Stories From The Field
Longtime Minnesota FCA staff member Randy Jensen shares how Wally would walk past the room where the Vikings' FCA chapel was meeting on Sunday mornings. At first, Wally would simply pause outside the door and listen. Eventually, the man who had once mocked the chapel stepped inside. In 1977, Wally Hilgenberg gave his life to Jesus. "He was like Paul from the Bible that hated Christians, and then he became one that was out sharing boldly the Gospel," Randy said.
Building Something That Would Last Steve helped launch Minnesota FCA’s junior golf camp in 1988 or 1989 alongside Tiemann and FCA golf leader Dean Bouzeos. Steve was responsible for developing the morning teaching schedule, coordinating instructors, organizing afternoon team competitions and planning evening activities. The response quickly exceeded expectations. The camp outgrew its original location at Quadna Resort after its first year, eventually moving to Green Lake, Wisconsin. As participation continued to grow, separate golf camps developed in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Minnesota’s camp later moved to Brainerd and eventually to Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker. Through every transition, Steve remained. For approximately 35 years, he coordinated teaching professionals and instructional stations and helped create golf activities for campers. Steve and his wife, Letta, also opened their home to Huddle Leaders and FCA staff for training and meals. Steve developed a creative incentive program that allowed campers to earn FCA "bucks" for demonstrating sportsmanship and Christlike character. He also built an extensive skills assessment that evaluated campers in putting, chipping and full swing skills. Each year, he recruited and coordinated nearly 20 volunteers to conduct the assessment and provide each camper with written feedback about their strengths and areas for improvement. The program proved valuable enough that Steve was invited to FCA golf headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Florida, to teach the model to FCA golf camp directors from around the country. He also helped establish FCA golf camp in Iowa. What began with one request to help became decades of investing his gifts wherever FCA needed them.
More Than a Record Dwight began Becker High School’s football program from the ground up. There was no field, no equipment and initially only seven players interested in playing. Over the decades that followed, the program grew into one of Minnesota’s most successful. Yet Dwight told Allen that the lasting value of coaching has never been found simply in the scoreboard. His hope is that the young men who leave his program become better husbands, fathers and members of their communities. His approach to coaching begins with knowing his athletes personally, caring about them and making sure every player understands that he matters. “If a kid knows that you really care and you love him, he’ll run through the wall for you,” Dwight said. For Matt, that distinction became one of the central lessons of the book. “The goal in coaching is to win every game,” Matt explained. “Your purpose is to impact lives in a positive way.” That difference between goal and purpose has shaped generations of Lundeen’s players, coaches and family.
A message from East Metro MN Admin, Anna Shoberg: Last week I was working in our East Metro Camp Database, tying things up from the last few months of camps, when I realized....that this summer we hit an astounding milestone. The East Metro has seen over 1,000 elementary-aged students served at camps. THANK YOU, GOD!!!!! Our previous Area Director, Brent Voight, started running the very first FCA camps in the East Metro back in 2018. I was scrolling through the list of camper names we have kept over the years. As I scrolled through that list of names and realized that we had hit this mark, it left me in tears. Since Brent's very first camp at Community of Grace back in 2018 until the last day of our camps this summer, there have been 1,000 kids from all over our neighborhoods who have participated in one of our local camps. This is NOT just a list of names. These are students who have come and heard the name of Jesus. Every day, for at least a week, many of them more as they came back year after year.
Leadership is influence . We may never know exactly who we will influence, when that influence will happen, or how deeply it will shape someone’s life. For huddle coaches and athletes across Southwest Minnesota, that influence becomes intentional through The Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Southwest MN FCA recently held its annual Leadership Summit where we engage, equip, and empower coaches and athletes to lead their huddles well and, more importantly, to become disciples who make disciples.
A message from the Northland FCA LEADership Camp Director, Brent Voight.
Another shared something many of us need to hear: "It impacted me by showing me that I'm not alone in my struggles. I have people around me going through the same things. Then it helped me realize there was only one plan—the Cross." A first-time camper described discovering not only a deeper faith, but a community of people walking through similar challenges: "I realized the people around me were having many of the same struggles I was. It helped me learn how to walk through those things with the Lord while building meaningful friendships. I can't wait to come back." That may be one of the greatest gifts of camp. Students discover they aren't alone. They learned that everyone carries burdens, that Christ meets them in those struggles, and that authentic Christian community is a powerful reminder of God's love and faithfulness. These six students represent just a small glimpse of what God is doing through FCA Camps across Minnesota. As they return home, back to classrooms, locker rooms, practices, and everyday life, our prayer is that what God began this week continues to grow. Jesus never promised His followers an easy life. In fact, He promised we would face trials. But He also promised His presence. Would you join us in praying for these six young leaders? Pray that they would continue putting Christ first, boldly living out their faith, and sharing the hope they found at Leadership Camp with teammates, classmates, friends, and family.
"The question isn't whether storms will come. The question is what we're standing on when they do."
Please join us in praying for each of these interns by name throughout the summer. Pray for their own spiritual walk - that they would be open to hearing what Holy Spirit has for them and grow to be more like Jesus. And, pray for the young athletes that they will be ministering to - that God would give them the words to say and open the hearts of campers and huddle leaders to be ready to receive Truth.
