Fellowship of Christian Athletes

History

FCA was founded in 1954 by Eastern Oklahoma A&M basketball coach Don McClanen, who later resigned to become its full-time director. After watching sports stars use fame to endorse and sell general merchandise, McClanen wrote to 19 prominent sports figures asking for their help in establishing an organization that would use the same principle to share the Christian faith. Among the first supporters were Baseball Hall of Famer Branch Rickey, who was most known for breaking the MLB color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945, and professional athletes including Otto Graham, Carl Erskine and Don Moomaw. FCA held its first advisory board meeting in September 1954 and was officially incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in November.

After two years in Oklahoma, McClanen moved FCA's headquarters to Kansas City, Missouri. That year (1956), FCA also conducted its first national camp‚then referred to as a national conference‚which drew 256 athletes and coaches to Estes Park, Colo. The ministry continued its expansion by adding additional camp locations, establishing a national magazine and beginning school campus groups called ‚"Huddles‚" within 10 years of the first camp. In 1979 FCA completed and dedicated a new headquarters facility overlooking Kansas City‚ Truman Sports Complex, and the building was officially renamed the FCA National Support Center in 2011.

After more than 60 years of operation, FCA has developed into a global Christian sports ministry reaching more than two million people per year at the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth sports levels. As of 2014, FCA included a staff of approximately 1,200 ministry personnel in more than 450 U.S. and international staff offices.

Statement of faith

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes operates according to an internally written statement of faith. This statement consists of seven points based on Bible teachings and Christian principles. Each point has a corresponding scripture. All staff and leaders agree with and operate according to the FCA statement of faith.

Core values

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes lists four core values for its ministry: Integrity, Serving, Teamwork and Excellence. Each core value has a corresponding scripture.

Four C’s of ministry

FCA categorizes its ministry according to what are called the "Four C's'" of ministry: Coaches, Campus, Camps and Community.

Sport-Specific Ministry FCA targets athletes and coaches in baseball, cheerleading, endurance sports, golf, hockey, lacrosse, motocross, surfing and wrestling.

The first SSM was FCA Golf, which was established in 1977. It was followed in 1989 by FCA Lacrosse.

International ministry

Since 2012, FCA has expanded efforts around the world. As of 2016, FCA International is serving in 56 countries through 111 FCA International leaders who spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. FCA supports initiatives and partnerships that provide opportunities for leaders in sport ministries within their own countries by equipping them with the programs, services, support, resources and tools to grow their ministries. FCA hosted nearly 200 camps outside of the US with more than 25,000 campers in 36 countries. Additionally, FCA International Huddles grew from 118 to 798, with 22,821 in attendance; 4,021 made decisions to follow Christ.

Leadership

At the executive level, FCA operates under the direction of a president/CEO and an executive team that meets with a board of trustees.

FCA requires leaders to agree with its vision, mission and statement of faith. All adult leaders must complete a Ministry Leader Application. Applicants must agree with its vision, mission, statement of faith, non-denominational statement and sexual purity statement. All leaders must also pass a criminal background check and have their complete application approved by a local or regional Field Staff employee.

Criticism

In September 2015, Roanoke and Roanoke County Virginia public schools ended FCA ministry to football players following at least two complaints. In an FCA activity referred to as the "Watermelon Ministry," the organization had visited public high school student athletes at team practices to offer watermelon slices and tell players that all the talents they have come from God. Two FCA videos from August 2015 of the now-halted program show public school coaches standing behind their team while an FCA evangelist sternly warns them that to be good players they must have a Christian faith and read the Bible. In a third video, numerous Virginia public high school coaches speak about how the FCA helps them recruit students to Christianity. One coach, for example, states: "We teach them not only about sports and how to live your life, but how to live your life as a Christian. I think that’s really important, for us to just have a chance to relate with all different kinds of kids, not just the ones who go to church, but maybe the ones who don’t go to church. It allows us to draw them in in a relaxed environment and really speak to them about the Gospel, which is the reason we do what we do. We want to bring kids to the gospel and see them follow after Christ."

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a national nonprofit organization, referred to the activities as "predatory," "illegal" and "unconstitutional" in letters sent to superintendents of two of the largest Virginia jurisdictions involved.

School officials responded they were unaware that the coaches were hosting the proselytizing, and immediately stopped it. The Roanoke County superintendent stated “Roanoke County Schools believes in the separation of church and state. We want to maintain and ensure that that practice is being followed.” A city of Roanoke spokesman said “When this information came to our attention, we responded immediately. We met with the appropriate people and made it very clear that separation of church and state is the law of the land. We feel the matter is under control and we will monitor this very closely.”

Through its media office, FCA issued the following response, "Every student athlete has the right and the freedom to participate in activities according to their individual religious convictions. There are no repercussions for students who decline to participate in FCA activities." The FFRF letters, however had noted that repercussions may take the form of pressure from peers and coaches, alienating non-Christian students, and usurping parents' authority.

Professional athletes

Since 1954, professional athletes and coaches have taken part in FCA through ministry events, speaking engagements, FCA camps, volunteer opportunities and ministry leadership roles. For approximately six decades, athletes and coaches from both major and minor professional sports and top-tier college programs have engaged with FCA to communicate their Christian faith and participate in community outreach opportunities. Among those who pioneered the organization were former stars Otto Graham, Branch Rickey, Bobby Richards, Carl Erskine and Bill Krisher. They would be followed by other influential sports figures including Tom Landry, Bobby Bowden, John Wooden, Roger Staubach, Jim Ryun, Betsy King, Herschel Walker, Reggie White, Tony Dungy, Shaun Alexander, Tom Osborne and Kay Yow‚ all of whom vocalized their Christian faith through FCA outlets such as banquets, camps and rallies.

Recent stars who have connected with FCA have included Josh Hamilton, Adam Wainwright, Brian Roberts, Tim Tebow, Tamika Catchings, Jennie Finch, Andy Pettitte, Tommy Tuberville, Jim Kelly, John Harbaugh, Leah O'Brien Amico, John Smoltz, Mark Richt, Colt McCoy, Andrew McCutchen and a number of public figures outside the world of sports such as comedian Jeff Foxworthy, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson. Influential Christian leaders such as Billy Graham, Chip Ingram, Anne Graham Lotz and Tommy Nelson also have participated in FCA through resource development, camps or events.

FCA award winners

FCA presents six national awards every year to athletes and coaches who have excelled in specific areas of competition, community service and Christian character.