Stories From The Field

By Ron Backes 13 Feb, 2024
This past weekend the Frank Glazier Football Coaches Clinic rolled into Minneapolis, Minnesota. Minneapolis is just one of the 26 clinics that Glazier conducts annually. Frank Glazier is a strong supporter of FCA and provides a free vendor table for local FCA staff at each of their clinic locations for which we are so grateful. It is so special to experience these "sacred booths". As the Minnesota Coaches Ministry Strategist, I lead our ministry efforts at several coaches clinics in Minnesota. Since the majority of the over 900 coaches who attended the Minneapolis clinic are from all four of the states that make up our FCA Northland region (Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota), we had FCA staff from all four states come to help staff the booth. This weekend, my colleagues and I engaged with coaches, provided a listening ear, gave spiritual encouragement, and shared many resources to help them grow in their faith. Some coaches are long-time followers of Jesus, and some were completely new to learning how to coach by Biblical principles, motivated by the love of Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
By Ron Backes 13 Feb, 2024
Huddles are often held on Fridays in Mrs. Magel's room.  Follow @pinecityfca and DM on Instagram with any questions!
By Tanja Hansen 28 Dec, 2023
We work with society’s most visible people of influence, coaches and athletes, to build Christ-centered leaders that impact lives for eternity. The never-ending message we bring is the Gospel of Jesus Christ , his love for humanity, and our responsibility to tell others about him. We do this by going to the courts and fields where the coaches and athletes are. With more than forty staff engaging on over 250 campuses in Minnesota, we are living out our calling to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes. We are working to see a kingdom-building ministry on every high school and college campus in Minnesota in the next ten years. Here are just a few snippets of the many recent ministry highlights throughout the state:
By Tanja Hansen 26 Sep, 2023
“I’m usually the ‘big dog’ regarding faith in my friend group,” said Charlie. “But at camp, everyone is desiring to get closer to Christ and those people had a huge impact on me. That fellowship allowed me to get closer to Christ than I’d ever been before.”
By Renee Hinchcliffe 14 Jul, 2023
Every Thursday morning before school a few dozen students gather at Mahtomedi High School for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle meeting. Week after week, month after month, year after year students gather to read from the Bible, pray together, hear testimonies, and learn how to have a personal relationship with Jesus and what it looks like to follow Him in every area of their lives. As seniors and leaders graduate, new students join and others step up to fill the empty shoes, building on a foundation that was started many years before these current students ever stepped foot in the high school. This foundation was laid by parents, coaches, students, and FCA staff who were committed to giving students, athletes, and coaches opportunities to grow in their faith and hear the Good News of Jesus.
By Renee Hinchcliffe 18 May, 2023
Across Minnesota, hundreds of students, athletes, teachers, coaches, and volunteers attend a Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle on their college, high school, or middle school campus. While these huddles – which include a mix of Bible study, prayer, personal testimonies, games, activities, and outreach events – are primarily led by students, adult huddle coaches play a vital role. Huddle coaches pour into students and encourage them in their walk with Jesus, setting an example of leadership and leaving a lasting impact.
By Tanja Hansen 11 May, 2023
Jenny’s life was impacted for eternity because her brother attended FCA Leadership Camp. Reed Nyffeler (Jenny’s older brother) attended FCA Leadership Camp in Estes, CO ( which is actually where the first FCA camp was ever held in 1956 ) while he was in high school. It was at that camp that he heard the Gospel, believed, and came home to Nebraska a changed person. Reed came back on fire for Jesus (and Jenny made sure to add that he still is today!) and immediately took on a leadership role within his FCA huddle. Over Reed’s high school career, the huddle grew to over 200 student-athletes! He and a group of students who went to camp decided to expand the ministry even further and helped start a huddle at the middle school, too. They knew the value of extending the leadership structure to the lower grades so that ministry would continue at their school long after they graduated. That’s where Jenny heard the Gospel and believed.
By Renee Hinchcliffe 04 May, 2023
Meet Alexina, a high school student and FCA leader at White Bear Lake High School in White Bear Lake, Minnesota!
By Shelley Pearson 18 Apr, 2023
When Graciano was five, his family wanted to get away from the war and moved south from Huambo to Lubango near the border of Namibia. Five tribes make up the 800,000-person population, with additional aboriginal tribes living in the surrounding bush and mountains.  Graciano grew up in a Christian home where he regularly heard about God’s love and his need for a Savior, but it was not until he was 14 years old that he made what he refers to as a “deep decision” to become a follower of Christ. His father discipled him and taught him that he didn’t have to DO anything to earn anything from God but that he would WANT to serve people. Graciano has been serving others ever since. He spent some time in church ministry and many years with an international Christian youth ministry (at the time of his departure, he was the national director). Over the years, he had different opportunities to participate in sports ministry and sensed the Lord nudging him in that direction even though, in Angola, sports are often seen to conflict with faith because of how often sports interfere with Sunday worship. People are often forced to choose sports or faith, and sports are looked down upon by the Church. Graciano saw a tremendous opportunity to bring sport and faith together and started doing sports ministry full-time with the international youth ministry.
By Tanja Hansen 18 Apr, 2023
Fellowship of Christian Athletes presents Branch Rickey Service Award to Dwight Lundeen Award recognizes recipients who demonstrate FCA values of  integrity, service, teamwork, and excellence.
Show More

Share Stories From The Field


Subscribe to Blog:

Contact Us


#staysocial

Follow us @minnesotafca

Share by: