Team FCA Volleyball

There are a lot of exciting new things going on in the world of Team FCA Volleyball!  FCA has added three FCA club volleyball teams to our community sports ministry. The teams are based out of Middleburg, Florida and are under the coaching and guidance of Coach Karen Padgett, Deanna Smith, and other coaching staff that are on fire for Christ and leading their athletes to experience volleyball through a Kingdom mindset.

The purpose of FCA Volleyball is to significantly impact the club volleyball community by training athletes and coaches to become Godly role models to those whom they influence.  Our objective is to build an unprecedented athletic environment that:

-Presents programs that shape character and create role models.

-Positively and significantly impact athletes, coaches, parents, families, officials, leagues, tournaments and communities.

-Establishes and sustains a venue to develop and demonstrate FCA’s four values: integrity, service, teamwork and excellence.

Team FCA Volleyball offers what no other club in Jacksonville can – the foundation of Jesus Christ. If you know someone who would be interested in coaching or playing on Team FCA, please contact Christina Hovestadt at christinah@fca.org.  Northeast Florida FCA is expecting for God to do only great things to happen to and through the FCA Teams. We look forward to sharing the testimonies of coaches and athletes with you all this season as they go play for their number one fan, Jesus Christ!

FCA St. Augustine High School Softball Team Retreat

NE Florida FCA hosted the St. Augustine High School Girls’ Softball teams at Camp Blanding for and FCA team building retreat.  The camps focus was developing a culture of encouragement and support for each other and ensuring the girls use positive words that build their team mate. The team retreat served as the teams’ opportunity to develop this year’s theme and commitment to each other.   During chapel 3 girls indicated their desire to follow Christ.

TEAM FCA Team Retreat

On January 20th-21st FCA hosted five teams for our 3-Dimensional Athlete Team Retreat, including four our own FCA Volleyball and FCA Baseball teams.  The theme of the weekend was committing to FCA’s core values of integrity, serving, teamwork and excellence and how these are expressed on and off the field/court. 

One of the most enjoyable and memorable times of any FCA 3DA retreat is the experience on the air assault obstacle course where we place athletes in situations that reveal what is under the surface and not normally visible in their behavior. Fear, joy, frustration and numerous other emotions are always on display.  Our staff and coaches observe these teams/athletes actions and provide feedback that reinforces those four core values and covenants.

Finally, the most significant moments of any FCA retreat/camp are the times of spiritual devotion, our chapel times. More than 20 student-athletes indicated their desire to follow Christ during our chapel times as evidence that God is moving in the heart of student-athletes. What an awesome experience it was for all the teams and staff involved, a big thank you to all the FCA partners and supporters that continue to make ministry like this possible.

The greater truth in the Tim Tebow debate

There have been several times over the last few months where I wanted to share my perspectives on the media darling/villain that is Tim Tebow. To say that people love or hate Tim Tebow is an absolute understatement. He is as polarizing a sports figure as we have seen in our generation, perhaps in any generation. The reason I have resisted to share my thoughts has been a desire to genuinely listen to the criticism and analysis of fans, peers in the league, and of course, the members of the over-analyzing and ratings driven media.  As I listened, what I heard was quite revealing and in my estimation highlights something much more significant and deeply rooted in the souls of all men and women.

What has been incredibly apparent in all the discussion of Tim Tebow is the inability of anyone to come to a consensus or present a definitive objective standard by which to judge him. Skill wise he is an average NFL quarterback at best. However, it is unquestionable that he is the reason that the team is thriving after a 1-4 start under a different QB when one considers his numerous clutch performances or listens to the respect his teammates have for him and his leadership. In short, I believe all the debate illustrates a more significant and spiritual truth; the inability of man apart from God to clearly define the difference between good and evil or in other words, absolute truth. If man is unable to conclusively agree on what makes a QB good or bad, how can we even begin to entertain the thought of defining ourselves as good or bad people with regard to our spiritual condition. In 1 Samuel 16:7 God instructs the prophet Samuel when seeking the one God has selected to be king, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”  Sometimes those who look the best on the outside, like the religious leaders of Jesus’s time on Earth are indeed the worst of sinners. Conversely, there are those that appear to be bad on the surface level, much like the woman caught in adultery, but are the very people whom Jesus forgives and declares righteous.

In conclusion, Tim Tebow has enjoyed the favor of God (not everything going his way, but the sustaining strength of God in all situations) because his heart is right with God, having freely received the love and peace of God through death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 1:14 states, the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Apart from receiving the truth of God’s word we are wholly incapable of judging correctly and objectively, whether that is something as critical as our spiritual condition or as entertaining as the merits of a certain mile high quarterback.

Flagler College Women’s Basketball Team Retreat

On December 27th & 28th NE Florida FCA hosted Flagler College Women’s Basketball for team camp. The retreat was intended to be a team building experience and proved to be just that as the team worked on team building activities that challenged the student-athletes to see that each was a valuable asset and has a key role to play in the team. FCA staff Justin Black serves as the Chaplain for Flagler basketball and continues to sow into the spiritual development on the Flagler College coaches and athletes.  Thank you to Good News Church of the World Golf Village for leading chapel and feeding the team.

