FCA – Impact & Influence in Area Schools
By Larry Bloomquist & James Gordon
You may have seen the movie, “God is NOT Dead.” That statement is certainly true, especially in the Westlake and Lake Travis area schools. In fact, God is stirring the hearts of many of our youth all over Austin through their involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). In the words of one student, “Seriously, FCA has changed my life and as funny as it sounds, it’s one of the loves of my life!”
Every day of the week, you can visit a different gathering of students praying together, engaging in Bible study, singing worship songs, and sharing the gospel with their peers ON PUBLIC SCHOOL CAMPUSES! The national news might paint a picture of doom and gloom for the next generation, but, as the only ministry allowed on most campuses, FCA has a front row seat as the Holy Spirit is moving in our youth.
Currently, FCA leads eight “huddles” for students across Eanes ISD and Lake Travis ISD with many more in the surrounding districts. These typically take place before school or during lunch, but we have recently started some huddles in the homes of Westlake families. Just last week, around 150 students attended the weekly lunch huddle at Westlake High School.
Huddles often begin with a warm welcome, a meal or snacks provided by volunteers, and a game. Students or a guest speaker will lead each other in a Bible study. While the organization’s name indicates athletes, FCA is open to all students. It is important that we welcome all students in Austin, TX. FCA’s unique student-led model has allowed us to continue serving in schools when most other ministries have been asked to leave.
FCA’s model is also built on involving the community: families, volunteers, and ministry partners. In the Westlake and Lake Travis areas, we have seen all these groups come forward to serve. Our Fields of Faith events the past two falls were largely run by a group of volunteer parents and eight supporting churches, including WHPC. Fields of Faith is community event at a local sports field where students share their testimonies, and the Gospel is shared. Last year, over 80 kids said they made a first-time faith decision or recommitted their life to Jesus at Chaparral Stadium.
One of the joys of working with FCA is seeing God’s kingdom be unified for the sake of the gospel. In addition to church partners like WHPC, we have also built partnerships with YoungLife, Moms in Prayer, and ASK. For example, FCA and YoungLife conducted home visits to 6th graders together, and FCA shares its campus access so YoungLife representatives can speak at FCA huddles. In fact, the growth and impact in Eanes ISD has motivated FCA to dedicate a new full-time Area Representative, Shela Ziska, to build on this strong foundation of community and partnerships.
With FCA being an extension of the Church, our mission is to connect our participants to a local church. We encourage all our coaches and students to be active participants in a church community. The WHPC and FCA partnership spans many years, and we have been blessed to have some amazing FCA leaders from WHPC. This year, the following WHPC students are serving in leadership roles: Cadence Lee, Phoebe Lingan, and Ryan Thorne.
WHPC has been wonderful in supporting the ministry of FCA both financially and with volunteering students and parents. We appreciate all the meals provided, hours spent, and labor given. There is a place for everyone to contribute, whether it’s speaking at a huddle, volunteering at an event, feeding students, or encouraging us through prayer.
The mission of all these gatherings is to find people whose hearts have been softened toward Jesus and disciple them. This is important for students and even more important for those who are leading our students. Many people know us for our engagement with students, but discipling coaches and gathering them for Bible study is one of our highest priorities. These coaches are leaders in the community and have so much influence over our youth. When their eyes are focused on Jesus, it transforms entire teams.
A coach being discipled by FCA staff recently shared this with us:
“I felt there has been this negative bondage around our team. Dealing with the pressure of ‘entitlement to winning’. I recently benched a starter for missing a practice. After the game, the player opened up to me about what he is dealing with and why he is missing practice. I thank the Lord for showing me I need to stop being ‘entitled to winning’ and focus on the ministry.”
I (Larry) have had the privilege of serving on the FCA Greater Austin Metro Area Board for many years, so I have seen the impact that FCA is making, not only in the Westlake Area, but the entire city. One of the highlights of my week is leading a coaches Bible study at Westlake High School for the past three years. We meet at 7am at the Westlake football field house weekly. Last year, we had coaches from four different sports attend. This fall semester we are doing a 12-week study of 2 Timothy with multiple football coaches.
As you can see, we have been given a vast mission field that is ripe for additional impact. We would love to have many more people to join us in this investment of our youth. Please contact Larry Bloomquist (larryrbloomquist@gmail.com) or James Gordon (jgordon@fca.org) if you would like to discuss volunteering with FCA or supporting Shela Ziska, as she steps into full time ministry in Eanes ISD.
Attached is information for the October 25th Westlake Fields of Faith.
