In 2016, a dream came true when Jin Kang, Divisional Vice President of East Global, launched the first FCA Capacity Conference in Singapore with 60 leaders who attended coaches’ ministry training. It was a humble start, but it began with a vision to invest in leaders who were hungry to grow in their leadership.
Over the past four years, that vision has continued to grow and culminated in Singapore on December 9-13 at the East Asia Capacity Conference. There 170 leaders from 15 countries gathered for training, fellowship, worship and teambuilding. According to FCA Chief Field Officer Dan Britton, these conferences have laid the foundation for growth throughout the region.
“FCA rises and falls on leadership in the field, and therefore it’s important for us as a ministry to make sure we invest in leaders—not just any leaders, but the right leaders,” Britton said. “Whenever we can pull together key leadership in a community or a region and train them with Christ-centered, world-class training, we see leadership multiply.”
Mark Stephens, Mid-Atlantic Regional International Coordinator, was one of many attendees who offered high praise for the event.
“The East Global Capacity Conference is a highlight for me every year,” Stephens said. “This year was extra special for me having six Mid-Atlantic FCA staff and six volunteers attend who helped train and serve. The worship and messages were awesome. The fellowship is always very special. Of course, the training is always top notch and very practical.”
Leaders in attendance had the option of participating in one of five training tracks including Coaches Ministry School, Fundraising Boot Camp, Camp School, Field Support School and the Leader's Journey.
“What I love about this conference is that it’s not a consumer conference where people come to be entertained,” Kathryn Coster, East Global Field Support said, “but rather we multiply ourselves and increase the knowledge and skills of those who participate with us.”
On the last day, Britton asked everyone to lock hands and share the one word that the Lord had placed in their heart during the conference. For Janet Villa, Field Support, FCA Philippines, that word was “surrender.”
“I felt I was being asked to surrender the enormity of the ministry in the East Global region,” she said. “God used the training and the fellowship at the conference for us to submit to each other in love and humility and lay down our inadequacies for Him to redeem and multiply into blessings like two fish and five loaves. The conference blessed me with people to love, to help and to journey with.”
Britton observed the impact both collectively and individually. One attendee in particular stood out—a young leader from a closed country that he met a few years ago. He was in the early stages of developing ministry which has since seen significant expansion.
“Through that young man, the Lord reminded me that if you have a long-term vision, over time you see lives transformed and you see ministry grow,” Britton said. “But if you’re not around for long and you only have a two or three-year vision, you won’t receive the blessing of seeing the big picture unfold.”
Britton also credited Divisional Vice President Jin Kang as the catalyst for the growth that has been taking place in the region for the past 10 years.
“Jin has a huge vision,” Britton said. “He wants to be in every country in the East Global Region and wants to have a leader placed that can cast the vision for each of those countries. He’s a great connector and relationship builder. He’s able to bring people together and train them and provide them with the resources that will help them build ministry.”
William Chang, Regional Vice President for Southeast Asia, was encouraged to hear glowing feedback on how the training sessions had made an immediate impact on the international staff and volunteers in attendance.
“We know we are on the right track when a leader leaves the capacity conference saying, ‘I am going home with a plan which I did not have when I arrived,’” he said.
Britton concurred and can only dream and imagine what this conference might look like four more years into the future, but he is already seeing the tangible results of FCA International’s efforts now.
“We continue to see leaders being mobilized when we serve and invest in them,” Britton said. “And as that happens, they are able to return to their country with a fresh vision to reach more coaches and athletes.”