Roosevelt High School - Where Coaching God's Way Transforms Lives
God has transformed a campus through faithful leadership and the ministry of presence
Read time: 4 minutes
Gospel Imperative
When leaders coach God's way—pouring into the next generation with the Word, discipleship, and authentic relationship—transformation happens both on and off the field. This is Kingdom work at its finest.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." — Matthew 28:19-20
Since the first of May, I have witnessed Coach Barnes and his staff faithfully coaching God's way, transforming the next generation for Jesus Christ both on and off the field. I was being called by God to House of Worship Church, which is one mile from Roosevelt High School, and God is sewing it all together. Even though I couldn't see it at the time, God had a plan in mind.
The ministry of presence in action—that's what I've seen at Roosevelt. Just showing up, making yourself available to be used by the Holy Spirit, and watching God move mightily on a campus.
Coach Barnes is the head coach at Roosevelt, and he coaches God's way. His coaching staff coaches God's way. Every opportunity that Coach Barnes gets to disciple a student, to lead him to Jesus or help him grow in Jesus, he's always there for those kids in that capacity. He pours the Word of God into his athletes, and that's how Roosevelt has gotten to be truly student-led in their FCA Huddle meetings.
Two of his assistant coaches David Salzar and Matthew Rydell both went through the Volunteer Impact Portal process to become mobilized volunteers with FCA. Now they're mobilized volunteers and character coaches at Roosevelt, and together they help lead the FCA huddle with Coach Barnes.
Their passion is bearing fruit. We've got student-led huddles developing—kids rotating leadership at our FCA meetings on the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings, with anywhere between 30 and 60 students coming together from multiple sports.
The Valero Alamo Bowl FCA Breakfast is held a couple of days before the football game. It's an opportunity to have a couple of players from each team give their testimony about the Lord. There's breakfast, and a couple of coaches from each team give their testimony. TCU was there, they're big in FCA and USC was there with their players to share their testimonies. We invite all the schools, coaches, and players, plus our ministry investors.
Most of the time, it’s college coaches, NFL coaches, or college or NFL players who speak at this breakfast. But this year, Coach Barnes was our keynote speaker. He was the first high school coach ever to do it.
I nominated him, and we, as an FCA staff, agreed. It was a true blessing to hear Coach Barnes share his powerful testimony and Gospel message. Through our Christ-centered relationship, I have seen God move mightily on the Roosevelt High School campus. That happened because of the ministry of presence—showing up, building that relationship with Coach Barnes and the coaches at Roosevelt, just showing that you care.
This May marks one year since I began serving on campus at Roosevelt High School with FCA. In just a few months, I've seen an on-fire coaching staff passionately sharing the Word of God with student-athletes. Their dedication has transformed our FCA Huddle into a community where students are leading, sharing the Gospel, and praying. This is the power of showing up consistently and making yourself available to be used by the Holy Spirit.
It is a profound honor to serve this Roosevelt community. This is how lives are transformed—one relationship at a time, built for eternity.
Heart Check
Are you coaching, leading, or parenting "God's way"—using every opportunity to disciple and point others to Jesus?
What would it look like to practice ministry of presence in your sphere of influence for the next year?
Who are you investing in that could become the "Coach Barnes" of their community—a multiplier of faith and discipleship?
Join the Mission
Roosevelt's transformation didn't happen by accident. It happened because of consistent presence, trained volunteers, and adults willing to coach God's way. But I can't be everywhere at once across my five San Antonio campuses.
Your support multiplies this ministry. When you partner with FCA and the mission to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church, you're investing in coaches who disciple students, volunteers who get trained and equipped, and campuses where God is moving mightily. You're helping build relationships that last for eternity.
In less than a year at Roosevelt, God has done immeasurably more than I could have never imagined. Imagine what He can do across all five schools with your partnership.
Will you join us in this profound honor of serving the next generation?
Connect with me to find out how you can become a volunteer.