The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) on Ouachita’s campus exists to serve and encourage Christian athletes in their walk with Christ.
There are three main purposes they are trying to fulfill this year. Two of these purposes are focused on the athletes on Ouachita’s campus, according to Dr. Scott Jackson, the staff sponsor for FCA,.
“First we want to provide inspiration and encouragement to the Christian athletes on campus,” he said. “The second purpose is to provide them with resources and support and motivation to share their faith with non-Christian teammates.”
During FCA’s meeting each Wednesday night, they are currently dedicating one meeting to each sports team in order to reach more of the athletes on campus.
“We are inviting the coaches and the players for the team to have someone share a testimony and then someone else bring a short devotional and we’re trying to make the meeting one where we focus on them. We pray a focused prayer for them at the end for their needs and their sport in particular.”
In order to reach out to other athletes in the Arkadelphia community, FCA also meets weekly at Arkadelphia High School and Goza Middle School.
“A third purpose that we have been developing is an opportunity to serve younger athletes and develop mentoring relationships with the area high school FCA huddle and the area junior high FCA huddle,” Jackson said.
Alan Greenwood, Ouachita’s sports information director has been leading and coordinating the meetings at the high school and middle school.
“They’ve got a lot going on,” Greenwood said. “So it’s become an opportunity to refocus every week in the middle of the day.”
The weekly meetings try to find the students where they are and help them out with situations in their practical life.
“We’ll talk about scripture, we’ll talk about music, we’ll talk about how this applies to them,” Greenwood said.
Greenwood grew up in Arkadelphia schools and knows the challenges and struggles Christian athletes face daily. God has given him a heart for the people there.
“I want ideas to change,” Greenwood said. “I want hearts to change. We want to reach people that aren’t being reached. Sometimes you can be overlooked at that age and so it’s always a blessing to see God working.”
Ouachita’s FCA meets every Wednesday night at 8:30 in Berry Bible Building room 218.
