Billy Graham once said, “A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in an entire lifetime.” Having lived around sports my entire life – playing, coaching, and being an avid fan of most any game with a ball – he definitely hit it home with this statement.
It’s no wonder that statement is also the driving force behind the amazing work being done by the Greater Miami Fellowship of Christian Athletes. They recognize, and here again I totally agree, that with the influence of a coach, the most strategic way to reach more athletes is to first reach the coach.
In a show of their deep commitment to young athletes in our community, the Greater Miami FCA hosted its Annual Night of Champions, Aug. 15, which was a tremendous success with 15 local schools represented – and a huge showing of more than 800 people in the audience at Christ Fellowship Church in Palmetto Bay.
The audience was lit up as star speakers used the platform to share their faith and their story of overcoming obstacles to become champions. Among the notables who hit the stage were FIU Head Football Coach Butch Davis and Ken Dorsey, assistant athletic director for FIU & former pro player for San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns.
Despite their rivalry on the sports field, athletes and coaches came together as one body in Christ as 245 people made first time decisions/recommitted their lives to Christ on this incredible evening of inspiration and encouragement.
The FCA engages relationally by connecting with individuals and through events like this in many different environments – by building genuine trust, sharing their lives, and sharing the gospel. They strive to connect with coaches and athletes where they are on their spiritual journey.
And the man who is making it all possible here in Miami on behalf of the FCA is South Florida Director Noah Wilbanks, a dedicated servant of Christ, husband, father, and friend.
A grad of South Dade Senior High School and the “Bigger Faster Stronger National High School Athlete Of The Year” in 1993, Noah earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management and played for a national championship in 1996 before accepting the call from God into full-time ministry in 2005. He now lives in Homestead with his wife, Le, and their two sons.
I join him in a heart felt thanks to all the sponsors, volunteers, and the FCA team who stepped up to make this huge event possible and for providing an amazing opportunity of faith and fellowship for hundreds of coaches and student athletes throughout our community.
ABOUT FCA
Since 1954, FCA has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful platform of sport to reach every coach and every athlete with the transforming power of Jesus Christ. FCA focuses on serving local communities around the globe by engaging, equipping and empowering coaches and athletes to unite, inspire and change the world through the gospel.
For more information, visit www.MiamiFCA.org, or contact FCA South Florida Director Noah Wilbanks at 786-742-0845 or via e-mail at nwilbanks@fca.org.
