Masculinity is under attack in our culture today. For John Engstrom, Northwest Mississippi Multi-Area
Director, it’s a topic that has been on his heart for a long time. The suffering of our children, caused
by men leaving the home, is becoming the “norm” in our society.
In the summer of 2015, John and one of his ministry partners developed and tested the
concept of giving tools to represent a spiritual principle taught. They hoped it would
help children take notice of what it means to be a “real man” (or “real woman”)
and to find their identity in Christ. They purchased 355 units consisting of 12
different tools and a toolbox. Coaches gave John and his volunteers
access into the locker rooms of 6 teams on 3 school campuses.
Each tool in the toolbox is a visual aid, linked with a story, to imprint that lesson
into the heart of the athletes. They were excited to learn from one school that when all
12 lessons were concluded, the team was shown each tool and asked to tell the corresponding
principle. The athletes remembered the principles for EVERY SINGLE TOOL!
This past summer, John has worked to multiply the project. He contacted volunteers who expressed
interest in ministering on campuses. Then, an estimated 90 coaches were invited to allow FCA to
implement this project with their teams. Approximately 36 teams expressed interest, and at the request
of the coaches, an order was placed for 1,400 units of the 12 tools and toolboxes (ordered from a
locally owned hardware store and purchased at cost)! Additional volunteer presenters had to be
identified to meet the demand. The volunteer presenters were certified as ministry leaders within FCA
and trained to implement the project. John spent the summer and part of the fall of 2016 raising the
funds needed to finance the project (approximately $40,000.00). The team of volunteers presenting the
toolboxes are scheduled to reconvene just after the new year begins. Hopefully, many of these
volunteers will be invited back into the locker rooms of the coaches that they served for years to come.
Every resource developed for this project is currently free to
download and use at www.fcatoolbox.org
Patrick Chandler is the youth pastor at Longview Heights Baptist Church in
Olive Branch, MS and a ministry leader volunteer for FCA. Last year, John
Engstrom shared his vision to utilize a toolbox to connect high school
students to the Word of God and to the principles of manhood and
womanhood. Patrick and his church were looking for opportunities to
connect with schools, and FCA was looking for servants to begin to
implement the toolbox project in all the schools across DeSoto County. His
church partnered with the FCA Toolbox project beginning in May of 2016.
Partnering with FCA has increased Patrick’s ministry opportunities from
working with a total of two teams on two school campuses, to working with a total of twenty-five teams
across five different school campuses. That is ministry to 60 coaches and over 1,000 students. Not only
has this project provided more opportunities to share the gospel, specifically with teams, but it also led
to starting a new Multi-Sport FCA Huddle on one of the campuses that has averaged more than 100
students each meeting since it started in August.
Patrick meets with each team once a week. During the fall semester, he shared a toolbox lesson six
times a week with six different teams. Many coaches have said this has been great for their team in
building team unity, reinforcing concepts they have taught, or allowing them to speak on a topic they
otherwise may not have felt the freedom to do so. Though each volunteer’s experience teaching the
toolbox lessons varies, coaches have asked and allowed Patrick to be around their teams in a variety of
environments because they value the investment that is being made.
Through FCA and the toolbox project, many have been reached for the sake of the Gospel. Any church
looking to invest in their community, coach desiring to invest in their team, or parent of an athlete
wanting to connect athletes to the principles of manhood or womanhood and ultimately connect them
to the Gospel, should consider partnering with your local FCA representative to implement the FCA
Toolbox project.
For more details on these stories, visit: mississippifca.org/2016
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