Who Will God Raise Up This School Year?

The back-to-school sales have begun, which means that millions of families around the country are getting ready for the excitement a new school year will bring. And many students are thinking about the new activities they will try and the organizations they may join—all coupled, of course, with schoolwork and sports.

In existence for 63 years, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) helps students bring an FCA presence to their campuses—from middle school to college—all to enable their peers to experience eternal, saving grace and know what it means to have their lives changed by Jesus Christ.

“Like every student, parent coach and athlete, all of us at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes look at each new school year with excitement and anticipation,” said FCA President and CEO Shane Williamson. “Every fall, we can’t wait to see the new, young leaders God will raise up to reach their friends and teammates for Christ. There is no more crucial time for young people to cement their faith in Christ, especially as they head into their college years. We pray the Lord will impact coaches and athletes around the world this school year like never before and that FCA will do all we can to see more and more live the adventure of life with Jesus.”

On the “Get Involved” section of the FCA website, students can learn about more opportunities to bring an FCA presence to their campus, including Huddles, which consist of meetings and Bible studies for teams, which are groups of athletes or coaches. Students can also begin planning ahead for the student-led Fields of Faith gatherings, happening Oct. 11 on athletic fields nationwide.

FCA is wrapping up its 2017 camps season, with more than 700 events in the U.S. and internationally this summer that will reach upwards of 100,000 coaches and athletes. This summer’s Camps theme is “ONE,” based on the Bible verse Philippians 1:27b: “.. I may hear of your activities, that you are standing fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Seven types of FCA Camps include: Coaches Camps, Leadership Camps, Partnership Camps, Power Camps, Sports Camps, Team Camps and International Camps.

Last summer, new attendance records were set as more than 100,000 coaches and athletes converged at 720 Camp events in 40 states and in 45 countries around the world, where 8,788 coaches and athletes made first-time commitments to Christ and 11,256 recommitted their lives to Christ. The 2016 attendance was an increase of more than 10,000 over 2015.