Jake Vanada and Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier
Jake Vanada
West Metro FCA Area Director
Vanada Family:
Jake and Christy have been married for 17 years and have two kids: Jackson (14) and Abigail (13).
Years on staff: 6
Number of campuses covered: 19
Number of 2013 FCA Camps: 5
Area website: www.westmetrofca.org
My FCA story:
I came to FCA in 2007 after serving for 14 years with local churches as a youth pastor. God hit me with a clarion call to do this FCA ministry, which at the time was very outside-the-box thinking for me. Those first years on staff were full of a lot of transition here in Minnesota, but what I kept coming back to is bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to high school students, coaches and pretty much anyone else who would listen. God has blessed what we are trying to do in enormous ways.
Most challenging aspect:
Balancing it all—funding, boards, coaches, huddles, camps, expense reports, promotion, ban-quets, golf events. It can get a tad overwhelming.
Recent ministry highlight:
Our annual Leslie Frazier FCA Football Camp, where the Minnesota Vikings coach talks to kids about not compromising what you believe and putting your faith and hope in Jesus Christ. It puts everything we do into perspective.
What I love about FCA:
Having the opportunity to bring the life-changing truth of Jesus Christ to high schools. Through God's hand on FCA, we have tremendous favor in the high schools around here, which is simply amazing. I love my job because I love seeing coaches and students get excited about Jesus Christ!
3 Prayer Requests:
1. To continue to know how to balance being a good husband and father while leading a growing, dynamic ministry.
2. To see an "Acts 2" type of revival in Minnesota's athletes and coaches.
3. To stay focused.
Originally Published: July 2013
Photos courtesy of Jake Vanada