Warner University’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) program was revamped this academic school year. With such a large percentage of our student body participating in athletics, the integration of FCA into our weekly calendar was a natural fit. FCA provides not only a place for fellowship–hence the name–but also a place for certain students to grow in leadership positions. Each of our sports teams are represented in FCA by one student leader. These leaders were chosen by head coaches and Student Life. They take turns organizing and speaking at the weekly FCA meetings.
Recently, our FCA leaders have been able to demonstrate their leadership skills off campus. Beginning in January, Warner’s FCA entered into a partnership with the FCA of Bok Academy South, a public charter middle school located right across the street from Warner. This partnership entails having our FCA student leaders heading over to Bok South weekly and sharing messages with the students of Bok South’s FCA. So far, six students have been able to lead an FCA meeting at Bok South: Horiam Santiago, baseball; Esther Breitling, flag football; Adrian Glasgow, football; Sebastian Kuhns, baseball; Christian Martin, football; Zyriah “Zoe” Hughes, women’s soccer.
Casey Benjamin, our Coordinator for Outreach and Ministry, had this to say about the partnership: “My son, Ty, attends Bok South and has always loved FCA there, but he mentioned that one teacher was leading nearly every week. Recognizing the weight of that responsibility alongside her teaching duties, I reached out to see if she would be open to us volunteering to help lighten the load. She graciously offered us one FCA meeting—and Horiam absolutely crushed it! Since then, she has continued inviting us back week after week, and it has been an incredible experience for both the Warner and Bok students.
“I’ve watched our Warner students grow in confidence as they share their faith, and the Bok students are deeply engaged, eager to ask questions and connect with them afterward. It’s been so beautiful to witness! The outpouring of the Spirit on our campus this year has been undeniable, and now we’re seeing that same movement spreading across the street to Bok. It’s truly humbling to be part of something so powerful!”
Lindsay Woods, the coordinator of FCA at Bok South, shared this about Warner FCA’s presence at Bok South: “Warner athletes visiting Bok to speak about their faith and build relationships with our students and staff is an incredible opportunity that leaves a lasting impact. Hearing from young athletes who are actively growing in their faith and serving as spiritual leaders on their teams provides our students with real-life examples of how faith can be integrated into all aspects of life, including sports. Their testimonies inspire and encourage our students to develop their own faith, build strong character and become positive influences in their schools and communities. By sharing their journeys, the Warner athletes help our students see the power of perseverance, faith and leadership, reinforcing the importance of living with purpose both on and off the field.”
These six students, and the many other FCA student leaders who are slated to speak at Bok South in the near future, have gone above and beyond in their dedication to service. We are amazed at how students this academic school year have continued to step up, demonstrating Christ-like character in their leadership and humility. God is moving at Warner University, and we are so blessed to see the fruit of His movement begin to spread out into the Lake Wales community.
