Why FCA’s Vision Is What Our Communities Desperately Need
Thoughts from the recent Consulting from the Couch podcast interview with Ken Lovell of Coastal NC Fellowship of Christian Athletes, about faith and leadership.
Let’s be honest—there’s no shortage of sports camps, character slogans, or inspirational locker room speeches out there. But what’s actually changing? Are we forming teams or transforming lives? Are we preparing our student/athletes for game day, or for the real game: life?
That’s why the story of Ken Lovell and Coastal NC Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) stopped me in my tracks. This isn’t just another “sports and faith” story. It’s a grassroots movement—one that quietly, consistently insists that discipleship is greater than inspiration, and character formation is greater than scoreboard wins. And it’s working.
On our latest podcast episode of Consulting from the Couch, Ken—who went from 21 years as a Marine to leading FCA ministry across four North Carolina counties—lays out a vision that’s as clear as it is bold: bring everything together in Christ. Everything. Not just Sunday mornings. Not just team chapels. Everything—from playbooks to huddles to community banquets.
Here’s the part I can’t stop thinking about:
Ken doesn’t measure success by how many kids attend. He measures by how many are equipped to lead. It’s not just about getting students into huddles—it’s about getting the gospel into students in a way that sticks, multiplies, and matures.
The Eastern NC FCA Team Football Camp, now pushing 50 teams, is proof that large-scale ministry can stay personal and intentional. But Ken’s biggest realization? Numbers mean nothing without follow-through. That’s why FCA stopped celebrating just “decisions” and doubled down on discipleship.
“The third year,” Ken told us, “we saw something different. The kids who had already made a decision for Christ didn’t come forward again—they stayed in their seats and prayed for their teammates.” That’s maturity. That’s leadership. That’s the slow, faithful work of the Holy Spirit through intentional structure.
I’m convinced that FCA’s E3 model—Engage, Equip, Empower—should be studied far beyond sports ministry. Engage isn’t just showing up; it’s asking God to lead before stepping into a locker room. Equip means giving students the tools to live out their faith consistently. And Empower means getting out of the way at the right time—removing scaffolding and letting leaders emerge.
And here’s the genius twist: in most FCA huddles, the students themselves choose the leader. You want to know who your peers respect? Ask them. And when that kid gets affirmed publicly, it gives them the courage to actually step up. That kind of peer-chosen leadership? It’s rare. And it works.
But this isn’t just about teens. FCA’s long game depends on something many ministries ignore: training boards, supporting volunteers, and fundraising with integrity. Ken won’t fundraise on guilt or pressure. He won’t compromise culture to chase growth. And when hard conversations need to happen? He reaches for a square of “sandpaper” and tells the truth in love.
It’s a simple metaphor: sandpaper removes rough edges. It’s uncomfortable, but it smooths things out. That’s what accountability should look like.
This episode left me with a fresh sense of hope—and a quiet conviction. Because if we want to see transformation in our schools, our families, our communities, it’s going to take more than hype. It’s going to take faithful, humble, gospel-centered leadership… the kind Ken and his team are modeling.
The Game Changers Banquet, once a simple fundraiser, this year has become a free, community-wide rally built on shared purpose, real stories, and genuine partnership. It’s everything a healthy Christian presence in a community should be.
So here’s my take:
If you’re in leadership, ministry, coaching, parenting—or just looking for a model of how faith and strategy can coexist—you need to hear this episode. Not because it’s flashy. But because it’s faithful.
To listen to the podcast interview with Ken, click here
Want to start a huddle? Build a camp? Support the work? Reach out, contact Ken.
We need more Ken Lovells. But more importantly, we need more equipped leaders answering the call in their own backyard..