FCA Outdoors cast a net with the Good News last summer at the High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina.
“We have been involved in many fishing tournaments, but this was the first time at this event,” said FCA Outdoors Ambassador James Hall. “I knew we could show up and let God do the rest.”
And did He ever. In three days, 450 coaches and volunteers provided 900 high school students from around the world:
-3,500 meals.
-1,500 FCA Outdoor Bibles.
-1,500 FCA “The FOUR” bracelets.
Fishing is one of the fastest growing high school team sports, and tournaments such as the High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship involve long days for the fishermen, their families and coaches. FCA staff and volunteers from South Carolina, Georgia and Florida planned ways to share the Gospel.
“It’s a busy weekend, and the athletes are focused, but there were many great opportunities to build relationships,” said FCA Outdoors Executive Vice President Paul Dennis. “We spent hours talking and praying with parents, coaches, athletes and their families. We also served thousands of meals and sno cones to the fishermen and their families over this three-day tournament.”
In the Gospel, becoming fishers of men meant that Jesus used His disciples to grow the Kingdom of God. And Jesus used FCA Outdoors to grow His Kingdom that weekend.
For one team from Zimbabwe, FCA’s presence was truly a God-send. Each tournament team had two athletes; their score is determined by the combined weight of the fish they catch during the event. Unfortunately, one of the Zimbabwe teammates got sick during the tournament and couldn’t fish on one of the days.
After her partner finished fishing solo, she asked an FCA volunteer to pray for her and her sick teammate. This simple prayer request was the beginning of something bigger. During the weekend, FCA staff connected the teammates with FCA staff in Zimbabwe, and they began working on a plan to bring FCA Bibles and programs to coaches and athletes there.
FCA staff and volunteers connected and prayed with hundreds of other athletes and families that weekend, praying for salvation, anxiety and safety from the tournament’s intense heat, dehydration and sunburns.
“We shared how they could get connected to or start a Huddle in their local schools. The relationships we created exceeded our expectations and God opened doors for further ministry,” said Paul.
Parents and tournament staff also recognized the difference FCA’s presence made throughout the weekend.
“I had a parent tell me, through tears, how much she appreciated us being there,” said Hall. “She had not heard her son proclaim Christ in a long time and feared he had turned his back. She said she felt like FCA being there, sharing and showing it’s OK to proclaim Christ in our lives, made a difference. When her son was on stage for the awards ceremony, he proclaimed his tournament success was because of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
The tournament director said he could see that having FCA at the event, sharing Christ and being available to these students made a difference. The Student Anglers Federation is already counting on FCA being at next year’s championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
From the outside looking in, it may have looked like FCA was at Lake Hartwell that weekend simply to serve food, but they provided more than physical nourishment. Meeting coaches, athletes and families where they are, whether it’s a football field or a nearby lake, continues to provide FCA an opportunity to connect more people to the Gospel.
The Holy Spirit moved in and out of the water during the High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship, and we can’t wait to cast the net of Good News at more events like it.