Christian organization for athletes growing in region

A new position and a new office within the Southern Missouri Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) are expected to revive the organization on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University and in the community at large.

The FCA is an interdenominational Christian sports ministry aimed at athletes and coaches from teen leagues to professional teams, encouraging them to use the medium of athletics to minister to others.

Mike Litzelfelner is the organization’s new Southeast Missouri representative.

His office will work with 42 schools in eight Southeast Missouri counties: Cape Girardeau, Perry, Bollinger, Madison, Iron, Reynolds, Scott and Mississippi.

Litzelfelner’s role is a new one. His eight-county area was formerly the jurisdiction of the Poplar Bluff, Missouri, office. But the FCA always is looking to expand, Litzelfelner said, “and this community is ready.”

A new office in Cape Girardeau has opened at 1418 Kurre Lane, though with so much territory to cover, “my office is largely my vehicle,” Litzelfelner said.

His territory is made up almost exclusively of secondary and middle schools, but the one outlier is also his largest and most influential.

One of the most effective ways to reach the middle and secondary schools, Litzelfelner said, is by building strong relationships at the university level.

The student-athletes and coaches have a platform within the schools, and that can make a big impact with the younger athletes.

The FCA once had a presence on Southeast’s campus, but it fell by the wayside several years ago, Litzelfelner said, so he has begun to build relationships within the university.

Among those relationships was Redhawks football coach Tom Matukewicz,

“When I got hired, I asked who my FCA guy was,” Matukewicz said, and he was surprised when no one knew about the organization. “The FCA has been very influential in my life and my wife’s life. I grew up with the FCA, so I feel like that was a big deal for this region to get Mike Litz on board with the FCA and see where that leads us.”

While, as Litzelfelner said, the university athletes are able to spread the word about the FCA to younger students, Matukewicz said they also need ministering themselves.

Litzelfelner now serves as the team chaplain.

“When you have 105 players, there’s always something going on,” Matukewicz said.

Litzelfelner is ideal for his new role in the FCA, Matukewicz said. He is well-connected and was a student-athlete himself.

“That’s why I couldn’t be any happier that he’s here in this role,” Matukewicz said.

But Litzelfelner, who served as the local missions director at La Croix Church before starting his new job with the FCA, said his efforts to grow the organization are not his alone. “It’s not all on me,” Litzelfelner said.

Bill Ray, the area representative in Poplar Bluff, has laid the groundwork in the region and is responsible for the successful groups, or “huddles,” that already exist in some area schools.

A leadership board has been formed, a “great, diverse group of people not only supporting the ministry but also leading the ministry,” Litzelfelner said.

And on the university campus, there will be community leaders involved in establishing the huddles and building relationships as players.

“So even though I’m the area representative, there are a lot of other people within our community that have already been activated who will be involved in growing this ministry,” Litzelfelner said.

He said the timing of the new office is ideal, given the current climate.

“The mission of the FCA is to see the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of Christian coaches and athletes,” Litzelfelner said, “and the world is in desperate need of Christian leaders to stand up and influence.”

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

1418 Kurre Lane, Cape Girardeau, Mo.