"Faith isn't just about believing in the power of Jesus, it's about believing in the way of Jesus - even when it doesn't seem to be going your way." SO GOOD @southeastchrist Praying that you have a blessed Tuesday of Holy Week!

Yesterday was Palm Sunday when we remembered Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Here is a chart to refer to as we continue through the week leading up to his crucifixion and eventually, resurrection! #HolyWeek #Easter

If @noblesdarbyiv is at FCA LEADership Camp, then we guarantee you want to be, too! More info at northlandfca.org/lead-camp Thursday, August 1 - Sunday, August 4 @northwesternmn Grades 9-12 #FCA247 #FCACAMP #LEADership #leadershipcamp

The impact of Northland FCA LEADership Camp goes far beyond just those in attendance. At camp, student-leaders are poured into and equipped with tools to go out and change the world through the influence of sport. That being said, we want YOU there! FCA LEADership Camp is for students going into grades 9-12 (Fall 2024) and the time to sign up is now! ---> northlandfca.org/lead-camp When: 6pm Thursday, August 1 - 12pm Sunday, August 4, 2024 Where: University of Northwestern, St. Paul Who: Students entering grades 9 - 12 (Fall 2024) Cost: $299 (on/before May 31st) "The biggest thing that students learn here that could have an impact is the mindset of multiplication. If everyone clicks with that and learns what we learn at camp, things will get changed the way that Jesus and his disciples changed the world." - FCA Intern, Sydney

If you're an AD in MN and planning to attend the MNIAAA Conference, we'd love to see you at the FCA Breakfast on Wednesday, March 27th in the Senate/Congress Room at the Best Western in St. Cloud! Learn more and RSVP for the free breakfast at minnesotafca.org/ad-breakfast #ADConference #MNIAAA

DID YOU KNOW? FCA distributed nearly 200,000 Bibles in 2022 alone, and 3 MILLION Bibles around the world in the past 15 years! FCA is truly committed to its mission of leading every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, focusing on putting God’s word into hands in our community and all over the world. Need a Bible? Send us a DM! #FCA247 #FCA

"You are literally changing the eternity of young athletes and there's no better thing you'd want to spend your time on." Learn more about our Minnesota FCA Summer Internship for college students at minnesotafca.org/summer-internship #SummerInternship #Internship #FCAIntern #SportsMinistry #Hiring #MNInternship

ATTENTION COLLEGE STUDENTS! 📢 We are now accepting applications for the Minnesota FCA Summer Internship Program --> https://minnesotafca.org/summer-internship The 10-week summer internship can be viewed in two buckets: >> Personal Growth - We pour into our intern team with Christ-centered faith and leadership development. >> Kingdom Growth - We give our interns the opportunity to take what they've learned and put it into action with local FCA huddles, camps, and events. This is a part-time internship for 10 weeks from June 3 - August 9, 2024. Interns will have the full week of July 1-5 off. This internship will focus on Christ-centered leadership training and ministry opportunities such as: >> Leading and directing summer FCA camps >> Serving as Huddle Leaders at the Northland FCA Regional Sports Camp and Leadership Camp >> Mentoring high school leaders involved in their FCA campus ministry >> Participating in FCA fundraising events >> Building relationships with other like-minded ministries and churches >> Experiencing other areas of sports ministry Learn more and apply online at - https://minnesotafca.org/summer-internship #Intern #SummerIntern #Internship #SummerInternship #MNInternship #SportsMinistry #FCAIntern #Hiring

Thank you for using your platform and place of influence to point people to Jesus, Coach Tony Dungy! ☝️

Coach Tony Dungy on running to win the race...

The Saturday morning session at FCA Realtime started off with some incredible worship and a continuation of Dr. Tony Evans message, followed by a Q&A with OU Softball's Grace Lyons Turk. 🙌 He began with a football analagy - there's a home team and a visiting team who are in three hours of conflict. They will never agree because they have different agendas and goals. So, the NFL officers have deputized officials to go to every game and sit in the midst of the conflict but not become part of it. Each official has been handed a book and given governing guidelines. Their thoughts and opinions must become secondary to what is written in that book. The officials understand that sometimes they are going to be boo'd and sometimes they will be cheered, but they understand that popularity is irrelevant to what is in the book. We are living on the field. As we carry out the assignments we've been given in the chaos of this world, we must understand that while we cannot stop the conflict, we can manage it with the authority of Jesus Christ. In the Great Commission, Jesus gives us three participles - 1. Go out and preach - regardless of the language, go means go. Go public. Let your Christianity hit the marketplace. He wants people to know where you stand in love and with sensitivity, but with clarity. 2. Baptize people - we put on a whole new uniform and identity when we are baptized. We may be from different cultures but we wear the same uniform because we are on the same team. Put on the discipleship uniform as full time visible followers of Jesus Christ. 3. Teach people - teach them the Truth. Biblical truth must be activated in order to be experienced - it is not activated until the foot moves. Once the foot moves, the Holy Spirit activates. Jesus closes with this - "I am with you always, even until the end of the age." In Greek, this reads, "and I, EVEN I, will be with you always." When talking about baptism, he mentions the whole trinity. Why here does he only mention himself? Because he is the ultimate authority. He will be WITH us as we go and make disciples - he will share his authority with us.

Yesterday, we were blessed to hear from Dr. Tony Evans and Coach Joe Kennedy at FCA Realtime! Dr. Evans started out with making the distinction between the active wrath of God in the Old Testament (2 Chronicals 15:1-4) and the passive wrath of God in the New Testament (Romans 1:21-32) - when people decide that they want to do life without him, God practices "divine abandonment." And, the chaos in this world is the direct result of divine abandonment. What led to divine abandonment that led to chaos for the Israelites? They looked to idols and other false gods. We see the same thing today - we place our identity in other things that become false gods. "When you don't have THE Truth, you're going to appeal to YOUR truth. You must always define yourself by the truth of Scripture." - Dr. Tony Evans What happens when God abandons an environment? Chaos ensues because people make up their own rules. But, there is good news - in 2 Chronicals, 15:4, when they saight the LORD, they found him. "God is waiting on us to lead the way to bring him back into the culture to bring order in the environment in which we live." We have the power to change the trajectory of a nation that is lost. We, as the ministry of FCA, are bringing the true God into the idolotry of athletics and letting people know that God is on the throne. 🙌 And after that incredible message, Coach Joe Kennedy shared his testimony about being fired for taking a knee on the field in prayer and the legal battle that followed -"I knew that this was going to cost me everything but I knew I had to take a knee. I took a knee, I lost my job, and it was absolutely 100% worth it." Visit coachjoekennedy.org to learn more of his story! #FCA247 #realtime2024

Many of our Minnesota staff are in Orlando, Florida this weekend for Realtime - a conference focused on faith, fun, and fellowship to bring the FCA family together. And, we're a big family! We've been worshipping and learning alongside 2,600 of our teammates and spouses from 64 countries around the world. 🙌 These photos are from the first night together on Thursday - it was an incredible night of celebrating all that God has done and is continuing to do through this ministry! A highlight of the night was a special concert from @caintheband! And, did you know - FCA plays a big role in their family?! Their mom went to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Girls' Conference camp in Black Moutain, North Carolina the summer after her 8th grade year after someone sponsored her. She didn't know what FCA was, but she shared that the experience rocked her whole world. Just a few nights into camp, on July 9, 1980, she decided to accept Jesus into her heart and wrote, "Born again" in her camp booklet. She brought her fire for Jesus home with her, and because of that experience, her mother gave her life to the Lord and the trajectory of their entire family changed for eternity. 🙌 Amen! #FCA247 #FCARealtime2024 #TEAMFCA #Cain

