Students from Gaffney High, Blacksburg High and the county’s middle schools will be joining thousands of other youth on athletic fields all across America on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, to share their Christian faith with fellow students during the sixth annual national Fields of Faith event. This rapidly-growing, interdenominational outreach event will be held at more than 400 locations throughout the nation on the same day.

While many Christian rallies are anchored to an entertainer or professional speaker that creates a spectator event, Fields of Faith is structured as a studentto student ministry. Peers invite their own classmates and teammates to meet on their school’s athletic field to hear fellow students share their testimonies, challenge them to read the Bible and to come to faith in Jesus Christ.

This will be the second Fields of Faith event for Gaffney and the first for Blacksburg. Last year, approximately 200 students and supporters attended the event at the GHS field.

The national growth of Fields of Faith has been remarkable. Since the beginning of Fields of Faith in 2004, more than 200,000 students have joined in the movement. In 2008 alone, more than 100,000 students gath- ered on fields across 35 states to participate in the event.

It’s not just those numbers that have organizers from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes excited about Fields of Faith. It’s the real-life impact that these gatherings are having on young people. Last year’s series of events saw 2,329 students make first-time commitments to Jesus Christ, 4,532 recommitted their life to Christ and 9,617 committed to reading the Bible daily.

“The impact of Fields of Faith has been incredible,” said Les Steckel, FCA president and a former NFL coach. “When communities stand together on their school’s athletic field for the common purpose of praising God, hearts are opened and lives are changed.”

More information about Fields of Faith is available at FieldsofFaith.com. To learn more about the event being held on the football field at Gaffney High School contact Claudia Butler at 864-490-4355 or email cbutler@fca.org. To learn more about the event being held at Blacksburg High School contact Pierre Salmon at 864-490-9296 or psalmon@fca.org.