Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Local Connections Drive Fields Of Faith
FARMINGTON — Success of “Fields of Faith” events sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes held at Farmington’s Allen Holland Field the last two years can be attributed to local participation.
That’s the take of Malinda Rector, head athletic trainer for the Farmington School District, who worked to bring Fields of Faith to Farmington through an association with Ron Harris, one of the featured speakers in 2019.
“It’s just been so awesome to see how God has just planned this and put all the puzzle pieces together because Ron Harris moved to Farmington years ago, kind of started some stuff in the community, and worked in the community,” Rector said.
Rector knew Harris from her high school and junior high days at Farmington where she grew up. Harris started working for the Razorbacks when Rector was a student at the university. Harris also worked with Brian Dean, who helped set up the Fields of Faith at Farmington.
Rector went to a summer camp as a youth group leader. The camp organized by Harris as part of his A Level Up ministry was called Life Changers, which according to Harris’ website reflects a goal to enhance the quality of life for individuals in need in the United States through regional and national service projects designed to be practical, hands-on experiences that also provide a venue for participants to give back to their community, inspire hope and change lives.
“I just felt like we needed to start something like that for our students here,” Rector said.
Later Harris had an event to train high school spiritual leaders and Mckenna Vanzant was one of four Farmington students in attendance. Rector recalls that was two springs ago. In the fall of 2017 Mckenna was hospitalized for 16 days at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, battling a life-threatening illness. When the sophomore was diagnosed with Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a condition that affects the blood and blood vessels, and doctors called the family in; Rector phoned Harris and organized a prayer vigil on Vanzant’s behalf.
“I called Ron when Mckenna got sick and he dropped what he was doing and he immediately came to help us pray and meet at the school for her where we had the whole community invited to come and just help us pray,” Rector said.
Vanzant miraculously recovered and returned to the Lady Cardinals in time for the season-opener, showing little effects of her ordeal on the basketball court. She shared her personal testimony during the 2018 event.
“When I was first asked to speak tonight I knew I didn’t want to talk about myself but I knew my story was important,” Vanzant said while speaking at the 2018 event. “Not because I’m important but because the story is about God, because the story about what God did for me was.”
Rector was pleased with the 2019 event, saying, “It’s been so neat to see that work and everything circle around to being able to bless so many people in our community and how God works to put all of the pieces together.”
According to its website, Fields of Faith is a studentled event. Students invite, pray for, share with, and challenge their peers to read the Bible and follow Jesus Christ. An athletic field provides a neutral, rallypoint where a community can come together.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) wants to utilize Fields of Faith to help change the culture through involving youth, who are invited to “get in the game and get in the book (Bible).”
Fields of Faith is designed to spark a spiritual movement for God. According to its website, Christianity needs a change in momentum — students who will stand together against the pressures and temptations in the world and be a generation that is committed to reading the Bible and applying it to their lives.
A Fields of Faith event starts with prayer. Then, students share their faith testimonies. After this, students challenge their peers to read the Bible and to come to faith in Jesus Christ. A typical “Fields of Faith” event lasts 45 to 90 minutes and is open to all people of all ages. The Oct. 9 gathering at Farmington’s Allen Holland Field started at 6 p.m. and all testimonies and speaking were done around 8:15 p.m.
Youth pastors get involved to provide spiritual direction and help bring together churches in the area and rally support around the event. Among their tasks are to help unite area pastors and churches around the event, and help select “Impact Students” and “Impact Adults” as speakers. Youth pastors are responsible to deliver “Impact Student” and “Impact Adult” manual to participating speakers, working with each entity to promote “Fields of Faith.”
“It’s been so neat to see that work and everything circle around to being able to bless so many people in our community and how God works to put all of the pieces together.” Malinda Rector Head Athletic Trainer For The Farmington School District