This article appears in the Fall 2021 issue of the FCA Donor Publication. The FCA publication is a gift from our FCA staff to all donors giving $50 or more annually. For more information about giving, visit here.
Each year, FCA executive leadership comes to the table to pray, share what coaches and athletes are experiencing, and offer ideas about the ministry’s focus for the year ahead. This process often leads to FCA’s next annual ministry theme—a word or phrase and key verse that Team FCA rallies around all year.
In 2019, our theme of “Let’s Go!” encouraged coaches and athletes to fulfill the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. In 2020, we focused on 100% and challenged one another to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30).
Throughout 2021, FCA has focused on the theme PURSUE, which 
comes from 1 Timothy 6:11 where Paul encourages Timothy: “Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.”
Our prayer has been that coaches and athletes will move from uncertainty to confidence as they’ve pursued Jesus this year. To narrow our pursuit, we’ve rallied around four key themes: pursue truth, pursue life, pursue team, pursue mission.
PURSUE TRUTH
As we kicked off our year, we focused on encouraging coaches and athletes to pursue truth. We know truth tries to enter our lives using many forms, people and ideas, but we wanted to point coaches and athletes to the One who calls us by name and shows us how truth comes to life.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6).
We challenged coaches and athletes to dig into God’s Word by distributing Bibles, sharing verses on social media, resourcing Huddles with Bible study content and more. We also encouraged everyone to sign up for our Daily Impact Play—a morning devotional emailed Monday-Friday, which has seen a 31% growth in subscribers this year.
PURSUE LIFE
Part of encouraging coaches and athletes to pursue life involved teaching them to open their hearts to God. We know competitors are wired for life on the field, but they also need an eternal focus. They need to be discipled in how to savor the rich and satisfying life Christ Jesus came to give, and how to face the enemy of our souls who wants 
to keep us from experiencing God’s best for our lives.
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10).
We asked coaches and athletes to consider where their hearts were focused and if their lives were headed in the right direction. To help them walk with Jesus, we offered resources like The Core, 8 easy steps for strengthening faith, and we introduced a mini-series on YouTube called Sports Swap where FCA staff join athletes and coaches from their community for a funny competition outside of comfort zones.
PURSUE TEAM
Camp season brought the opportunity to pursue team. The Christian life isn’t meant to be lived alone; iron sharpens iron and we need each other. Not only do we need teammates who specialize in our individual sports, but we need a spiritual team as well. Disciples making disciples is how we grow.
"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near," (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Throughout camps and beyond, we asked coaches and athletes about the spiritual coaches in their lives and who they need on their team. We also challenged them to consider who to raise up and mentor, and who can keep them accountable.
FCA’s Huddles, 1-on-1s and Camps offer many avenues for coaches and athletes to build their teams, both spiritually and athletically. FCA staff have been called to serve inside of local communities and walk out spiritual journeys with coaches and athletes.
PURSUE MISSION
Now, we are looking toward our final months of PURSUE and we’re focused on mission. We believe God has put a unique calling into each person’s life. We’re exploring how to trust, prepare for and commit to the mission.
“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless,” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Pursuing mission isn’t only for coaches and athletes, it’s for all of Team FCA, which includes you—our supporters.
As a faithful financial partner, you have already helped coaches and athletes pursue truth, life and team this year. Would you help us pursue mission and support coaches and athletes as they discover God’s bigger purpose for their lives?
Your giving helps position FCA to start 2022 with resources to strengthen our ministry. To submit a year-end gift online to support your local FCA or learn about non-cash ways of giving, visit my.fca.org.
Thank you for helping us support coaches and athletes as they PURSUE God’s purpose in their lives.
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