Fields of Faith founder: ‘Growing from just a few thousand students at a handful of fields to nearly a quarter of a million attendees annually worldwide is incredible evidence of the Lord’s power and sovereignty’
September 19, 2022
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA, www.fca.org) has announced that its key peer-to-peer autumn event, Fields of Faith, is set to take place on Wednesday, October 12, 2022. Coaches and student athletes alike have enthusiastically attended this special annual occasion since its start in 2004, and this inspiring event in 2022 promises to be even more powerful for God’s young believers.
Fields of Faith events are fully student-led. Inspired by their peers, young athletes get back to the basics of reading God’s Word through worship and personal testimonies, refueling their faith in the process. Each year, thousands have experienced the spectacular impact of the Gospel on their familiar home fields. It’s all thanks to the original dramatic vision for Fields of Faith that was set in motion with God’s help 20 years ago.
FCA President and CEO Shane Williamson noted, “Fields of Faith helps coaches and athletes experience God’s saving grace and gain the knowledge that lives can be transformed through Jesus, while encouraging them to get into the habit of reading God’s Word. It’s a powerful peer-to-peer event that God is using to bring the sports world to Himself.”
Jeff Martin, FCA’s Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnership, first envisioned the significant Fields of Faith event 20 years ago. As FCA’s Oklahoma area director in 2002, Martin had felt frustrated by the temptations and spiritual battles that America’s “spectator generation” youth faced, and he prayed to God for help and guidance. The Lord led him to 2 Chronicles 34, where King Josiah, the influential teenage ruler, gathered his people and challenged them to read God’s Word. As a result, the people changed their culture.
Said Martin, “The Josiah-influenced dream came true in 2004 when more than 6,000 students gathered on school athletic fields throughout Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas for our first Fields of Faith event. That year, over 100 students made decisions for Christ. Since then, over one million people have attended Fields of Faith — with thousands accepting Christ into their lives.”
Martin added, “Seeing the exponential growth and spiritual impact worldwide is incredible evidence of the Lord’s power and sovereignty. He leads us to deepen our relationship with Him, talk to Him daily, and get into His Word on a regular basis.”
FCA’s Fields of Faith understands that an athletic field offers a neutral rallying point for a community of faith believers. Here, on their own home turf and standing side by side, student athletes invite, pray for, share with, and challenge their peers to read the Bible and follow Jesus Christ.
To find a local Fields of Faith, visit www.fieldsoffaith.com/allfields for a list of events by state, as many more are added weekly.
FCA’s theme for 2022 is Every, based on Ephesians 1:3: “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.” FCA reminds Christian coaches and athletes that they already have everything they need in Christ and encourages them to seek Him both on and off the field.
Read more about Fellowship of Christian Athletes here, visit FCA’s website at www.fca.org, its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheFCATeam or its Twitter feed https://twitter.com/TheFCATeam.
###
