Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is an international nonprofit organization for Christian athletes founded in 1954 by Don McClanen in Kansas City, Missouri. They aim to change the world through athletes and coaches with Jesus Christ and grow their relationship with him. Since its founding, FCA has expanded and reached athletes in multiple different countries worldwide. So much so that FCA is now an offered club at Green Level, arguably, it’s our school’s biggest club, too.
Led by Food and Nutrition teacher Mrs. Stanton, as well as a handful of students, FCA has expanded to over 100 attending students every week. Youth pastors from Green Level Baptist Church and the Summit Church will come to the club meetings to give short, mini-sermons, read passages from the Bible, and apply them to the lives of athletes. After that, the youth pastors will pray over every member before breaking off into small groups.
Small groups are based on grade level and gender: 9th and 10th-grade boys, 9th and 10th-grade girls, 11th and 12th-grade boys, and 11th and 12th-grade girls. Meetings are held every Thursday in Mrs. Stanton’s room until students break off into small groups in various classrooms nearby. In there, the visiting youth pastors as well as the student leaders will talk to the groups with passages from the Bible, interactive activities, and engage the group with thought-provoking questions.
“My favorite aspect of FCA is seeing all the kids come together and creating a big group of people under one common belief; just to see the work God does, no matter why you’re there, even if you come for snacks, you’re still hearing the word of God,” says Green Level FCA student leader Morgan Lanuti. “It’s really inspiring to see all the kids come out with the group consistently growing.”
Morgan has been a part of FCA at Green Level for a few years now, and is now the student leader of the 9th-grade girls small group. The impact the club has on students has shaped a lot of their student as well as athletic lives. That is, to play to honor the glory of God.
Lanuti also said, “The goal of FCA is to build a community of people, whether they’re a believer or not, whether they’ve grown up with Christ or if they haven’t, they can come and meet new people and grow closer to God and see God’s work done at Green Level.”
Seeing all of these students come out is truly something special because that’s all the more young students who get to hear the word of God each and every week. FCA continues to grow not only in Green Level, but around the world and no matter where it is, its goal will always be to bring people closer to God. So, sign up for FCA Club on Thursday’s in Mrs. Stanton’s room on AllTimely!
What is something that you would like to see change about the way FCA is held at GL?