Cole Morgan is officially joining our Southeast MN FCA team as an FCA Area Rep in and around Rochester this month! Cole comes to staff with years of FCA experience already - he was involved in the huddle at Schaeffer Academy from 7th - 12th grade and served as a Huddle Leader his senior year. He's also coached in the Southeast MN FCA Flag Football league for the past two yeas and worked as a Coach/Huddle Leader at the Rochester FCA Sports Camp for the past three years. He says, "It’s been amazing to see the transformation that happens with FCA and is one of the main reasons I decided to go full-time." We asked Cole why he feels called to FCA and love his answer - "I have always loved sports and have loved Jesus. The use of sports to expand the Kingdom is something that I really feel is my calling and my experience with FCA has given me the knowledge to know that FCA does a great job spreading the Gospel. I love God and I love sports. It’s as simple as that." Favorite sports? "I love Baseball, basketball, and football. There are not many I don’t like but those are probably my favorites." Who is Jesus to you? "Jesus is the only reason I am alive today. He is my Lord and Savior, and it is my faith in him that gives me the life and passion to spread his word to the world." What is your hope with FCA? "I hope to play a part in transforming this world through Jesus Christ by influencing coaches and athletes." #TeamFCA #WelcometotheTeam #FCAStaff #MNFCATeam #SoutheastMNFCA #FCA247 #JointheTeam #SportsMinistry

Join Minnesota FCA for a FREE breakfast and encouraging program prior to the Arise with the Guys event on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at Grace Church in Eden Prairie! More info and sign-up at --> https://www.minnesotafca.org/arise FCA Coaches Breakfast attendees will also receive free VIP tickets to Arise With The Guys! Arise With the Guys is an annual men's-only event where professional and collegiate Christian athletes share their inspirational messages of faith, godly values, and legacy-building. #AriseWithTheGuys #AWTG #FCABreakfast #FCACoach #ChristianCoach ARISE with the GUYS

We have ANOTHER new teammate to share with you - welcome, Gavin Bowser to FCA East Metro Twin Cities MN!! 🙌 We've prayed fervently that God would raise up more workers for the ministry and we praise Him for bringing Gavin to our team. Check out a few fun questions we asked Gavin so that you can get to know him! 1: Why FCA? The reason I feel called to FCA is because of the Lord’s redemption in my own life. Where I grew in my faith and found mentors was in sports. I’m passionate about sports and athletics, and tying these two things together with ministry was a clear statement that the Lord was making in my life. Discipleship has been a huge part of my story. The model of E3 that we have in FCA is so effective for teaching and demonstrating how we, as disciples, are called to make disciples. I want to see this taught and caught in the sports world. To me, it just seemed so fitting to be involved in FCA because of what the Lord was saying to me. 2: Who has been a mentor in this process as you join this team? Brent, for sure, as well as my teammate Brady. My FCA discipleship group with DJ Miller, my mentor Jason as well as my fiancé Hannah. There has been no shortage of people who have supported and encouraged me in this process to uplift me with prayer, support, and encouragement. 3: What are you most excited about? I'm so excited to actually get to work forming relationships and networking with people for the purpose of introducing them to Christ. I can’t wait to see lives transformed. And be full-time in ministry for the first time! 4: Most nervous about? Ironically, reaching out and forming relationships! But I know God’s got it. Managing schedules and time management in all of this has me on my toes as well. I know I need to be organized to maximize energy and impact. 5: What areas will you be serving on the East Metro team? I will be an Area Rep for Irondale, Mounds View, Roseville, Concordia, and St Paul high schools to start. Join us in giving him a warm welcome and praying for him as he starts full-time ministry! #TeamFCA

Introducing our newest Minnesota FCA Prospective Staff, DJ Davis! DJ joins us from St. Louis, Missouri, and is working on raising financial support to come on staff with the Twin Cities Collegiate team. "I’m a former collegiate athlete & high school football coach who has committed himself to following Jesus Christ. During the past few years, I’ve gone to seminary and served as a pastoral resident in the local church in St. Louis, MO. Now, God has united my passion for ministry with my passion for sports, by leading my family and me to join the FCA Twin Cities Collegiate staff team." We are so grateful that God brought you to this place at this time and are praying for you during this season, DJ! If you feel called to financially support DJ's ministry, visit my.fca.org/?form=DjDavis

Please join us in welcoming Matt Warren to the Northeast Minnesota FCA team!! 🙌 Matt joins the team as an Area Rep in Duluth where he lives with his wife, Maren, and their four boys. He has a background in coaching, social work, insurance, and volunteer leadership positions at his church. Where did your call to FCA begin? "In college, testimonies of athletes led me to Christ and campus ministries discipled me. I have always loved coaching and ministry, and God recently called me to combine those passions to serve coaches and athletes through FCA." What are your favorite sports? > Basketball > Football > Baseball > Hockey > Running Who Jesus is to you? "Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world. He has saved me from my sins and is my righteousness, life, 'all in all,' and Lord." What your hope is for being an FCA staff person? "I desire to see the spread of the Gospel and God's glory throughout Duluth and NE Minnesota. I pray that many coaches and athletes would be saved and built up in their faith, and that schools, cities, and communities would be changed." "God has shown his love to me and walked with me in and through many dark places. I desire to utilize my story of redemption along with my strengths and gifts to bring salvation, hope, and healing to many through my ministry with FCA." 🙌 AMEN! Big praises to God for raising Matt up as a Christ-centered leader to serve with FCA and impact the world for Jesus Christ through coaches and athletes. We can't wait to see how He shows up and shows off in NE MN! #FCA247 #WelcometotheTeam #TeamFCA #NewStaff

Happy Valentine's Day! YOU are loved by the Most High! ❤️

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and joined us at the Glazier Clinics FCA Lunch last weekend! 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! At the booth, FCA staff from the Northland Region (MN, WI, ND, SD) 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. At the lunch, we were blessed to hear from former head football coach at South Dakota State University, John Stigelmeier. He retired a year ago, capping off his 44-year-long career with a National Championship. John has long supported FCA and credits FCA with changing life, where he committed to follow Jesus at an FCA coaches breakfast. John was really on his game on Saturday as he unashamedly professed his faith in Jesus and inspired all in attendance to put Jesus number one in their life. He shared many other wonderful lessons: >> Praise loudly and correct quietly. >> Be who you are. >> Accept and celebrate who your players are. And, most importantly: >> Commit your life to Jesus. He shared that Jesus will change your life, your family's life, and your player's lives. We had around 80 in attendance, and MN FCA Coach Strategist, Ron Backes, concluded the lunch program by sharing the Gospel. Several coaches commented how God touched their lives at lunch, and one coach made a decision to give his life to Jesus! 🙌 That's what it's all about. We praise God and give Him glory for the entire weekend. Also, please pray for this new brother in Christ and that he would be willing to be discipled by a local FCA teammate. Thank you to all the FCA staff from the Northland region who came together to make this a true team effort!

