Hundreds Gather in Smithville for Fields of Faith Event

By Kristen Meriwether, Publisher

Hundreds of student-athletes and youth from across Bastrop County came together at Tiger Stadium on Wednesday night for Fields of Faith, put on by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Fields of Faith is an FCA-certified ministry program where athletes gather at sports venues across the country to challenge their peers to read the Bible daily and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.

“We just really want to give students and the community a voice on how to express their faith and then also reach their neighborhood with the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Jon Rector, eastern crescent area director for FCA, said in an interview following Wednesday’s event. “I'm a sports guy, so when I play football and I see the stadium full of cheering fans, that's awesome. When they come to fill the stadium for Jesus as one church, this is great.”

Three students gave their testimonies and spoke about the powerful changes that occurred in their lives after deciding to turn to Jesus Christ.

Rich Garza, a former professional football player and co-chaplain of the San Antonio Spurs, gave the keynote address.

Studies show Gen Z is one of the most anxious generations, with high levels of depression and suicidal ideation. Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, there has been a strong movement toward Christianity by the youth across the U.S.

“What they're really hungry for is truth, and they're really hungry for identity. And that's what our faith really is all about. It's about being identified in Jesus and being a community of believers together,” Rector said. “So what I really love about this is that it gives people the opportunity to use the platform, like sports, to connect it to their faith.”

FCA has offered to provide more photos from this event, so please check back for a photo gallery on Friday!