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Davis & Elkins College hosts Fields of Faith event

The Inter-Mountain photo by Beth Henry-Vance The Rev. Mark Epperson, second from left, Worship Team members and area students sing during Wednesday’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes Fields of Faith program at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins.

ELKINS — Students from three local colleges gathered in Elkins Wednesday night as part of a national, faith-based initiative called Fields of Faith.

Although a rainstorm moved the gathering indoors, the Fields of Faith event took place at Davis & Elkins College, in conjunction with thousands of other Fellowship of Christian Athletes organizations across the nation. Students from Alderson Broaddus University and West Virginia Wesleyan College joined D&E students to share music, food, fellowship and stories of their faith.

FCA’s Fields of Faith is structured as a student-to-student ministry, and three students shared personal testimonies Wednesday, including D&E student Lee Wittekind, ABU student Taylor Swift and WVWC student Clay Todd.

Wittekind said he wants to reach out to fellow students in order to share the power of God’s love with everyone, and encourage them to become passionate about growing in their faith.

“I want other people to be on fire for Christ like I am,” he said, explaining he has overcome abuse as a child, drug abuse and depression after finding God’s purpose for his life. “If we spent as much time on our faith as we do in our hobbies and sports, what kind of Christians would we be?”

The Inter-Mountain photo by Beth Henry-Vance Lee Wittekind, a student at Davis & Elkins College, speaks during Wednesday’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes Fields of Faith program, which included students from D&E College as well as Alderson Broaddus University and West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Wednesday’s event was the first Fields of Faith event for local Fellowship of Christian Athletes organizations. It included special music by the Rev. Mark Epperson, Worship Team members and area students, as well as a worship program, small group sessions and a challenge for attendees to dedicate or rededicate their lives to God.

Since its beginning in 2004, more than 1 million people have joined the Fields of Faith movement, according to a news release. In 2016 alone, more than 192,000 students gathered on 519 fields, where 7,414 made first-time faith commitments, 8,612 recommitted their lives to Christ and 8,781 committed to reading their Bible.

Fields of Faith began with an idea from Jeff Martin, FCA’s executive vice president of Ministry Programs and Resources, who longed to help today’s generation of students face spiritual battles and temptations.

“We are so thankful for the students who feel passionate about sharing their faith with their fellow students so they, too, can see how Christ can impact their lives. There’s no doubt that God is working through these young people and will continue to do so for years to come,” Martin said.

More information is available at FieldsofFaith.com.

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