Trust us. You want to be here. Northland FCA LEADership Camp 2024 6pm Thurs, August 1st - > 12pm Sun, August 4th @northwesternmn More info at northlandfca.org/lead-camp #FCA247 #FCACAMP #LEADership #leadershipcamp @southeastmnfca @wisconsinfca @fca_northmetro @thefcateam @fca.evhs.rhs @fcawaseca @owatonnafca @fca_jefferson @fca_goodhue @anokafca @fcabrent @fca.woodbury @osseofca @cphsfca @fca.erhs @fca_northfield @cannonfallsfca @buffalomnfca @rockfordfca @oronofca @maplegrovefca @fcaupnorth @stillwater_fca @lewistonalturafca @fca_centralwi @swmnfca @cooper.fca

WAHOO!! The first 2024 FCA LEADership Camp registration came in yesterday and we. are. so. pumped! YOU should come to LEADership Camp if: 👉 Are a Christian Athlete who loves Jesus & Sport 👉 Want to grow as a Christ-centered leader 👉 Lead or want to lead an FCA huddle on your campus When: 6pm Thursday, August 1 - 12pm Sunday, August 4, 2024 Where: University of Northwestern, St. Paul Who: Students entering grades 9 - 12 (Fall 2024) Cost: $299 (on/before May 31) // $350 (after May 31) More info ®gistration at https://northlandfca.org/lead-camp #FCA #FCA247 #FCACamp #LeadershipCamp #NorthlandFCA #ChristianLeader #ChristCenteredLeader

Who's going to be at the @glazier.clinics this weekend in Minneapolis?! FCA is hosting a free lunch for coaches (psst - it's catered by @famousdaves !) at noon on Saturday at the @westminsterpresbyterianchurch . BONUS - you'll get to hear from former South Dakota State University Head Football Coach, John Stiegelmeier! If you plan to join us, please RSVP online at https://www.minnesotafca.org/glazier-lunch #GlazierFootballClinic #SDSUCoach #SDSUFootball

Coach Mitchell Weege got involved with FCA as a freshman in high school after he was invited by a senior on the basketball team that he looked up to. It was at the FCA huddle that Mitchell rededicated his life to Jesus and eventually became a student-leader during his Junior year. "Because of my experiences in FCA and at Northwestern, I realized my call to be a teacher and a coach. The Lord led me to Stillwater High School and an opportunity to lead a huddle of my own, overseeing leaders trying to lead their classmates and teammates to Jesus just like I did in high school." Be encouraged today by watching Mitchell's story in this video and realizing that there are so many stories very similar to his all throughout #MinnesotaFCA! AND, it can all start with a simple invitation to have a teammate join you at the huddle. 🙌

REGISTRATION IS OPEN for the Northland FCA Sports and Leadership Camps! 🎉 You should come to Leadership Camp if you: >> Are a Christian Athlete who loves Jesus & Sport >> Want to grow as a Christ-centered leader >> Lead or want to lead an FCA huddle on your campus You should come to Sports Camp if you: >> Desire outstanding instructional skill development and intense competition in your sport - Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Soccer, Tennis, Softball, or Volleyball >> Want to grow as an athlete in all three dimensions: Physical (Skills), Emotional (Motivation), Spiritual (Why We Play) Visit https://northlandfca.org/regional-camps to learn more about each camp and register today! #FCA247 #FCACamp #NorthlandFCA #SportsCamp #LeadershipCamp #SummerCamp

"Coaches and athletes have influence. And the never-changing message within the Fellowship of Christian Athletes is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His love for humanity, and our responsibility to let others know about Him." - Shane Williamson, FCA President Here at Minnesota FCA, we are seeking to connect every coach and athlete in every school and sport with the REAL and SUSTAINING hope of a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church. Through a variety of FCA camps, huddles, and events, we are getting coaches and athletes into Gods Word, praying for and with others, and multiplying their dedication through what we call E3 - Engaging, Equipping, and Empowering. E3 is all about living out the Great Commission of making MORE followers of Jesus into His disciples that change the world through sport. Join us. #E3 #FCA247 #FCAEvery #MakingDisciples #TheGreatCommission #Jesus #SportsMinistry #MinnesotaFCA

“And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we do for you.” -1 Thessalonians 3:12 You’ve had a reset. You’ve renewed your purpose. You’ve refueled and trained for this moment. It’s time to make the play and that shot. That’s why athletes compete—to have those opportunities to boldly put that hard work into practice. You know you’re ready when you have the confidence to give your best and not worry about the outcome. In the same way as a believer, you’ve gone through the process of spiritual reset, renewal, and refueling. You are now ready to show boldness and share the Gospel with unbelievers. It’s time to make disciples and live out of the overflow of Christ in you. Read how Peter & John used the overflow of Christ in them to boldly share the Gospel and find out how you can too in this blog post --> https://www.fca247.org/ready-247 #FCA247

Coach Harbaugh with the @ravens read straight from the Bible in yesterday's post-game press conference. 🙌 This right here is why our mission is to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. Coaches and athletes have significant influence in our culture and when they share Jesus with others, that can create a huge impact! Thank you for being bold in your faith, @ravens.hc and for sharing this story this morning @air1radio! #FCA247

“… and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” -Ephesians 3:19 It doesn’t matter if you’re at the beginning of your training or at the end of a big game. The need to refuel your body and mind is a never-ending cycle. The same is true for you as a follower of Christ. You need the spiritual fuel that brings a supernatural joy and hope that will overflow into every aspect of your life. The Bible is for the follower of Christ. The Bible is God’s sovereign Word, which contains all truth through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and everything you need to live for Him. Just as you need physical and mental fuel for athletic performance, you need spiritual fuel to walk out God’s purpose for your life. Consistent communication with God draws you near to Him and brings peace and joy to your heart. Read more here --> https://www.fca247.org/refuel-247 #FCA247

Our team loves hosting the FCA breakfast at the MSHSBCA Clinic! Thank you to all 66 baseball coaches who joined us to hear David McIver share inspiring stories from his book, "Looking for the One" - if you haven't read this book yet, we highly encourage you to grab it for yourself. It's full of short stories about people experiencing Jesus in grocery stores, hospitals, and dugouts. McIver states in his book, "As you witness the power of the Gospel in your everyday life, you discover that the first life to be changed is yours. Because, as you look for the one, you become like the One." Seriously - go get the book. https://a.co/d/324ShfT @mshslsportsofficial #FCA247 #lookingfortheone

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13 FCA President, Shane Williamson, reflects on our 2024 theme verse (above) in relation to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. --> "It is that overflow of hope that comes from us as we walk with Christ that allows us to live out the hopes and dreams that Dr. King had of a body of people around the world who love each other unconditionally regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity." Amen! #MLK #FCA247 #Romans1513

“… to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.” -Ephesians 4:22-24 Once you’ve taken time for a reset, you can find freedom in the truth of a new identity and new purpose in Christ. That freedom only matters, however, because He renews your life—by giving you a new heart. When God gives you a new heart, He also gives you a new purpose and, through His Holy Spirit, new power to walk out that purpose with boldness, confidence and conviction. You can do anything God calls you to do, but you can’t do it alone! Read more in this blog post --> https://www.fca247.org/renew-247 #FCA247

We have our Minnesota FCA All-Staff Meeting today and we always prioritize studying God's Word. Today, we are surveying the Gospel of Mark to see how Jesus used the discipleship principles that FCA focuses on - Engage > Equip > Empower. Learn more about #E3 at www.fca.org/e3 #FCA247

“Stop fighting, and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.” -Psalm 46:10 Life is a 24/7 grind. As an athlete, you’re always moving and there’s not much time to slow down. What if you lost momentum or ground? There’s no way to win in sports or in the game of life when you’ve stopped and everyone else is passing you by. But sometimes, you might need a do-over; time to stop and get a fresh start; time to move in a different direction. Maybe it’s time to be still and recognize the need for a new perspective in Christ. Learn how in our latest blog post --> https://fca247.org/reset-247

FROM OVERWHELMED TO OVERFLOWING How you spend your 24/7 doesn't have to remain unchanged. But, where do you start? RESET > RENEW > REFUEL > READY Join us as we dive into these four key concepts throughout the year to understand how you can go from being overwhelmed by the demands of life, to living in the overflow that comes from time spent with Jesus. #FCA247

