Students share beliefs at Fields of Faith
Linda Sappington
Students and leaders gathered in the Polson Sports Complex Wednesday night for the national Fields of Faith event.
Linda Sappington
“Driven,” a worship band from Lighthouse Christian Fellowship in Ronan, led worship at the event.
Linda Sappington
Linda Sappington/Valley Journal Youth from Lake County joined more than 180,000 others nationwide for the Fields of Faith event.
Linda Sappington
Athletes from the University of Montana shared stories of their faith.
Linda Sappington
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POLSON — Students from around Lake County gathered in the Polson Sports Complex Wednesday, Oct. 14 to worship together and hear University of Montana athletes share their testimonies in the national Fields of Faith event.
To describe his relationship with Jesus, Griz wide receiver Reese Carlson used an analogy of a popular restaurant where people kept talking about the delicious meals. He didn’t understand how good the teriyaki food was until he tasted it himself, and encouraged students in attendance to “come see and taste that the Lord is good.”
Griz runningback Joey Counts said while his family never went to church, “we always had a strong religious base,” although he grew away from God while in school before his high school varsity offensive line coach drew him back to God. A football injury set him on a road to depression and anxiety until he received encouragement from Rory Christiaens, Director of the Missoula Chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
The local gathering, with music by Lighthouse Christian Fellowship worship band “Driven,” was held simultaneously with about 180,000 other youth on 475 campuses and athletic fields across the nation during the ninth annual national Fields of Faith event.
Fields of Faith is structured as a student-to-student ministry. Peers invite their own classmates and teammates to meet on their school’s athletic field to hear fellow athletes share their testimonies, challenge them to read the Bible and to come to faith in Jesus Christ.
“Our Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ goal is to see coaches and athletes turn to God, and be transformed into men and women of empathy and integrity who help change the culture of sports in Montana,” said Bob Veroulis, FCA State Director, who also spoke at the event.
While Fields of Faith has its roots with FCA leadership, the event is designed to include multiple national Christian organizations, local churches and ministries.
