the Gospel. Since then, hundreds of thousands have participated and thousands have chosen to follow Jesus Christ.
In 2024, the movement expanded beyond its annual format, as FCA broadened Fields of Faith to reach athletes in any sports environment, anywhere in the world and throughout the year. In fiscal year 2025, FCA reported 562 Fields of Faith events.
That reach reflects FCA’s holistic approach to discipleship. Through its E3 strategy, FCA seeks to Engage coaches and athletes through relationships, Equip them with God’s Word and Empower them to help others know and grow in Christ. Fields of Faith puts those principles into action by preparing athlete leaders to minister to their peers within their teams and communities.
Athletes don’t have to wait until Oct. 14 to get involved. Those interested in bringing Fields of Faith to their community can connect with local FCA staff and access video training that prepares volunteers to lead an event.
“For more than 20 years, we’ve seen what can happen when athletes are willing to step forward and share their faith with their peers,” Gilreath said. “As we approach Oct. 14, we want athletes everywhere to ask, ‘Where’s my field?’ It may be where they practice every afternoon, but it is also where God has already given them relationships and influence. That’s where a movement can begin.”
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ vision is to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes. Its mission is to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. FCA’s guiding values are integrity, serving, teamwork and excellence.
Since 1954, FCA has used the powerful medium of sports and building relationships to reach the world for Jesus Christ. FCA is cultivating Christian principles by engaging, equipping and empowering coaches and athletes to know and grow in Christ and lead others to do the same so that lives are changed for current and future generations.
Visit Fellowship of Christian Athletes at fca.org and on Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly Twitter).
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To interview a Fellowship of Christian Athletes representative, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Rich Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