Start this year off right with the YouVersion reading plan centered around our 2024 theme, 24/7! This four-day reading plan explores how to RESET, RENEW, REFUEL, and be READY in a competitor’s sport and faith --> www.bible.com/reading-plans/41913-247 As a coach or athlete, it can feel like the hustle and grind never stops. How you spend your "24/7" matters. Jesus is ready to give you the rest and rejuvenation that you need, you just have to slow down enough to receive it. Learn how to go from being overwhelmed by the demands of sport, to living from the overflow of hope and joy that comes from Jesus with this 4-Day Devotional - What's Your 24/7? #FCA247

And the 2024 FCA Ministry Theme is .--> 24/7 // �FROM OVERWHELMED TO OVERFLOWING // What's your 24/7 look like: stress? anxiety? burnout? a never-ending grind? We all need a chance to reset our priorities and perspective. Become grounded in your identity: ➡️ Dive into God's Word with the 4-day 24/7 devotional. ➡️ Receive monthly, impactful content. ➡️ Get your free "What's Your 24/7?" book here ⬇️ https://fca247.org #FCA247

Story Update‼️ Earlier this year, we published a story on our blog about a White Bear Lake FCA huddle leader, Alexina. She graduated in June and is now serving with the World Race. With WR, she will be traveling to several countries over the next year, doing ministry to the communities she will be living in. Here's what Alexina had to share in her November blog post: "In the morning, we have soccer through FCA with the older kids, and then in the afternoon, the younger kids. Hope Ministry partners with FCA for this soccer program on Fridays. The coaches lead a small huddle with the kids focused on a certain topic, learning how to apply biblical values to their everyday life, and then go into the sports part of it! Woo hoo, soccer!! It’s so cool to me how FCA is a large part of ministries over here in Guatemala, and probably all around the world, and not just in America!" How great is that! She was part of FCA all through her childhood, attending FCA sports camps, volunteering at them as she got older, a huddle leader at her school, and she happened across FCA in Guatemala! God is so, so good. You can find that story about Alexina here: https://www.minnesotafca.org/alexina #FCAGreater #WhiteBearLake #WorldRace FCA East Metro Twin Cities MN

It's almost here! FCA's 2023 ministry theme is being released tomorrow! Here's a closer look... Any guesses on what it might be?!

When we minister TO a coach like Emilee, God ministers THROUGH her. Amen! 🙌 "I am beyond grateful for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the impact it has had on my life. My connection to FCA began over seventeen years ago in my first year as a college coach. The Coaches Huddles have helped me to find purpose in my calling while growing as a person, a coach, and most importantly as a Christian. Our weekly studies provide guidance and clarity, an opportunity to spend time in the Word, and a deeper connection to fellow coaches and huddle leaders. After experiencing a health crisis last year, my fellow huddle members surrounded me in prayer and I was especially grateful for our huddle leader reaching out regularly to check in and extend support and prayers. My FCA family has been such an eternal blessing in my life and I am very thankful for all they have done for the student-athletes and coaches on our campus." -Emilee Thiesse, Head Women’s Basketball Coach @ Minnesota State University, Mankato

Happy New Year! 🎉 While this isn't an FCA-specific resource, many of our staff, coaches, and volunteers love utilizing The Bible Recap Podcast to read through the Bible in a year. Learn more and get started at thebiblerecap.com Have you gone through this or another Bible reading plan? Share your experience with us in the comments! 👇 Looking for a new Bible? FCA's E3 Discipleship Bible is full of intentionally crafted discipleship tools and resources based on FCA’s E3 discipleship method: Engage. Equip. Empower. E3 discipleship-focused questions, articles, and commentary are placed alongside the corresponding biblical text for personal or group study. Get yours at fcagear.com/e3-discipleship-bible-navy-faux-leather

Get ready to fuel up in 2024! Something new is coming and we can't wait to share it with you. Here's a sneak peek at what the 2024 ministry theme is going to look like. Stay tuned on 1/3/2024 to get the full reveal!

This right here is our WHY --> “FCA has helped me in many ways. FCA has brought me closer to the Lord. I went from hardly reading my Bible to reading it every night and not just reading but annotating, highlighting, and applying God’s word to my day-to-day life. I am also paying extra attention to the messages at church and going to church because I want to and not because I’ve been told to. FCA has boosted both my confidence and leadership skills which has been great for my athletics and academics.” -Joe, Junior at Le Sueur High School Can we get an AMEN for how God has used the ministry of FCA to work in and through Joe's life!? 🙌

As we prepare to say farewell to the year 2023, we rejoice in the work God has done through the ministry of FCA in Minnesota. By His grace and your partnership, we were able to reach countless coaches and athletes for Christ! We are grateful for each of our ministry partners - for those of you who have prayed for, volunteered with, and financially supported the work that we are doing to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ in his church. Your support is a crucial part of the FCA team. Would you consider making a final year-end gift to support the work we are doing to see a kingdom-building ministry on every high school and college campus in Minnesota in the next ten years? Every gift of every size goes directly toward changing lives for eternity - sharing the Gospel with them and equipping them to do the same with others! Donations can be made online by visiting www.minnesotafca.org/donate or by mail with checks made out to "FCA" and mailed to: Minnesota FCA 2 Pine Tree Drive, Suite 450 Arden Hills, MN 55112

Merry Christmas from all of us at Minnesota FCA! "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6

We've been praying earnestly for God to provide workers for the harvest and we give all the glory to Him as we welcome another new FCA staff member - Dave Frasier! God has been preparing Dave for this role to minister to coaches and athletes through FCA with over a decade of teaching and coaching in both the high school and collegiate levels. Dave shares his WHY by saying, "I feel like this is the direction that God is leading me to. Serving with FCA gets me fired up to see lives changed and communities impacted forever through the transforming power of Jesus Christ. God is using my love of sports and Jesus, my strengths of strategy and working with people, and my experiences teaching and coaching to serve the North Metro communities." Join us in giving Dave a warm welcome and praying for his leadership in the North Metro area! @fca_northmetro

We're thrilled to officially welcome Dwight Nelson to the Minnesota FCA team! 👏 Dwight recently joined the North Metro area as a full-time Area Rep and we can't wait to see how the ministry grows with him on staff. Join us in giving him a very warm welcome!

Check it out! MN FCA State Director, Tom Ness, along with Mike Gmetro, Tom Messner, Zach Stover, and Ryan Collins (NFL Alumni) won the MN NFL Alumni Chapter Golf Tournament this past August so they were able to compete in the National NFL Alumni Golf Tournament, "The Super Bowl of Golf" in Florida this week. Well, they qualified first for the shootout and ended up in second place for the tournament. Congrats, team!! 👏👏 @nfl @nflalumni

"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now." - Philippians 1:3-5 As an FCA team, we pray regularly for you - the coaches, athletes, volunteers, and donors that make up this ministry. And when we pray, we begin by thanking God for you. If anyone understands what it means to be part of a team, it's those who are/have been involved in sports. Thank you for being part of this team. We are so grateful for the opportunity to use the influence of sport to impact people around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! What are you most thankful for today?

