The FCA Huddle (or on-campus ministry) grew out of a desire to continue the FCA camping experience during the school year. The Huddle is a place where athletes and coaches grow spiritually, whether that means initial salvation or traveling further along the road toward spiritual maturity. The goals of the Huddle help us determine the methods we use.

Fellowship is building a caring and accepting community where those seeking a deeper spiritual life are accepted and encouraged.  

Examples: Praying together, making new people feel welcome, participating in Huddle activities, eating with friends, encouraging them to develop their talents, traveling together to FCA Camp.

Outreach is demonstrating by words and deeds to the world around us our relationship with Christ.

Examples: Praying for non-Christian friends, volunteering to work in Special Olympics, planning a Huddle meeting as an outreach to the school, assembling shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, sharing your testimony with a friends, participating in a community food drive for needy families.

Growth is developing a balanced Christian life that encourages a growing obedience to Jesus Christ.

Examples: Participating in Huddle meetings, reading the Bible regularly, taking notes on your Pastor's sermons, joining a youth Bible study at your church, memorizing Scripture, teaching a children's class at your church.

Whether a Huddle has 5 or 500 student-athletes, every meeting ought to include activities that further these goals. There may be a particular emphasis at a meeting, but all three (fellowship, growth and outreach) must be kept in mind.

The goal of fellowship encourages us to use programs that are geared toward participation. The goal of growth encourages us to keep the subject matter centered on the Bible. The goal of outreach encourages us to create a hospitable attitude in our Huddle.

Some groups meet every week, while others meet every other week. Twice a month should be the minimum. Emphasis is placed on meeting consistently.

Many meet on campus during club hour. Others meet before school, during lunch or after school. Still others meet in the evening.

Because of the Equal Access Act of 1984 and the Supreme Court's validation of this law in 1990, many FCA Huddles still meet on junior or senior high campuses. Considering the potential transportation obstacle, this is often where junior high Huddles meet. Meeting in a home can provide the best group atmosphere.

If a Huddle meets on school property as a non-curriculum club, the Huddle must be student led. This does not preclude an athletic coach or interested volunteer from facilitating the student meetings. Most schools require non-curriculum clubs to have a faculty representative. Adults working with Huddles must take care not to dominate the leadership, but to encourage the officers to take charge of the Huddle meeting schedule. The coach or volunteer is there to provide counsel and to maintain order.

As the purpose states, FCA is targeted at reaching athletes and coaches. In order to best reach this group through the Huddle, participants for Huddles may be current or former members of recognized school athletic teams or simply those who carry an interest in athletics. FCA should not become an exclusive "club," with restricted membership. However, a key principle in FCA's strategy for reaching "athletes and coaches" is for the commonality of athletics with those in the group to remain obvious.

FCA has partnered with the Alliance Defense Fund, which has developed a support network for those students, parents and teachers facing legal challenges on their campuses. In short, FCA has the legal right to meet on high school and college campuses across the country where other student-led groups meet as well. For more information on your right to meet, be sure to read the Student Rights Handbook.

• a group that appears to have all the answers

 • a group led by a person who does all the talking

 • closed to non-Christians

 

• a group committed to growing spiritually

 • reaching out to others both in word and deed

 • a place where individuals can participate