One Word

Here I am December 26, 2011 looking back on a year that has experienced much CHANGE. There is not a better word that describes it as I have experienced this change from the very beginning of the year all the way up until now. Just to share some of that change. On January 1^st 2011 our foster daughter was reunited with her family; On August 1^st I resigned from my position at the Boys & Girls Club to join an awesome new team, Team FCA. Perhaps the biggest of all the change is the news that my wife, Shelli, is pregnant again!! (Yes it was planned) Some of the other changes are smaller in nature but have been more impactful; like the change in my priorities, habits, and thinking. As I was thinking about all this change and the theme of this past year, it got me thinking about next year and what I want the theme to be.  The word that came to me was GROW.  I have experienced change and now I want to be able to GROW positively from that change. The word change has been thrown around so often and as I was reading the devotional Coach WOODEN ONE-ON-ONE there was a saying that stuck out to me from Coach and it was this “Although there is no progress without change, not all change is progress.” So how do we make sure that my change produces progress? I believe it starts with a game plan and for me that game plan is first identifying the things that I want to GROW in 2012. I want my relationship with my Savior to GROW, I want my relationship with me family to GROW, I want the ministry of FCA to GROW. These are just a few of the items on my game plan but the question I have for all of you is what’s your game plan for 2012? I know mine do you know yours?

Xavier-Cincinnati Brawl

  For all those that underestimate the value or doubt the extent of a coaches influence and how it translates beyond the field or court of competition, I would like to submit this most recent case study as overwhelming proof. Last weekend the ugly side of competitive sports was on display as benches cleared and a brawl ensued during the last ten seconds of the Xavier vs. Cincinnati basketball game. It would be easy to focus in on the physical actions of the athletes because they are disturbing,graphic and grab our attention. However, what was most revealing to me was the post game comments by some of the players that indicate that the coach had no game plan for his team beyond fundamentals and little commitment to developing them as young men. Several players indicated that they felt “disrespected” by comments made by the other team before and during the game and that quote, “if somebody put their hands in your face or try to do something to you, where we from you gonna do something back”. This is an annual rivalry game! One would assume the coach would prepare his team mentally and emotionally for the obvious circumstances that would accompany such a heated contest. However, these comments reveal that the coaches were a miserable failure in preparing their teams to win or lose with integrity and humility. With the subsequent disciplinary actions (or lack thereof) by the universities failing to send the proper message to their student-athletes about real life decisions and consequences and the DA now considering criminal charges against the players involved, one must admit that the influence of a coach has far reaching implications beyond the game. What if these players behaved the same way off the court? Are we coaching to simply win games or to also help young men and women win in life. Mark 8:36 says, “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul”. Sadly, poor coaching and the answer to that question were on display for all to see this past weekend. – Josh Q.

FCA 5k Walk of Faith & Run of Faith

Northeast Florida Fellowship of Christian Athletes held our first FCA 5K Race of Faith & Walk of Faith December 11, 2011. Runners from all age groups came out to Mickler’s Landing in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL to run in the FCA Race of Faith on the beach.  The day provided less-than-favorable weather, but created a race that required an extra push of endurance and strength! FCA would like to thank our Title Sponsor, The Jon Gordon Companies, for seeing a vision of families and friends gathering together for our one true cause – Jesus Christ! Our event would never have been possible without his heart, passion and idea of seeing people being drawn closer to Christ through a time of reflection on the beach. We’d also like to thank our amazing volunteers who helped the event run smoothly! You all are appreciated more than you know.

The first-ever …

The first-ever FCA 5K is less than a week away! I’m so excited to see what God is going to do through this event. At first, I will admit I was a little nervous about getting hands-on into the ministry with our first ever 5K… what a great responsibility that is! However, as we have gotten closer to the event our daily prayer and worship meetings every morning have really helped instill an indesribable peace that I know has only been given by God Himself. Doors have been open for new sponsors, participants and opportunities for the FCA ministry to expand into the lives of more athletes and coaches. If you haven’t already signed up for the Race of Faith or the family Walk of Faith, I encourage you to do so! This event is a great opportunity for your family to come together to enjoy a walk on the beach with eachother and with the God who loves you! You can sign up at www.fca5k.com. Oh and by the way – a big thanks to Jon Gordon and The Jon Gordon Companies for being our Title Sponsor for this event. He has gone ABOVE & BEYOND in supporting FCA and we are so thankful for everything he, and everyone on our board has been doing to make this event a success. To God be ALL the Glory!!!

LABORING for the PROSPERITY of others

Great leadership principle: A good leader will LABOR for the PROSPERITY of those he/she leads. Jesus modeled this principle at the highest level. He gave everything of himself for the benefit of those He led. He spoke to this ideal in the following scripture. . .

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:25-28; also Mark 10:42-45)

God, help me to be a leader built for others. So often in our society leaders serve their own cause and agenda but Jesus modeled something different. Help me to lead like Jesus and LABOR for the PROSPERITY of those I lead.

- Clint Hendry