Friends and Family,
I just wanted to update all of you who mean so much to me and my ministry with FCA on how things are going with Nicole and I and the ministry of FCA that God is using to change the lives of athletes and coaches here in Southeast Minnesota.
I'm going to be putting up pictures from the youth flag football league next week.
Jesus said, “The harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Luke 10:2) The vast majority of people are slipping into eternity not knowing or living for Jesus. Coupled with the tailspin of organized sports generating media headlines of incidents fueled by rage, drugs, pride, entitlement, and a win-at-all-costs attitude, there concludes the immediate and dire need for Christian leaders to be sent out into this harvest. Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a catalyst for transforming the sports culture bringing Biblical solutions to the problem plaguing the world of athletics-solutions for a lifetime, beginning with a change of heart, transformed by Jesus Christ.
If Southeast Minnesota FCA is going to be a catalyst for transforming the sports culture, we must unite, develop and mobilize Christian leaders to impact their sphere of influence. We are focused on relationships with faithful, available and teachable athletic influencers. Once a person goes through our discipleship process they are strongly encouraged to invest in the life or lives of others who the Lord puts in their life so they can reproduce the training that they themselves went through. This process is really about leaders developing leaders, not leaders leading followers.
Well first of all, I am currently working part-time (20 Hours) as the campus and camps ministry director for Southeast Minnesota. As of October 1st, I have raised $1200 in monthly support which puts me 50% of the way to my full time goal of support. I am thankful for everyone who has helped me to get this far and most of all thankful to God for allowing me to experience Him through this entire process. I am excited about the opportunity to develop, equip, and mobilize kingdom building student leaders to lead the campus groups on school campuses. This summer was a pretty busy one as I served as Co-Director for the Rochester FCA Youth Sports Camp. I have a vision for our youth camp, which had 155 kids to become a huge impact for the youth in Rochester and surrounding communities not only for the kids involved but also for their parents in getting the community more aware of FCA. We are also in talks with starting up a youth camp in the Red Wing area.
I am also very excited to be overseeing the brand new FCA Monday Night Youth Flag Football League as League Commissioner which has 42 kids on 6 teams in its first year of existence. We focus on building character through themed character talks given by a coach or athlete each week of the league. The five themes for this year are Developing the Heart of a Champion, Playing with Sportsmanship, Overcoming Adversity, Being a Good Teammate and Combining Faith and Sports. It is really exciting and I have found that I am really passionate about this aspect of FCA and have put a lot of energy and resources into making this league a successful ministry to the kids and their parents. God has been gracious and blessed me with great volunteer coaches. The coaches are made up of dads as well as RCTC college football players who are involved with their FCA and John Marshall Rochester High School guys. It is awesome to watch the kids have an opportunity to enjoy some competition on RCTC's brand new turf field stadium playing under the lights on a Monday night. What a great experience for a 1st-4th grader!
Through FCA I took over this fall as commissioner of the men’s church flag football league that I served as ref for last fall. I am still doing all the reffing for the league this year which plays on Saturday mornings at Soldier’s Field. We have 8 teams in this year’s league and it is a great sport ministry outreach to the men in churches in Rochester. I’m really excited about the potential of this league growing and getting more churches involved and making it even more of a ministry outreach.
Besides running the two flag football leagues this fall I am also overseeing our campus ministry by visiting and encouraging student leaders and huddle coaches all over Southeast Minnesota as well as working with Student Leaders at John Marshall Rochester High School and Mayo Rochester High School to get FCA’s going at their campuses. As a part of our Campus Ministry this fall we have begun a track for leadership training called Kingdom Building Leaders. We have two options for Leadership Locker room for students to choose from. One meets one Sunday a month and the other meets two Wednesdays a month.
Finally, Our local Southeast Minnesota FCA is having a FCA Fundraising Banquet and are bringing in Hall of Famer Paul Molitor as our guest speaker. I am attaching the sponsorship information as well as the table host information for this great event. If you feel led to become involved at any level you can print off the form and mail it in or just let me know. If you have any questions, I can answer those as well.
Prayer requests for Nicole and I would be that I would be able to continue my progress in support raising so that I will be able to join FCA staff as full-time. Also, pray that we would continue to grow in love for each other and for God and that we would seek out His will for our lives together in our work, relationships with others and every aspect of our lives.
