Making Disciples - Engage

Shelley Pearson • June 17, 2020

Matthew, Peter, James, John . . . In the pages of Scripture, we are introduced to twelve men who follow Jesus. These men were the first Disciples, and all Christ-followers throughout the last two millennia have been called the same. Disciples are engaged in discipleship which FCA defines as personal spiritual transformation and public multiplication.[i] As Christ followers mature, it becomes natural for them to multiply themselves in the lives of others, but sometimes we need tools for knowing how to do that.

Discipleship has always been a top priority for FCA, but leadership is working harder than ever to ensure it remains at the very core of the ministry. The vision and mission of FCA is to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes and to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.[ii] At its core is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To know Him and make Him known. For 65 years, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been doing just that.

Though this pandemic has been hard, there have been some blessings. Because of so many canceled activities, it has given people and organizations space to focus on things that may have taken a back burner. FCA recently rolled out an online Discipleship training program for its entire staff that covers FCA’s methods for making disciples: Engage, Equip, and Empower:[iii]

Engage – We will engage relationally by connecting with individual athletes and coaches and strive to connect with them where they are on their spiritual journey.

Equip - After cultivating relationships and seeing coaches and athletes come to faith in Christ, we will equip them to be followers of Christ, growing in God’s Word and applying it to their lives.

Empower - Once equipped, we will empower faithful leaders to help other coaches and athletes experience the gospel, grow in their faith, and share Christ with others. We desire to develop disciples who make disciples, assisting them so that they in turn engage, equip and empower others to know and grow in Christ and lead others to do the same.

The first training session, Engage, walked staff through four steps of engagement.

Engage God first. Before running ahead and doing the work we believe is right, it is important to seek God’s face first both for our own personal growth and direction on how to reach out to others.

The E3 Playbook that accompanies the training provides tools for each step. One tool for engaging God first is a method of prayer called ACTS:

Adore - helps us focus on who God is
Confess gets our hearts right before God and gives us the opportunity to confess our sin
Thank is a time to remember what God has already done in our lives and around the world
Supply is the time to ask God to move in our own lives and in the lives of those we seek to reach with the Gospel.

Nothing we do matters if we do not engage God first. When our vertical relationship with God is solid, we can more easily build relationships horizontally.

Engage the heart. It is somewhat easy to find connections with people, but this type of engagement goes beyond surface connections. By asking pointed questions and sharing powerful stories, FCA staff was reminded of the importance of connecting to people’s hearts so they begin to see their need for a Savior.

For example, consider two athletes who are getting ready for the big game. One may say, “I keep a Bible verse in my locker to help me stay focused. What keeps you focused when you compete?”

Or think about another athlete who wants to encourage an athlete who has been sidelined for several games due to an injury: “I know this injury is devastating. Can I pray for you?” This demonstrates a care and concern that reflects Christ’s love for another person and can cause someone begin to wonder whether they are missing something in life.

It can also be powerful to share Bible stories or personal faith stories with others to engage their hearts. If it gets people thinking about their own lives, it may move them closer to wanting to explore a relationship with Jesus. People often relate better to the experience of others and appreciate when others know what they are going through.

Engage with the Gospel. Once you have engaged God and engaged the heart, FCA has created a simple tool called The FOUR that will help you share the truth of the gospel. Too often, we never get to this step because we do not know what exactly to say, but The Four lays out the truth and gets to the question of whether someone is ready to make the decision to trust Christ. (Click Here to read more about The FOUR)

Engage to Multiply. Every disciple has a web of influence. FCA has created an E3 map to help people understand the potential influence of any single individual. It encourages disciples to consider their circle of influence which may include family members, neighbors, co-workers, grocery store employees, etc., and to start praying for these individuals.

This first training experience was great for staff as the entire organization is focused on the same goals of discipleship. The webinar was informational, and the time in smaller huddles was instrumental in giving staff members the opportunities to practice the skills they are learning in the webinars.

Read past and current stories of engagement happening in FCA:

An older student engaged with Mitchell, and then his huddle coach engaged with him. He is now engaging with high school students where he teaches: Huddle Impact - Mitchell's Story
An FCA staff member engaged with four high school freshman who moved to become senior leaders: FCA Impact - Four Chisago High School Seniors
Ed Christopherson engaged with hundreds of athletes who have multiplied themselves over several decades: The Influence of a Modern Day Hero of the Faith