In Redwood Falls, the impact of FCA and FCA Camps is showing up in real and tangible ways. The Redwood Valley Area FCA Huddle has sent several kids over the last few years to Northland FCA Sports Camp! What God ignites at camp is proving to grow, shaping and transforming athletes and their teammates long after they return home. For Redwood Valley Area Huddle leaders, Matt and Amber Lundeen, that transformation is exactly why they are eager to send athletes to Northland FCA Sports Camp each summer. “Matt and I are passionate about sending kids to camp because of the great impact they receive by being around Christian coaches and huddle leaders,” Amber shared. “We also love the challenge and encouragement they get from the nightly speaker. They don’t get that at other sports camps.” These differences shift perspectives, challenge athletes in their faith, and multiply impact once back home. “We’ve seen athletes set up Bible reading plans where they text each other each night sharing what they are learning and we’ve also seen them encourage other teammates to come to our weekly Friday morning Huddle. The athletes become more serious about making their faith their own after experiencing camp.”
When Matt first stepped into his role with FCA, one of his priorities was simple - get to know the communities he was being called to serve. As he began building relationships and gathering support, he met with a local community leader who was well-connected and supportive of FCA. At the end of their conversation, she gave Matt a list of people connected to schools across the area who might be open to FCA ministry. One of those names was Sarah Petite at Esko High School . When Matt reached out, Sarah responded right away. He visited her near the end of the 2023/24 school year, and it didn’t take long to see her heart. She loved the Lord, cared deeply about students, and had a long-standing desire to see something like FCA exist at Esko. “I had wanted something like this for years,” Sarah shared. “I knew there was a hunger for God, and if I could help fuel that fire for Jesus while encouraging strong character in sports, it was worth it. More than anything, I want these kids to know Him personally and become champions for the King of Kings.” With that shared vision, they made a simple plan - stay connected through the summer and look toward launching a huddle in the fall.
Simon Mwanamoya was our longest-serving FCA staff in southern Africa. He used relationships through soccer to disciple athletes, equip coaches with the Gospel, and expand Discovery Bible Study across his country. Minnesota FCA is aligned with five countries in Southern Africa : Angola, Botswana, Seychelles, Zambia, and Zimbabwe as well as British Indian Ocean Territory. The story below is from Shelley Pearson's ( Northland FCA Regional Director of Ministry Advancement ) newsletter. ---------- After Simon was killed in that car accident in Zambia in November, I questioned why God would take Simon when he was doing such amazing ministry. And beyond that, why would God have us go on a trip there just days before He would take Simon home? What purpose did our trip serve? What in the world did God have planned? And again, God taught me that He always knows better. Because we went: We were able to build relationships with the Amazing Grace leaders, coaches, and athletes so we can encourage them. We have a greater understanding of the challenes so that we can better walk alongside. Dave (my donor that came on the trip and wasn't sure why God had him there) is mentoring Roy as he learns to lead well, and he has been helping to raise funds to bridge some gaps in funding so ministry can continue. God sent us because He was going to take Simon home. That is sobering. And humbling. And I am so thankful to be part of His plan. Look at these pictures. This was an incredible celebration on Easter weekend. As the Amazing Grace Football Club celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they also celebrated God's redemption for their team and for the ministry God started many years ago through one humble man, Simon Mwanamoya.
“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” - Oswald Chambers
Last month, several schools hosted outreach events, creating intentional opportunities for students to hear the Gospel on their campuses. At Edina High School, however, those plans were unexpectedly put on hold due to administrative complications. What had been prepared for and anticipated, was suddenly delayed. But God was not finished.
Devastation. Loss. Fire. That’s what struck the home of the Wyse family this past fall. In the fall of 2025, Danielle and Craig Wyse (coaches at Mahtomedi High School) lost their home and all of their belongings in a sudden midnight fire. By God’s grace, their family was unharmed physically, but the emotional weight and uncertainty that followed were immense. In the days after, their community showed up (church, friends, family), rallying around them in every way possible. And in the middle of the disruption, they chose to trust the Lord. In the wake of this loss, they found themselves needing rides for themselves and their kids to and from both the high school and the middle school. It was in this season that something quiet, but significant, began to grow. For some time, they had been planting a vision in their daughters’ hearts: “What if there was FCA at the middle school?” It hadn’t taken root yet, but that was about to change thanks to a simple ride that Craig received from a middle school teacher. During the drive, she shared how impactful she believed the high school FCA was. She knew the Wyse family and mentioned their daughters. Then she said something unexpected. She began talking about the need for FCA at the middle school. Craig didn’t even know she shared the same saving faith in Jesus Christ. But she continued, sharing that teachers and staff had been quietly praying for a space where students could gather around Jesus and the Word, just like at the high school. Craig knew immediately that this wasn’t random. Soon after, they reached out to FCA East Metro Area Rep, Gavin Bowser, “Is this possible?” Gavin's answer was simple: "YES." What followed was something only God could orchestrate. Rachel Flatten, a youth leader to the Wyse girls and a middle school art teacher, stepped in. Laura Tussey, a middle school language arts teacher, joined her. The Wyse girls began inviting others to lead. And students stepped forward - middle schoolers with a genuine desire to see their peers know Jesus! And now, every Tuesday morning at 7:15 AM, over 60 middle school students gather to open the Word of God together.
