Featured Speaker Husker Running Back,

Rex Burkhead

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Norris High School Gymnasium

Tournament check-in: 2:00 pm

Tournament begins: 2:30 pm

“Meet & Greet” with Rex Burkhead: 4:00 pm

To register your FCA huddle’s coed ten-player dodgeball team and for more details click here.

Point Guard Academy Flyer

The Omaha Baseball Breakfast will be June 16, 8am to 10:00 am at the Ramada (72nd and Grover) and will feature keynote speaker Brian Conklin, whose love is baseball, but holds the record for 3 point shooting in Basketball for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  He is currently the Director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His topic for the breakfast is “Playing Sports God’s Way”. Along with Brian, will be former College World Series players and current players for testimonies and autographs. Full breakfast, Fun, and give-a-ways are planned.

June 7th and 8th from 9am-noon FCA will be hosting a youth basketball clinic at Omaha North High School.  The camp will be for kids going into 4th-12th grades.  The camp will be hosted by former Husker Brian Conklin and former Creighton Bluejay point guard Josh Dotzler.  The camp is free to the public.    North Omaha Shooting Camp

            The buzzer goes off signifying that the game is over.  The season just ended and the difference between the winner and loser is only one point.  One team is elated and their parents and fans are hugging each other and snapping pictures.  The other team members are red eyed and their parents are clearly disappointed.  It’s easy to see whom we on earth would term “winners” and “losers”.  Coaches have been fired because of losses.  Fans and the media clamor for a “winning” season. 

            Tony Dungy, the former coach of the Indianapolis Colts, led his team to victory in Super Bowl XLI.  In his book, Quiet Strength, he tells the wonderful story of a yielded life.  He was the first African American coach to win the Super Bowl.  Yet a few years earlier he had been fired for not winning.  At that time he did not panic.  Why?  Because his number one goal was to live out God’s plan for his life, he turned the wins and losses over to Jesus and left them there.  Sure he wanted to win, he spent time strategizing to win, he equipped his team to win but in the end he left the results up to the Heavenly Father.  And years later when the Colts won the big game, what did they ask their coach?  They wanted to pray.  The team knew their season was in God’s hands ultimately and they wanted to thank their Heavenly Father before that moment disappeared.

            In Matthew 16:24-27, Jesus talked about the cost of discipleship.  In verse 26 Jesus stated, “For what will a man be profited if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”  The relationship one has with Jesus Christ and that person’s willingness to serve God with their uniquely created abilities and gifts is what God’s Word emphasizes as true success.

            Losing a game, losing a job or losing any other prized relationship or goal does not mean failure.  Losing focus on Jesus’ plan for our life or choosing not to follow or honor Him is real loss and will effect eternity.

            In our short time on earth God wants us to use all to honor Him, all our wins and all our losses.  In Luke 12: 16-21 Jesus used a parable to describe a man who lived to possess.  His goal was to be the top dog.  Jesus’ term for him was, “Fool”.  When we meet our Creator, the big question will be, are we rich in earthly ways or are we rich in our relationship with God?  True winning is using our life on earth for God’s glory.

By Doyle and Melanie Denney

Dungy, Tony. Quiet Strength, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 2007.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/march-madness-athletic-achievement-and-christians-in-competitive-sports?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DGBlog+%28DG+Blog%29

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/march-madness-athletic-achievement-and-christians-in-competitive-sports?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DGBlog+%28DG+Blog%29

7 – 7:45am – Registration/Driving Range

Monument Shadows Golf Course

8:00am – Shotgun Start

Lunch and Program to Follow

The Cost is $300 per 4 man team – $75 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Western Nebraska Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  Prize money will be based on the number of teams entered in the event.  If 36 or more teams enter, prize money to the pro shop will be awarded to each team as follows:

1st Place: $1,000, 2nd Place: $750, 3rd Place: $500, 4th Place: $250, 5th Place: $100

The 1st Place team will also automatically qualify for the National FCA Golf Scramble at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Verda Beach, FL.

