FCA sponsors Fields of Faith
Posted on Thursday, October 9, 2008
Daily Record photograph by Sarah Nader Chase Baggett, 17, of Bentonville listened to the music while attending the Fields of Faith event at Bentonville High School’s baseball field Wednesday evening. Field of Faith is a student-led campus ministry that meets on a school’s athletic field.
An estimated 400 students converged on the Tigers' baseball / softball complex Wednesday night, but they weren't there for a ballgame.
The students were participating in the third annual Fields of Faith event, which includes such gatherings held on school sports fields nationwide. The interdenominational event, sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is a night when student athletes are asked to talk to the audience about their relationship with God.
A band from Keypoint Church in Bentonville led the worship, and a few adult church leaders also spoke. However, the majority of event participants, coordinators and leaders were students. Having a student-led event is an important component of Fields of Faith, said Chad Evans, one of the adult coordina tors.
"It makes (more of an impact ) if the students are the ones reaching out," he said.
The students agreed. Bentonville High School senior football players Rob Ferrell and Brandon Sleeth both shared with the crowd about their relationship with God.
"It bridges the age gap," Sleeth said of having mostly students run the event.
Ferrell spoke about the idea of "abusing God's grace," which he said is an easy trap for young people to fall into - thinking they can disobey God's commands, then just ask for forgiveness later. Sleeth spoke about the power that the tongue has to be both destructive and encouraging - and how people must choose to use the tongue's power for doing something positive.
Jonathan Mortensen, a BHS junior, attended the gathering. He agreed that having it led by fellow students is more meaningful.
"It's led by our peers," he said. "It encourages me (to do the same )."
Hannah Lassiter, a sophomore at BHS, attended the event because she wanted to see students her own age talking about their relationship with God.
"It's cool seeing people I see in the hall every day talking about God and the influence he has in their life," she said.
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