We have nearly 40 FCA staff just like Ron who are called to minister to coaches and athletes here in Minnesota. "I want to equip coaches to not only coach the body, but to coach the mind, the heart, and the spirit and look for opportunities to plant seeds of faith in their athletes' lives. That's why I'm with FCA." - Ron Backes The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a faith-financed ministry, meaning that each staff person relies on people like you to provide the financial support needed to engage, equip, and empower coaches and athletes in their area. For the next two days, staff will receive unlocked additional funds for all donations received ($500 for every 10 donors)! Would you consider making a gift of any amount to support our mission of leading every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church? Visit minnesotafca.org/meet-the-team to choose a staff person to donate to today! #GivetoFCA #GiveMN #SportsMinistry

Today is #GivetotheMax day here in Minnesota and we'd be so grateful if you'd consider supporting our ministry to coaches and athletes throughout the state with your financial gift of any amount. BONUS - we're currently running a campaign that unlocks an additional $500 for every 10 donations that each of our staff receives! 🤯 Visit minnesotafca.org/meettheteam to learn more and donate with your credit card, bank account, Paypal, Venmo, or Apple/Google Pay. #GiveMN #GivetoFCA #SportsMinistry

“𝗙𝗖𝗔 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗜𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹.” This quote comes from a young man whose passion for Jesus was ignited at a metro high school huddle nearly a decade ago. FCA gave him the opportunity to become a Christ-centered leader at his school and served as the springboard for the next steps in his life. After high school, he went on to: • Start an FCA ministry at his college. • Intern with Minnesota FCA. • Serve as a youth pastor at a large church • Become a missionary serving in Eastern Africa, where he is reaching a people group who have never had the chance to hear about the saving power of Jesus Christ. What may have started out as simply being involved in a high school FCA huddle has multiplied into worldwide impact! There is simply no way of knowing the ripple effect that he has had, let alone countless others just like him. Jesus had a plan to change the world, and He did it by engaging, equipping, and empowering His disciples to make a difference for Christ. We're following Jesus' model by: • Engaging coaches and athletes with the Gospel. • Equipping them through God's Word and prayer. • Empowering them to make a lasting difference. Learn more about how we make disciples who make disciples using the “E3” model at https://www.fca.org/e3

FREE CONCERT TONIGHT! Chisago Lakes FCA area is hosting a community concert with Allison Eide tonight at Chisago Lake Lutheran Church and YOU are invited! This event is FREE to the community and all are welcome to attend. That being said, we are looking for partner sponsors to help cover the cost of the event. If you feel called to invest in this opportunity, visit https//bit.ly/FCAConcert Monday, November 6th | 6:30-8:00pm Chisago Lakes Lutheran Church 1231 Summit Ave, Center City MN

Southeast MN FCA Area Director, Jimmy, has become known among our staff as someone who is passionate about sharing The Four: 1. God Loves You 2. Sin Separates You 3. Jesus Rescues You 4. Will you trust Him? Jimmy frequently shares this message at huddles and other FCA events like golf tournaments and banquets. This past weekend, he shared it with a coach at the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Fall Clinic. After their conversation, Jimmy gave that coach a Four bracelet and the coach went on his way. But, the story doesn't end there - that same coach then came back later in the day to grab ANOTHER bracelet to give away to someone else. 🙌 Jimmy is more than humble in his approach to sharing the Gospel - "Sharing the Truth of the Gospel is why I feel that we are alive and it’s easy to do when we recognize that the final decision isn’t our responsibility. Each person gets to choose to accept or reject the redemption that Jesus offers through the Cross." Learn more about The Four at thefour.fca.org and send us a message if you'd like a bracelet (or a few) mailed to you!

@chisagolakesfca area is hosting a community concert with @allison_eide on Monday, November 6th at Chisago Lake Lutheran Church and YOU are invited! This event is FREE to the community and all are welcome to attend. That being said, we are looking for partner sponsors to help cover the cost of the event. If you feel called to invest in this opportunity, visit https://my.fca.org/?form=comconcertwallisoneide Monday, November 6th | 6:30-8:00pm Chisago Lakes Lutheran Church 1231 Summit Ave, Center City MN

Some photos from Fields of Faith at @duluthdenfeldhighschool last night! #FOF23 #FieldsofFaith #DuluthDenfeld

It's time for this generation to lead. A movement of God is happening and it's happening in communities like yours. We are sharing our faith, reading His word, and sharing what He's done in our lives. Fields of Faith is an event where students challenge their peers to read the Bible and follow Jesus Christ. Tonight, THESE schools are hosting events in their community: October 11th: - NRHEG High School @ Panther Football Field - Duluth @ Denfeld High School Stadium - Waseca @ Waseca High School FCA - Marshall @ SMSU Today Rec Football Field - Hastings High School @ Todd Field - Bemidji @ Bemidji High School Find an event near you at www.fieldsoffaith.com.

In 2002, Oklahoma Fellowship of Christian Athletes Area Director, Jeff Martin, prayed about what to do with his heartfelt frustration regarding the temptations and spiritual battles facing our more “spectator generation” youth. God led him to 2 Chronicles 34 for the answer. King Josiah, an influential teenager, gathered his people and challenged them to read God’s Word. As a result, they changed their culture. In 2004, The Josiah-influenced dream came true when more than 6,000 students gathered on school athletic fields throughout Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas for Fields of Faith. Through the student led events, more than 100 students made decisions for Christ. Since that day hundreds of thousands of people have attended Fields of Faith and thousands have accepted Christ. Tonight, THESE schools are hosting events in their community: October 11th: - NRHEG High School @ Panther Football Field - Duluth @ Denfeld High School Stadium - Waseca @ Waseca High School FCA - Marshall @ SMSU Today Rec Football Field - Hastings High School @ Todd Field - Bemidji @ Bemidji High School

Hey @ndsu.official, @msumoorhead, @concordia_mn FCA family - Join us for the first Tri-College FCA Reunion! We are hosting an FCA Reunion Tailgating Huddle gathering on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at 9:30am. Come for a light breakfast followed by the huddle meeting. Stay for the Concordia or NDSU football games that day. Current FCA students will join in the fun. RSVP on our website at https://www.minnesotafca.org/fca-reunion Pass the word!

We are so encouraged by the turnout of about 200 people for the first (of hopefully, many) Fields of Faith at Buffalo High School last week! Students from local schools and churches gathered to worship, pray, share testimonies, and spend time in fellowship with each other. Schools in MN hosting FOF events this month: October 11th: - New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva @ Panther Football Field - Duluth @ Denfeld High School Stadium - Waseca @ Waseca High School - Marshall @ SMSU Rec Football Field - Hastings @ Todd Field - Bemidji @ Bemidji High School October 15th: Elk River @ Elk River High School October 22nd: Owatonna @ Federated Field October 25th: Little Falls @ Little Falls High School _____ Why Fields of Faith? It’s time to spark a spiritual movement for God. Christianity needs a change in momentum—students who will stand together against the pressures and temptations in our world and be a generation that is committed to reading the Bible and applying it to their lives. It’s time to Get in the Game and Get in the Book! Learn more at https://www.fieldsoffaith.com/ @fcamnnwmetro @buffalomnfca @armstrong.fca @oronofca @rockfordfca @cooper.fca @rockfordmiddleschoolfca

Pastor Chris shared two more imperatives for soul-restoration and these apply to EVERYONE, not just those in ministry. 1.Proclaim the glory of God every day. • Psalm 19 - "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 8. Memorize God's Word and hide his Word in your heart so that your soul is revived. • Take a verse, say it 25 time the first day, 20 the next, 15 the next, etc. for 5 days and review it daily. Thank you, Pastor Chris, for pouring into the Northland FCA team this week at our annual gathering. Our cups are full and we are ready to go back out and encourage others with Truth! @theredbrickchurch

A few more Gospel-shaped imperatives for soul restoration and renewal for those in ministry from Pastor Chris Brauns: 3. Anticipate icing your bruised soul by knowing the nature of the battle and through careful conversation with seasoned workers. (You don't go into playing a football game without understanding that you're probably going to hurt by the time you're done. You prepare to ice yourself after.) What is the nature of the opposition we face in ministry? • Spiritual Warfare - Ephesians 6:12 • Fleshly Desires - Colossions 3:3-5 • An unbelieving society looking to themselves for truth rather than to God. 4. Preach the Gospel to yourself every day. • https://thefour.fca.org • 1 Corinthians 15:2 "By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain." 5. Repent. Deal with your sin.(Psalm 32) • Psalm 32:3 "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long." • Turn from your sin to the beauty of Christ. Verse 5 - "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin." 6. Unplug and think FAST • Giving up a practice for spiritual renewal. The biggest fast we need go do is getting rid of our phones for extended amounts of time. • Digital Liturgies by Samuel James - https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Liturgies-Rediscovering-Christian-Wisdom/dp/1433587130?ref=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=88b9ef31-7d7b-4e85-9110-ee2162312307 Thank you again for sharing this wisdom and encouragement with us, Pastor Chris! @theredbrickchurch

