40 Miles for Bowyer's 40 Years

Shelley Pearson • November 6, 2020

If you had to go out and raise your own salary, would you do it?

Staff members for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes all over the world raise financial support to pay their salaries and cover ministry expenses. Prospective staff are sometimes hesitant to join FCA because of that, but those who have served in the ministry for many years know the tremendous blessing it can be to have a team of supporters behind you as you bring the Gospel to coaches and athletes around the world.

Seasoned staff have had countless one-on-one meetings over breakfast or coffee or lunch or dinner to share how God has called them to staff with FCA. It is an opportunity to reaffirm the calling on their lives over and over and to allow others to come alongside in reaching coaches and athletes with the Gospel.

After these meetings, new prayer team members commit to pray or new volunteers step up, and other times new donor relationships are formed. Some donors give one-time gifts, and others sign up to give monthly gifts of $25, $50, or $100.

Individual meetings like these are the most common way of raising support, but there are other ways too, like golf classics, galas, bike rides, and other events.

One bike ride, the Bowyer 40, is held near Mankato in southwestern Minnesota each year. This 40-mile bike ride is named after Coach Bowyer, a Mankato State University Hall of Fame baseball coach. His impact on the lives of coaches and athletes as an FCA MSU huddle coach and part-time FCA staff member following his retirement from MSU has spanned close to 40 years (thus the 40-mile bike ride!).

This year’s ride supported Maurice and Becki Staley, FCA area ambassadors who serve the Mankato area part-time. They lead Bible studies and disciple coaches and athletes at MSU, Gustavus, and West and East High Schools. They also lead a coaches’ wives study, a regular coaches huddle, and a female coaches huddle. Maurice and Becki come alongside athlete huddles by supporting annual Fields of Faith events, special events, and mentorship. Finally, they are working toward introducing at least one middle school huddle.

Maurice and Becki want to bring God’s truth to as many people as they possibly can. They love that they can pair this with their loves of sports. Maurice started playing football at the age of four and played baseball in his later elementary years. He played football for the University of Tennessee for two years. Becki swam in middle school and ran track and cross country in high school and college. She also ran for Nike, Reebok and the Native American Sports Council while competing professionally. In 2019, she was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame.

Like many FCA staff, they have seen God change hearts through the platform of sports and don’t want to miss the opportunity to be a light to coaches and athletes in the Mankato area.

This year’s ride was, like everything, a little different. They usually open it up to additional riders and have had board members and others ride, but they wanted to respect the social distancing guidelines and ensure everyone’s health and safety so Bob Spiegler, Southwest Minnesota Area Director, and one of Maurice and Becki’s sons rode on Saturday, and Becki and three of their sons rode on Sunday.

The ride raised nearly $6,000 so Maurice and Becki can continue the work God is doing in the hearts of coaches and athletes in the Mankato area. They are so grateful for each dollar given so they can continue the work God has started around them. Becki said, “Thank you to everyone that donated this year. We truly appreciate it. Thank you to the staff and family that rode with us it was a beautiful day to get out and raise funds for FCA.”

The staff at FCA is grateful for every donor who supports the ministry of FCA and every dollar that goes to support the vision of FCA in transforming the world with the Gospel of Christ through coaches and athletes.

If you would like to support our FCA staff, learn about all Minnesota FCA staff at minnesotafca.org/meettheteam. Or you can provide general support to the state by clicking minnesotafca.org/donate.