The evangelistic strategy of the Fellowship of Christian Athletics, 1963--1971

The purpose of this dissertation was to analyze the evangelistic strategy used by the FCA from 1963 to 1971. Chapter 1 introduced important background information of the FCA. It provided a brief history of the FCA from its conception in 1954 till the present that served as the background for this study. This chapter provided definitions of key terms such as "evangelism," "strategy," and "parachurch organization" to establish a foundation for the study.;Chapter 2 explored the principles that undergird the FCA's evangelistic strategy. Included in this exploration was the discussion of various approaches to strategy. Several principles apparent within the FCA's evangelistic strategy were examined in this chapter also. These principles included the use of identifying homogenous units within a society, targeting those units for evangelistic purposes, and then carrying out plans in an effort to evangelize them. Through the exploration of these principles, this chapter identified the foundations upon which the FCA's evangelistic strategy rests.;Chapter 3 examined the methods used by the FCA in their evangelistic strategy. These methods included mass/event evangelism, small groups, and faith giving. Each method was examined for the benefits and limitations it posed to the FCA's overall evangelistic strategy.;Chapter 4 compared the FCA's strategy to two other evangelistic organizations, Campus Crusade for Christ and Youth for Christ. This comparison included providing a brief historical development for these two organizations and comparing them with the FCA's historical development. Along with this historical comparison, the strategies and methods used by these two parachurch organizations were compared to those used by the FCA, highlighting similarities and differences between them.;Chapter 5 evaluated the effectiveness of the FCA's evangelistic strategy. This chapter examined the FCA's emphasis on conversional/organizational growth and how each related to the other. This evaluation included an examination of the conference guides and huddle group material used by the FCA. Several strengths and weaknesses of the FCA's evangelistic strategy were identified. The strengths included an evangelistic inroad, positive leadership, and a supportive organizational structure. The weaknesses included a passive style of evangelism and the lack of organizational accountability.