Christo Spies, CEO of Sport for Christ Action South Africa (SCAS) and FCA ministry partner, coached our team on mental toughness this morning at the Northland FCA regional staff gathering. He shared the story that began his journey to become a mental performance coach - after losing his leg in a car accident, he realised that his focus couldn't be on what he'd lost, he had to focus on what he had left. (That's also when he met Jesus after being prayed over in the hospital and experiencing the peace that surpasses all understanding from the Lord!) A few key takeaways: 1. P=P-I • Performance = Potential - Interference 2. Where there is hope, there is life. "Hope in the future gives you power in the present." (John Maxwell) • Where do we get hope for the future? Jesus. 3. Focus on what you want, not what you don't want. For example, if we say, "Do not think of an elephant." What are you thinking of? An elephant, right?! Instead of saying, "Don't drop the ball," say, "Catch the ball!" 4. You need to determine the target/goal for what you want. For instance, if you say "I'll run until I'm tired," you'll likely stop sooner than if you say, "I'll run two miles." By having a clear target, you'll push through to reach the goal. Pursuit is proof of desire. 5. Reward yourself when you get what you want/reach your goal. If you have a point of reference, you know when to reward yourself. • Example - when training a dog, you reward them with a treat when you command them to sit and they obey. You don't hit them when they don't sit, because next time, the dog would just run away. • When you reward yourself, you aren't dependent on the approval of others.

74 of the Northland FCA staff (North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) are gathered together this week at Lake Geneva Christian Center for our annual regional gathering. It's always a beautiful time to encourage each other in ministry and Pastor Chris Brauns from The Red Brick Church is helping us do just that! He has 15 Gospel-shaped imperatives for soul restoration that he's sharing with us and tonight, we learned the first two: 1. Take a retreat to a beautiful place with people you love to be renewed in the Word, worship, and fellowship. Luke 5:16 - "But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray." (Hey! That's what we're doing right now! 😉) 2. Read the mission aloud to reject the lie that what you're doing doesn't matter. Read it multiple times emphasizing different passages. Matthew 9:35-38 - "Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” We are looking forward to sharing the next bunch of Gospel-shaped imperatives to be filled-up and recharged with you tomorrow!

"I remember attending my first 'See You at The Pole' event as a freshman in high school. It was a crisp morning but my palms were clammy and my stomach was doing flips as I chose to take a stand with a small group of Christians around the flag pole at my school of 2,000+ students. My nerves were high but above that, I left encouraged knowing that there were fellow believers who weren't ashamed to proclaim their faith in front of their peers. It was a powerful experience that sticks with me, even nearly 20 years later." - Tanja, MN FCA Admin This collage is just a small sampling of the hundreds (maybe thousands?) of students who gathered together to pray for their peers, teachers, coaches, families, leaders and more yesterday. We are confident in the power of prayer and continue to ask God to grant boldness and courage to be a light for Christ everywhere we go! #SeeYouAtThePole #SYATP #Pray #PowerofPrayer

Carli was one of the interns who served with us for 10 weeks this summer and we are SO glad that she did!! Read on for her quick Q&A about her summer as an FCA Intern: Q: At the beginning of the summer, what were you hoping to get out of the internship with FCA? A: I was hoping that I would be able to really be a light in people's lives. I didn't really know what that meant but I felt the Lord calling me to use the gifts that He gave me and use them for His glory. Q: What did God teach you through your summer as an intern? A: This summer God taught me to be bold. He taught me that His good news brings joy to people and we can help be a disciple of the joy that he brings if we are bold in our faith. Q: What was the highlight of your summer as an intern? A: The highlight of my summer as an intern was definitely the relationships I created. The girls in my huddle groups and the interns that I got to work with! Q: What word of encouragement would you say to the student-athletes that you met this summer through camps/huddles? A: Encouragement that I would give to a student-athlete would be that we play our sports to glorify God. We take on a huge pressure as student athletes that we shouldn't. Realizing that you are playing for God's glory and that you have no one to impress because no matter how you play the Lord values the exact same should take off a lot of pressure. We thank God for you, Carli, and pray for another incredible year at @libertyuniversity!

Last night, we boarded the Avalon (@stillwaterriverboats) with 130-ish of our friends for a beautiful evening together on the St. Croix! While it was a gorgeous evening, we think the very best part was hearing from Eastview and @rhsirish FCA student-leaders (Charlie, Maddie, Faith, and Sydney) and Coon Rapids High School FCA adult leader, Aaron Youngberg. We strongly encourage you to take four minutes out of your day to listen to the reels that highlight just snippets of the encouraging messages they shared! Our target is to have Kingdom-building ministries like we saw last night on EVERY high school and college campus in Minnesota by the year 2032. Will you help us by praying for God to raise up even more leaders like this throughout the state? State Director, Tom Ness, suggested this idea - every time you drive by a school, pray for the ministry of FCA and for the bold student and adult leaders being the light of Christ in their schools and on their teams. 🙏 You can also support the ministry financially. Each FCA staff person raises their own financial support to be able to pour into coaches and athletes. Visit minnesotafca.org/donate to learn more! @coonrapids_fca @rosemount_eastview_fca

This is just one example of the impact of a Christian coach/teacher in a public school. There are so many more stories just like this that we may never hear about but we trust that God is working and praise him for obedient servants like Aaron! Our target is to have a coach or volunteer like this on every high school and college campus by the year 2032. If you'd like to help us get there, visit minnesotfca.org/equip-and-go

We asked Aaron Youngbergs how FCA has opened up doors for him as a teacher and coach and to say that we're inspired by his answer would be an understatement! If you are a coach or a teacher looking for ways to be missional in your field, send us a message and we will connect you with a local FCA staff person in your area.

We asked these Eastview and Rosemount student leaders how attending FCA LEADership Camp had impacted their huddle so far this year and the answer was INCREDIBLE! 14 students gave their lives to Christ for the first time at the Eastview huddle earlier this week. 🙌🙌 Praise God for the way he is using these young people to share the Gospel and bring hope into the lives of others at their schools!

We asked these Eastview and Rosemount student leaders about their experience at FCA LEADership Camp this summer and Sydney's answer was so encouraging! We hope you catch her bit of wisdom in there, too - "Leaders still need to be led."

The deadline is fast approaching (three days to be exact on September 18th) for college students to apply for a Passages trip to Israel with FCA January 1-11, 2024! The total cost of the trip is $5,000 BUT Passages provides a $3,000 scholarship to each student (praise God!) More info and the link to apply is here - https://bit.ly/FCA-Passages These photos are of the five students from Minnesota that joined 27 other college students from around the United States for FCA’s first-ever partnership trip with Passages Israel. Read our blog to see more of their experience - https://www.minnesotafca.org/walking-where-jesus-walked Katie says, “This trip beautified Christ for me in a way that I have rarely experienced. ‘Seek and you shall find.’ What I found in Israel made me fall in love with Jesus so much more. I feel as if I have more of an urgency to share the Good News, knowing that I stood in the places where Jesus walked and saw physical evidence of His being. This trip grew the everlasting flame in my heart; it changes the way I read my Bible, changes the way I love the Lord, and changes the urgency in which I disciple people back home.”