2011 Defending Champions - Steve Herron, Rick Rein, Ryan Bolzer, Rich Jackson

Download Registration Form Here

Contact Western Nebraska FCA Area Director Nate Lewis with questions or for more information

Email: nlewis@fca.org  Phone: 308-672-6953

Coach Yazdgerdi is the Head Coach of the Men’s and Women’s tennis teams at Hastings College. Comron is a 2005 graduate of Hastings College and a four year letterman for the Bronco tennis team. Comron was named 2nd team all-conference in singles competition in 2003 and 2004 as well as being named 1st team all-conference in 2005. Coach Yazdgerdi was also named 2nd team all-conference in doubles competition in 2005. As a coach Comron has coached two GPAC players of the year for the Broncos in 2009 and 2010 as well as being named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Men’s Tennis Coach-of-the-Year himself in 2010. Most importantly, Comron’s love for God and people is contagious and you will be nothing but blessed by being coached by him at this year’s FCA Tennis Clinics.

Tennis Clinic Dates and Locations

July 20th – Scottsbluff High School – Scottsbluff, NE

July 19th – McCook High School – McCook, NE

July 17th – Hastings College – Hastings, NE

July 16th – Woods Tennis Center – Lincoln, NE

Registration

Download a Registration and Waiver Form Here. Please mail registration and waiver form to:

FCA – P.O. Box 573 – Scottsbluff, NE 69363

Download Ticket Order Form Here

A member of FCA’s national Board of Trustees, Ken Whitten or “Pastor Ken” is the Senior Pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, where he has served for more than 21 years, which currently has a membership of over 10,000 and where he has pastored former Super Bowl Winning Coach for the Indianapolis Colts Tony Dungy as well as current National President of FCA Les Steckel.

In addition to FCA, Dr. Whitten has served on numerous other boards of nationally recognized organizations, committees and associations. He lists his hobbies and interests as: family, soul-winning, baseball and golf.

The purpose of the Western Nebraska FCA Spring Banquet is to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ known as well as to promote FCA Summer Camps.  As always, funds raised at the Western Nebraska FCA Banquet will support the ministry of FCA in Western Nebraska with particular emphasis on scholarship money to send students and coaches from Western Nebraska to FCA Summer Camps and retreats.

Gina Chambers will be the guest speaker at the FCA Ladies Luncheon, Wednesday, July 25 in Lincoln.

Click here for event information.

Register here.

By Anna Trent

If we are honest with ourselves, how sweet a feeling it is to make a shot, to finally get playing time, to hear the treasured words of our coach say, “good job,” and our teammates give us a high five when we did something well to advance the team?  Often, my first reaction is a sense of pleasure.  I remember even thinking I wasn’t having a good practice until my coach acknowledged my efforts.

However, if I am also honest with myself about why I get a sense of pleasure out of those things, it is would often be because my goal is to be my own god.  I am seeking glory, honor, approval, and essentially worship from all those around me. 

1 John 1:2 says that “the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us…”

The eternal life described here is Jesus – He is the life that was made manifest or revealed to us in the flesh.  And this passage says that Jesus was with the Father.  How amazing a thought – Jesus was with God and then came to earth in the flesh to reveal God.  If you believe this to be true, you must also come to realize that Jesus is God.  And if Jesus is God, then we are stripped of all pretense and right to call ourselves god!  Instead, we must be accountable to Him.  We belong to Him.  And the ultimate goal in sports becomes the glory and praise of God!

 Our rebellious hearts don’t want to be subject to anyone.  But when we realize that we are all accountable to God, we first realize that we are in big trouble because we see our sin and rebellion against God.  We realize that He has the right to make the rules and give us punishment for our sin, physical and spiritual death and separation from Him.  But, as we see later in chapter 1:9 “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Christ Jesus is the only way God’s Holy wrath doesn’t consume me, because it consumed Jesus at the cross instead.  And only through repenting of sin and trusting Jesus alone for salvation can one be saved from wrath and have “fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1:4). 

So, may we daily realize that we are held accountable to God.  And may it lead you to the cross and seeing the only way to stand before God holy and blameless.  And may that compel you to seek His glory, honor and praise, putting to death the desire to be your own god.

Questions:

1. Read 1 John 1
2. In competition:
   1. Who do you worship when you play? 
   2. What is your first reaction when you score?
   3. What is your first reaction when someone steals the ball from you?
   4. What is your first reaction as your start to get tired?
   5. What is your first reaction when you don’t get to start/play?
   6. What is your first reaction when you mess up?
   7. What does 1 John 1:9 say to do when you acknowledge your sin?

