Sport Pillar Development Tools

APRIL 2025


Sport Advancement: Help for The Journey


Expanding FCA Sports environments offer myriad ministry opportunities; however, this growing number of opportunities can quickly overwhelm. The move to “every” is a daunting task, and we need to think strategically as we give vision to this new frontier. 


Staff

We will need more staff who are specialists in these ministry environments. For many of us, particularly directors, this reality can seem daunting as well. Aren't we already in need of more staff to reach the campus, run camps, and coordinate ministry to coaches? The good news is that staffing for expanded environments like Motocross, Outdoors, or FCA Sports can utilize part-time staff and may have more diverse funding options beyond just personal support raising. 


Volunteers

We will never be able to hire enough staff to meet every ministry need, nor has that ever been the vision or the goal. From the beginning of FCA’s ministry, we have always been a volunteer intensive ministry. The same will be true for expanded sport environments. Utilizing volunteers to help run and oversee ministry programming in these areas is essential in growing our ministry presence beyond the campus.


Next Steps

  • Who in your area is already involved with an expanded sport environment beyond the campus?
  • How could you cast vision for FCA ministry in their area of expertise and passion?
  • How can you prepare now to train board members and mobilized volunteers to serve in these expanded environments?
  • What training might you need to be ready to equip them?


NOVEMBER 2024


The Why


Our mission to reach every coach and athlete with the good news of Jesus is an invitation to re-imagine FCA ministry efforts to ensure we are executing strategies that engage with every coach and athlete, both on and off the campus. This reality does not undermine or deemphasize the campus; it expands our reach! We also want to emphasize that we are not asking our current staff to take on these environments on top of an already full plate. 

 

What are the Sports Environments? 

  • Action 
  • All Ability 
  • Campus 
  • Club 
  • League 
  • Motorsports 
  • Outdoors 
  • Pro and Elite 
More Detailed Descriptions Of Sport Environments Here!


Next Steps 

 

There are two areas of significant opportunity in Illinois: 

 

  1. Leagues & Clubs 
  2. Ministry to current leagues and clubs through huddles, resources, and events. 
  3. Ministry through leagues and clubs in FCA Sports (FCA administered leagues and clubs). 
  4. Outdoors 
  5. Competitive Marksmanship (archery, air rifle, pistol, clays) both on and off campuses. 
  6. Team Bass Fishing (on and off campus) 
  7. Equestrian 

 

I would encourage staff to do two things over the course of the next quarter. First, talk with your supervisor about attending FCA Sports School. Sports School combines online coursework work with a day of virtual training to introduce staff to FCA Sports (facilitating and running clubs and leagues). 

 

Second, I would encourage you to take inventory of the current clubs, leagues, and outdoor opportunities in your footprint. This reconnaissance is essential to get a “lay of the land” before we jump in to begin actively perusing ministry in these areas.