We pray regularly for God to raise up people to join the ministry of FCA in Minnesota and He's done just that with Dave Frasier. Dave comes from a background of teaching and coaching for the past 11 years: - Teaching @ Glencoe-Silver Lake School District 2859, Centennial High School (Minnesota), & Wayzata High School - Coaching @ Bethel University (Men's Basketball), Coon Rapids (Boys Basketball), Glenco-Silver Lake (Girls Soccer, Girls Golf, Boys Basketball), Centennial (Boys Basketball, Boys Soccer) and currently at Legacy Christian Academy as the Assistant Boys Basketball Coach Needless to say, God has been preparing him for this role to minister to coaches and athletes through FCA. Dave shares his WHY by saying, "This role aligns with my passions, strengths, and experiences. God is using my love of sports and Jesus, my strengths of leading and coaching, and my experiences teaching, coaching, and managing to culminate into this position. I feel confident that God has prepared me to walk into FCA." Dave and his wife Courtney are raising two boys, Elijah (5) and Ezekiel (2) and he's currently in the process of support raising to become the South Metro Area Director. _____ FCA is a faith-financed ministry and depends on the generosity of donors to support the ministry. Each FCA field ministry role includes responsibility for developing and implementing a funding plan as part of the preparation and onboarding process prior to being hired. As field ministry staff trust God for their ministry, each is able to invite individuals, churches and other organizations to be active in FCA ministry through prayer, volunteering, and financial commitments. If you'd like to come alongside Dave and financially support him, you can donate online at https://my.fca.org/?form=davefrasier

Prior to the pandemic, Eden Prairie High School FCA had over 100 student-athletes meeting regularly. But, when Ben Jacobs (West Metro FCA Area Rep) came on staff in early 2022, only 4 students were still gathering. Ben met Aidan (current Senior student-athlete at Eden Prarie) and encouraged him to come to FCA Leadership Camp so that he could be equipped with the tools to become a Student Leader in the huddle at EPHS. "I was kind of intimidated not knowing anyone from my school but I ended up meeting lifelong friends and building relationships that have lasted going into my second year at camp," said Aidan. "It has equipped me and empowered me to be on fire for Jesus and help disciple kids in my community." Aidan's family hosted the FCA kickoff huddle at his home last fall and to their surprise, 25 students showed up! Then, over 40 students came to the first huddle at the school! "The biggest thing about Aidan is that he's really in the word," says Ben. "So he's taken his own element out of this whole group and he's really putting the focus on Christ." "It's really cool to see how Christ works through your school even when you don't know what's going to happen," said Aidan. "He has a plan for you!" Praise God for the way He worked through FCA Leadership Camp, Ben, Aidan, and so many others (that we may never know) to bring the love of Christ back to EPHS!!

Thank you, David McIver (past @mntwinsbaseball Chaplain, @praiselivenow Executive Director, and author of Looking for the One), for taking the time to encourage our team to look for the one that we can reach with the Gospel each day. How do we look for the one? 1. Give up. Stop trying to do whatonly God can do. He knows where to find the souls. Pray what Ian Thomas (@panthers) tight end prays - "Jesus, I can't. But if you want to through me, I'm available." 2. Pray like Jesus - "Thy Kingdom come." Pray about that more than your daily bread. Find intercessors to pray with you. 3. Walk with Jesus to find the one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7) 4. See like Jesus - is there someone in your life that you don't really SEE? Instead of looking for important people, look for broken people. The Kingdom of God advances from heart to heart. Take the example of the 2,000 year old lamp pictured. It only lights one step ahead. When looking for the one, take a step forward and you'll see the next step. Visit www.lookingfortheone.org to learn more and purchase David's book today!

Many of us agree that some of our favorite days are the ones that we gather from all throughout the state and come together for the all-staff meeting! So far, we've spent time discussing the attributes of God, praying for the new school year, sharing stories of ministry happening in various areas, and celebrating staff growth. Praise God for this team!! 🙌🙌🙌

"If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate." - Sandy Dahl, wife of #flight93 pilot, Jason Dahl. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." - Jesus (John 13:34-35) #loveoneanother #notimeforhate #september11 #neverforget

Our staff are working to connect with all of the Huddle Coaches throughout the state to get huddles up and running this month. 🙌 Visit our website to view the active huddles from last year - https://www.minnesotafca.org/huddle If you don't have a huddle at your school, contact your local FCA staff to get the conversation started - https://www.minnesotafca.org/areas-we-serve

Yesterday (Labor Day) was the unofficial end of summer but we're still reliving the awesomeness of the summer internship with Emma. Q: At the beginning of the summer, what were you hoping to get out of the internship with FCA? A: I was hoping to grow more as an individual and learn more about ministry! I had never been involved in FCA before, so I was hoping to become connected and see what it was all about!! Q: What did God teach you as an intern? A: Wow, this is a big question and probably one that I could talk about for hours!! God taught me about the importance of the Gospel, how exhausting ministry can be, and how much I need to depend on Him!! I learned that my strength comes from the Lord, and only in his strength am I able to serve him with all I've got. He is the one who sustains and upholds me when I am tired and weary. "In his presence, there is fullness of joy." Truly only in his presence was I able to be filled up for ministry this summer. Q: What was the highlight of your summer? A: I don't know if I can choose just ONE highlight of my summer, but the main one that comes to mind is one word: relationships. The relationships I have been blessed to have this summer are ones that I am forever grateful for. I got to invest in relationships with the other interns, FCA staff, and campers throughout this summer. It was an absolute blast to encourage one another, lead together, and serve together!! Q: What word of encouragement would you say to the student-athletes that you met at camps and huddles? A: Seek the Lord with all you've got. He is where we find truth, peace, rest, joy, and the strength to walk through every day. You're not called to an easy life, you are called to a greater one!! In Christ we find that greater life. Keep loving him with all you've got!! Q: Anything else? A: FCA rocks. If you had told me a year ago that I would be an FCA intern this past summer, I would have said you were crazy. But God thought crazy was a great idea, and I am so glad that he did. I had the BEST summer with FCA!! Thank you for your contribution to FCA, Emma! We're beyond grateful for you and praying blessings over you this school year!

Calling all FCA leaders in the Twin Cities metro area! 📢 All metro student huddle leaders AND their adult huddle leaders are strongly encouraged to attend the FCA Leadership Track Kick-Off! This event will help prepare you to lead your huddle in the upcoming school year and become a missionary for Jesus Christ through sport on your campus. WHEN: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2023 10:15am - Check-in opens 10:30am - 12:30pm - Training 12:30pm - Picnic Lunch provided from UNW-SP* 1:00pm - Football Game* *The picnic lunch and football game are optional. Please make plans with your parent/guardian prior to the event. WHERE: UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN, NAZARETH HALL 3003 Snelling Ave. N, Nazareth Great Room St. Paul, MN 55113 US $20/PERSON INCLUDES: Valuable Training Snacks FCA Swag Gifts Fun & Fellowship Lunch and a ticket to the University of Northwestern Football game (optional) Register online today at https://fca.regfox.com/2023mnleadershipkickoff

Hey there, FCA Alexandria Area leaders! There's a special leadership training event for YOU this Sunday, August 27th from 3:00pm - 6:00pm. Contact Bill Adamson to RSVP at 218-398-7264 | badamson@fca.org

ATTN: SOUTHEAST MN FCA COACHES & LEADERS 📢 Southeast MN FCA is hosting a Huddle Leader Training Kickoff this Sunday from 2-6pm at The Crossings Center in Lewiston. The event includes: - Valuable Training - Games - Prizes RSVP to Sarah at sweishaar@fca.org

