The FCA Way

Last week I spent several days in Kansas City at FCA Training Camp with new staff from around the country. We spent time learning the FCA Way—our vision, mission and values, how we disciple coaches and athletes through E3, and what it looks like to build ministry that lasts. But one theme kept showing up throughout the week: healthy ministers lead to healthy ministries.

I appreciated how seriously FCA takes the health of the people doing the ministry. Several of our sessions focused on Leadership of the Heart—the character, spiritual health and personal life of the leader. That same emphasis came from FCA leadership throughout the week: “You can't give what you don't have.” If we want to have maximum Gospel impact, our own relationship with Christ has to come first. We talked about humility, being coachable, taking an honest look at our own hearts, and making sure ministry doesn't come at the expense of our families. One phrase that summed that up pretty well was, “Go undefeated at home.”

For me, that became pretty practical. Put the things that matter most on the calendar first—God, Julia and the kids—and then build the work calendar around them. I also came home and turned off almost every notification on my phone. Calls and calendar alerts stayed on. Everything else can wait.

The week also reinforced something important about FCA: we aren't just about clubs on school campuses. Huddles are an important part of what we do, but the goal is discipleship. Through E3, we want to engage, equip and empower coaches and athletes to know and follow Jesus and help others do the same. We can't do that alone either. Partnerships matter, especially with the local church.

I came home encouraged by the organization I get to serve with and the way FCA thinks about ministry for the long haul. We want to reach more coaches and athletes with the Gospel here in Northern Nevada, but we also want to build something healthy and sustainable for the people leading it.

Healthy ministers lead to healthy ministries.