Student Event Focuses on Faith

Collins Dixon gets through every day by leaning on God.

Wednesday, the seventh grader with stage 4 brain cancer will share that message with thousands of students during the Cherokee County Fellowship of Christian Athletes'  .

Dixon will tell them how God is helping him through the disease. He'll tell them how having cancer has strengthened his faith.

"It's just a really awesome, inspirational event," said Amy Turcotte, the cheer director for the Cherokee County FCA.

FCA held the first Fields of Faith events in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas in 2004.

sophomore Brandon Roberts is the local Fields of Faith student organizer. He said he took on the leadership role to help his peers make life-changing decisions for Jesus Christ.

"No one knows when the Lord is returning to Earth," Roberts said. "I want to make sure that students know for sure that if they were to die today, they would have an eternal home in heaven."

Not only will students meet at Cherokee High's Tommy Baker Field at 7 p.m., but students across the country will converge on their respective football fields at the same time. That's one of the aspects that Roberts said makes the nationwide event so amazing.

"It is my prayer that thousands of life-changing decisions will be made," he said. 

The night will begin with worship-style music by Echoing Angels and a special presentation by State Rep. Calvin Hill, R-Canton. Then, students will hear testimonies from basketball coach Jeremy Adams and Dixon, who will be introduced by last year's speaker, Matthew Blaylock. Blaylock, a quadriplegic and former Cherokee High football and basketball standout, told students last year how he was paralyzed after drinking and then jumping into three feet of water in his neighborhood swimming pool the night before graduation. The event will end with an invitation and challenge to come to Christ by Adult Challenge Speaker Tony Nolan.

"With today’s diverse society, I believe it is vitally important that we host an event that appeals to everyone no matter of their race, gender, or background," Roberts said. "The purpose of this event is to see students come together on local athletic fields to read the word of God, share testimonies and proclaim Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior."

Last year, approximately 2,300 people attended the event. Backsliders recommitted their lives to Christ. Others accepted him for the first time. Some agreed to read the Bible more frequently.

"It was amazing," Turcotte said. "We had no idea what it was going to be like, and it was fantastic."

Roberts said he hopes this will continue to be an annual event at Cherokee High.

"I hope that future generations of students will follow my lead and take the initiative to make the event bigger and better each year," he said. 

If you're headed to Fields of Faith, share your photos and videos by clicking on the green 'Add your photos & videos' link under the photo on this page.