The Minnesota FCA Summer internship has come to an end, but we asked our interns a few reflection questions and think they'll be an encouragement to you (and maybe motivation to share with a college student for becoming an intern next summer!). Starting with Luke: Q: At the beginning of the summer, what were you hoping to get out of the internship with FCA? A: I was hoping to expand my knowledge in the Bible to be a more effective teacher when spreading God’s word, as well as growing my overall faith and relationship with Jesus! Q: What did God teach you through your summer as an intern? A: He taught me patience and how to work with children effectively and how to change my teaching method for different personality/communication styles. Q: What was the highlight of your summer as an intern? A: The highlight was getting to hangout with the interns and joke with them but also getting to grow with them and pour into each other! Q: What word of encouragement would you say to the student-athletes that you met this summer through camps/huddles? A: Jesus loves you and that it’s pretty amazing he chose all of us to come together to do his work this summer and that even though the internship is over, our work is just getting started! Q: Anything else you want to share? A: A big thank you to the FCA staff and everyone I worked with! Everyone was so friendly and held such a high standard, I could really see Jesus’ love in each person at FCA! Thank you for serving the Lord with FCA this summer, Luke! We are grateful for you and we're praying for you this upcoming school year!

Join us in welcoming Kirk Talley to the Minnesota FCA team! 👏 Kirk will be coming alongside collegiate coaches across the Twin Cities. He will also be utilizing his decades of coaching experience at Christ-centered colleges by helping equip and empower coaches and athletes at Bethel University and University of Northwestern. Kirk shares his heart behind coming on staff with FCA - "I felt that this was the direction that God was leading me to do my next phase of ministry. I also wanted to be on a team rather than doing consulting and coaching on my own. Finally, I really had a connection with my future director, David Melms, as we were on the same page in regard to the ministry vision." We can't wait to see how God moves in and through you to advance the Kingdom, Kirk!!

These guys are road-tripping it down to @thefcateam in Kansas City for Boot Camp! Dave Frasier is working to come on staff with Minnesota FCA as the South Metro Area Director and Dwight Lundeen is working toward the North Metro Area Rep role. Both of them will spend time raising financial support to do ministry in their respective areas. Please join us in praying over their trip and their fundraising efforts. With God, all things are possible! 🙌

Take your Lacrosse skills to the next level while deepening your faith alongside a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about their sport and Jesus Christ! What: Minnesota FCA Lacrosse Clinic Where: University of Northwestern - Reynolds Field Complex When: August 27th | 3:00pm - 5:00pm Who: Boys and girls grades 6-12 Cost: $35 More info and link to register on our website https://www.minnesotafca.org/lacrosse

Announcing the 2023 August Lacrosse Clinics! 🥍 Who: Boys and Girls LAX players entering grades 6-12 Where: University of Northwestern (St. Paul) When: 2 date options (can attend more than one) August 13, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm August 27, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Cost: $35 per session Visit minnesotafca.org/lacrosse and scroll to the Summer 2023 Events section to register today! Our experienced coaches will provide personalized instruction and skill development in a fun and competitive environment. Join us for lacrosse training, team-building activities, and character development. You'll have the opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches in the game, make new friends, and have a blast on and off the field. These clinics are open to all youth lacrosse players both boys and girls! Our practice plan will be written to accommodate players who are new to the game as well as experienced players. Players do need full lacrosse equipment however! Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to grow your skills and become a better lacrosse player and teammate.

Every speaker on the last day of LEADership Camp got emotional this morning - and for good reason. The Holy Spirit truly moved in and through hearts this weekend and we're just so grateful for the young leaders that God is raising up in this generation! "Go, therefore, and make disciples of[a] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 Enjoy all the photos from camp at https://tanjahansen.smugmug.com/Fellowship-of-Christian-Athletes/n-TFBNxs/Northland-FCA-Leadership-Camp-2023/ Here are a few of our favorites!

As we close out the second full day of LEADership Camp, we can't help but praise God for the work He's clearly doing in and through these student-leaders! #FCAGREATER

What a GREAT start to this year's Northland FCA LEADership Camp! The first 24 hours have been jam-packed with opportunities to play, learn, and grow in relationship with each other and most importantly, with Jesus. Check out just a few of the photos highlighting what we've been up to! #FCAGREATER

Our huddle leaders have been bonding, preparing, studying, and worshipping in anticipation of the Northland FCA LEADership Camp beginning today! 🙌 Please join us in praying for these college leaders and for the high school leaders that will be coming to camp today at the @northwesternmn 🙏

Introduce your newest teammate(s) with our new line of baby gear! Grab your FCA family gear at https://fcagear.com/collections/fca-family/ #FCAGear #FCAFamily #TeamFCA

FCA Sports Minnesota is excited to announce our first lacrosse mini camp in Minnesota! Our experienced coaches will provide personalized instruction and skill development in a fun and competitive environment. Join us for lacrosse training, team-building activities, and character development. You'll have the opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches in the game, make new friends, and have a blast on and off the field. Who: Boys and Girls LAX players entering grades 6-12 Where: University of Northwestern (St. Paul) When: 3 date options (can attend more than one) July 24, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm July 25, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm July 26, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Cost: $35 per session This camp is open to all youth lacrosse players both boys and girls! Our practice plan will be written to accommodate players who are new to the game as well as experienced players. Players do need full lacrosse equipment however! Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to grow your skills and become a better lacrosse player and teammate. Register online: https://leagues.bluesombrero.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1556321

The deadline to sign up for the Northland FCA LEADership Camp is this THURSDAY, JULY 20th at midnight!! Don't miss your chance to join us for a weekend jam-packed with impactful teaching times, epic competitions, fellowship, and of course - time to grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus Christ. Info and registration at https://www.northlandfca.org/lead-camp

The FCA huddle at Mahtomedi High School began with a vision cast by families who desired to see kids grow in their faith. Parents, coaches, students, and FCA staff came together, working diligently and creatively to turn this vision into a reality. Today, over ten years and many pancakes later , Mahtomedi FCA continues to serve the school and impact lives with the Good News of Jesus. “Absolutely our vision was fulfilled. It was fun to watch FCA grow beyond what I had initially expected and to see our kids grow in their faith and grow as leaders in their faith.”-Shelly Rock Read the whole story on our blog #linkinbio @fcabrent

The practices, competitions, music, messages, friendships, and fun of FCA camp are all incredible - no doubt. BUT the point behind everything we do is this -- God's Word. Did you know: FCA is one of the most committed Bible distributors in the world, printing about 200,000 Bibles every year and distributing nearly 3 million Bibles around the world in the past 15 years. In fact, FCA has engaged in Bible ministry since its first Camp in 1956! #Bible #FCAGreater #GodsWord #Truth

WOW. FCA Camp Huddle Leaders play such a large role in impacting the lives of campers but it's worth noting how God impacts THEIR lives at camp, too. @lizzycervenka , we are so glad that you stepped out of your comfort zone and allowed God to work in and through you at the Northland FCA Sports Camp. Your obedience will produce fruit beyond what we could ever even measure. You're right. God IS GREATER! #FCAGreater (Screenshot of Lizzy's post shared with her permission 😊)

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1 Let us rejoice today, on this #IndependenceDay, that we are children of the King and have been given the gift of ultimate freedom through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ! #Amen #Freedom #FreedomIsntFree #ChristSetUsFree #4thofJuly

The final day of Northland FCA Sports Camp was even GREATER than the rest because everyone has deepened their relationships with each other and Jesus! #FCAGREATER Campers/Huddle Leaders/Parents -- all photos available at https://bit.ly/FCASportsCamp2023 #FCAGreater

NORTHLAND FCA SPORTS CAMP | DAY #4