Fields of Faith draws hundreds of area students for praise, worship

Brian Graves, The Anniston Star, Ala.
·3 min read

Oct. 6—OXFORD — Hundreds of area students crowded the soccer field at Choccolocco Park Wednesday night as they gathered to play, praise and pray.

The event was part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' annual "Fields of Faith" celebrations with the local version sponsored by the Cheaha Valley chapter of the organization.

The night began with typical events of youth — pizza and games.

It then turned to the serious issue of sharing what faith in Jesus Christ can do for a young person's life.

"Tonight is by the students and for the students," said FCA Area Director Cole Limbaugh. "Tonight is all about having our young leaders stand before their peers, share their faith in Christ and give a strong challenge to everyone here to read the Gospel of John for the next 21 days. We believe if you do that He will perform a transforming work in and through your lives."

Limbaugh said the FCA's mission is "simple, yet profound."

"Our desire is to lead every coach and athlete into a relationship with Jesus Christ and His church," Limbaugh said. "If you have FCA on your campus, I want to encourage you to get plugged in. Our desire is to reach every coach and athlete in Calhoun County and all the surrounding Cheaha Valley."

White Plains High School softball and basketball player Addison Bradley led the service with a reading from Ephesians Chapter 2, verses 1-10.

"It's the story of what He has done in and through those that are believers," Limbaugh said. "He has taken every one of us that are believers from death to life."

Tide Gann, Oxford High School baseball player, offered a prayer asking "your spirit would be moved on this field."

A praise band composed of local high school students offered the musical accompaniment for the evening with the offering praise songs to which the students sang along, often embracing and reaching their hands to the skies.

Monte Sinclair, a tri-sport student athlete senior at Jacksonville High School, was one of several who delivered his personal testimony of faith.

"Before coming to Christ, I had nothing going for myself. I was just existing," Sinclair said. My life revolved around myself and the things of this world."

Sinclair said he had no perspective of life other than that of his own and found his greatest joys "in the things the Bible forbids."

He said his transformation of faith came during his freshman year when he was "coming out of one of the darkest times of my life when I fortunately accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior."

"I had just overcome depression and was seeking something that would internally and externally fulfill me for eternity," Sinclair said. "God gave me just that as he flooded my main source of entertainment, which was TikTok at the time, with videos all about the Gospel."

"Since I have given my life to Christ, my life has been filled with so many God-ordained opportunities and I have been blessed with so many new amazing brothers and sisters in Christ and certain there will be more," he said.

"I encourage you all to shift your perspective from the temporary to the eternal, the seen to the unseen, the natural to the supernatural and keep doing that until it aligns with Christ," Sinclair said.

For more information about the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and upcoming events, call 256-872-3151 or visit the website at cheahavalleyfca.org.

Limbaugh can be reached through his email at rlimbaugh@fca.org.

Staff Writer Brian Graves: 256-236-1551.