Join us July 13-15, 2012 for FCA Coaches Marriage Enrichment Weekend at Embassy Suites-Lincoln. View all information here.

The Nebraska Fellowship of Christian Athletes is excited to announce the date of its 6th annual Distance Running Camp – June 12th-15th in Scottsbluff.  The Distance Running Camp is open to all Distance runners in Cross Country or Track entering the 9th-12th grade.

Registration

Register Online Here.  Download Registration to mail in Here.

2011 Camp Photo

General Information

The Distance Running Camp is a 4-Day camp with workouts, runners from all over Nebraska, speakers, music, and training on Running for the Glory of God.  The camp takes place at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff.  Runners will take in runs throughout the camp around the beautiful Scotts Bluff National Monument.  The cost of the camp is $250. Transportation will be provided along I-80 both to and from camp making stops at Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Kearney, and North Platte.  A $50 additional fee will apply for transportation and can be paid separately from the Camp registration fee as the kids get on the bus to head to camp.

Last Year’s Camp Video

By Robbie Trent, FCA Area Rep

In sports, evaluation is constantly occurring. Many times, you don’t exactly know why or on what basis you’re being evaluated. You may be running up and down the basketball court thinking everything is going well. Then at the next stoppage of play, one of your teammates is waiting at the scorer’s table to replace you. At that moment, you realize your coach was evaluating you the last couple of minutes you were on the floor. The substitution may have been because of something you did or failed to do. It’s difficult to know.

Questions may swirl around in your head: “What did I do wrong?”, “How can I improve?”, “What do I need to do to be successful in your eyes, Coach?”

The problem is that each and every coach you play for may answer those questions differently. Because the world’s perspective is a shifting scale, it’s important to see what God’s Word says.

Colossians 1:9-14 (NIV)
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul states the thesis of Colossians and the highest calling for our lives in 1:10, praying that we “live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way.” Since Christ is the only one who has ever lived a life worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way, Paul is calling us to have the goal of being like Christ. This quickly becomes an impossible task when we realize that a life worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way is to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5:48), yet we all have fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).

Through “repentance,” turning from sin to God, “and belief,” a full trust in God making Christ, “who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that we might become” His righteousness (Mark 1:15)(2 Cor 5:21), we may know we are truly qualified to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light (Col 1:12)

We determine how successful athletes are by how well they accomplish the goals they set. So how do we evaluate the success we’re having in becoming more like Christ?

God plays a crucial role in this evaluation process through the Holy Spirit who seals us for salvation (Eph 1:13-14) and to teaches, reminds, and helps us live in truth for sanctification (John 14:26 and 2 Tim 1:14).

Our role is to test our fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (Col 1:10)

1. As you face setbacks, are you typically: frustrated, disappointed, apathetic, fearful, etc.? Why? What were you basing your success on?

2. What did you learn about the character of God through that instance?

Abiding by the Spirit isn’t supposed to be a rigid, fearful, or legalistic pursuit. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

Gal 5:17 says, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Darrin Patrick says, “There’s a civil war going on inside us.” As the flesh is constantly waging war against the Spirit, we may not be at a place right now to be able to acknowledge that each second, but we need to fight to die to the flesh and live to the Spirit throughout each practice and game.

Gal 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The fruit is interdependent and can’t be separated. When the Spirit is in charge of your life, all of the fruit come through your attitude and actions. Therefore, you’re only as mature as your weakest one on the list. Gal 5:24-25 says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

1. How confident are you in your relationship with God through the Holy Spirit?
2. What would have to happen in your heart to understand your need to repent and believe?
3. Why would you need to depend more upon the Holy Spirit?
4. When is a specific time in today’s practice/game you can ask yourself the two evaluation questions above?

Booster Club volunteers met with FCA Staff recently to sharpen their skills and prepare for ministry in their communities. The training featured how to bring one-day sports clinics into a local community as well as idea-sharing of different ministry opportunities Booster Clubs are hosting across the state. Communities that were represented include Elmwood-Murdock, Sutton, Plattsmouth, Papillion-LaVista and Norris. Be watching for more training opportunites across the state!

The Husker FCA Tour events are:

Adams Central High School (Hastings, NE)          7:30pm      Friday, February 17

Superior High School (Superior, NE)                     10:00am     Saturday, February 18

Blue Hill School (Blue Hill, NE)                               1:30pm        Saturday, February, 18