A Bittersweet Goodbye - Reflections on 10 Years of Ministry with FCA

10 years…wow…

Who knew that coming on staff with FCA right out of college would be so life-changing? Serving in this ministry has been so special, and words can’t fully express how much it has meant to me. FCA has played a huge role in my maturity as a man and in my faith. I’ve seen God do so much in and through this ministry these past 10 years. I’ve seen coaches and athletes give their hearts to Jesus and be lights on their teams, I’ve seen athletes baptized and had the honor of baptizing MSU basketball players, I’ve seen coaches’ marriages and families restored, I’ve seen coaches and athletes trust God through difficult circumstances, injuries, etc., I’ve seen high school football fields flooded with people praying at fields of faith events, I’ve seen lives changed by the gospel at FCA rallies, college getaways, summer camps, weekly huddles, on individual teams, and so much more. I feel so blessed and privileged to have served in this amazing ministry these years.

As I step into this next season of my life by prioritizing my family and my growing responsibilities as one of the pastors at Vibrant Church, it is bittersweet to transition away from serving on staff with FCA. I will forever cherish and miss all of the relationships I’ve made with FCA staff, coaches, athletes, school administrators/faculty, donors, and so many others through these years. I’d greatly appreciate prayers moving forward, as this is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make. Although I’m transitioning away from serving on staff, I’ll forever be a teammate and supporter of this amazing ministry… "working to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes."

Much love and blessings,

Tyson Cunningham

*(pictured far left)

"BE BOLD" Challenge

At the beginning of the semester, we focused on seeing Jesus in the Old Testament Scriptures and learning its significance for us today. We gained many insights about Jesus being the same yesterday, today, and forever, through these stories. However, in April, there was a noticeable change as more athletes and coaches used their platforms in sports to proclaim and walk in the ways of God boldly. This shift led us to direct our weekly huddles towards learning about Jesus and our identity in Him and challenging athletes (and ourselves) to walk in the things we know Jesus has been saying to us. 

To introduce our "Be Bold" theme, we showed a compilation of videos showcasing athletes' and coaches' courage and boldness. The video ended with the recent baptism of an MSU football player. After the huddle, two volleyball players urgently approached me and expressed their desire to be baptized. They had known that they needed to be baptized, but after seeing the video, they felt compelled to take action. Within a couple of weeks, we were able to coordinate with Pinelake Starkville and arrange for them to be baptized.

By the end of the semester, we asked athletes to group up by team and go to their field or court and pray over it. For some, it was their first time to do something like a prayer walk. For all of us as a community, it was an introduction to a new way of being together that will lead us into a deeper connection with God and each other that is what we believe God has designed MSU FCA to be. 

One of the core Scriptures we used throughout April is Acts 4:29-30 which reads:

"And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants,

great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 

These verses propelled us into looking at the boldness of our beliefs in who we believe our Heavenly Father is and what he says about us. We discovered that our outward boldness is an indication of our inward core beliefs. If we are bold in our belief of him, we will naturally be bold in our actions.

We look forward to building relationships across the MSU FCA family this summer and continue to walk in the boldness God has designed for us!

Bethany Pigott

Campus Representative

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