Jesus Christ Hockey Blog

Here's the 9 days fill of camps. Sorry for the long wait. I'm still in need of people partnering with me to stay here and fund myself interning with FCA Hockey. Please go to myfca account under my name, Ethan McKinley to support me. Also please do your part and share this message. God bless!

      This week we welcomed all the interns to Alexandria as well as campers on thursday afternoon for Team FCA and Jr. FCA. My team was with FCA Jr. Black as we went 2-1 this weekend and had 11 total campers accepted Jesus in their lives. We prepared, trained and tried our best to further the kingdom of God and making disciples.      The impact I felt was amazing and had very interactive conversations, devo talks and hockey talks with many of my team, the other FCA Jr. team and older kids that I've known since I started this 3 years ago. It was cold most of the weekend, but we got a lot accomplished and introducing a worship team with Travis, Allie and Addison. Also for the 1st time we had a junior/ youth hockey panel talking about the hockey culture and how to combat it with our faith and make it better. We watched the chosen, a tv series free to watch, about the disciples of the bible and their story within following Jesus. Games, workouts, yog...

  Hello all, Today starts the last week of the school year for the u16 and u18 knights team’s. It was really cool before starting up the FCA Hockey internship to experience the repercussions of what FCA Hockey can do to a hockey community. Intentional is the word I keep hearing from people of all walks of life when telling stories of Northstar and the impact it has made. These young men have grown in the short time I’ve been a part of their playing lives, but many I’ve watched grow over the years through God’s word and purpose for their lives. It’s truly fulfilling witnessing to them and exciting for what’s to come. Now, God will be in their corner and they will have a foundation to be grounded in when times of troubles come along. For graduates, it's facing the hard reality of what Junior hockey brings and the grind that comes along with it. I pray they find the beauty in all they face and God can move through them where they end up. For returning players, preparing for next sea...

  This place here is special. Its more than the space, the locker rooms and the school. It's more than the success this Northstar team have had. It's about the people who walk through these doors, then walking out know this place is different. This place does have the holy spirit and God's favor to spread the gospel through the hockey world by the resources used in this building. The people here are truly inspiring, not because of their wins. Their losses and struggles have motivated their passion to reach out to players, coaches, fans and even the mailman that is daily brought into the office to talk about faith and their salvation that they can receive through Jesus Christ. This team is a ministry working team wanting to learn the gospel and do their best every single day.  During the summer time, not only do we help kids and men search for Christ, but us ourselves a brothers in Christ keep sharpening ourselves, keeping discipline and growing in confidence that after the ...

Hey y'all! Hope the month of April has been very well as hockey season in youth hockey and junior hockey are coming to an end. After a very long season playing this sport, we rely on our coaches, older players on the team with playoff experience and most importantly, captains. I believe as much as coaches can change a locker room mentality, a captain can set the pace on the ice and is willing to be in the good and bad moments and help lead their team to succeed.  In the bible, there are many ‘captain’ figures leading others. Starting in the beginning of the bible with the story of Abraham. He led his people out of slavery and oppression with God’s guidance. Joseph Leads by his endurance of circumstances that came up against him, being sold to slavery by his brothers, being imprisoned to being the second man in command of the empire. Another is king David and his way to win battles and wars for God and his people. Jesus Christ, most importantly being a servant and a great leader...

  This week is the Christian cup, a camp for FCA Hockey I usually can’t make, but this year I got to play on the FCA Dragons. This team was filled with almost all of the Northstar and FCA Hockey front office which is know as the toughest office in the league. To start of the weekend we lost 9-7 but had a big comeback being down 6-1 at one point. Saturday morning we won 8-1 that bid us into the championship game Sunday morning. Then a great testimony from Bobby Robbins, a great man of God and a strong man. He shared his sinful past and his hockey past that is now glorified through Jesus Christ and now uses him testimony to spread the gospel to whoever he encounters. After that we played a mix-match game with a team and I became a Nordique! Then Sunday morning at 7am, we played the Knights again, the 1st team we lost to filled with u18 active Northstar Knights players. We won the final game 5-4.       The topic of the weekend is the 10 traits of a Godly Man...

      This weeks video is a fun one getting on the ice! Thankful to be able to train and get ice while interning here. A lot has been happening here and I'm excited to share my experiences.

Hello All, sorry I've been delayed due to easter and now going to Vlog some of the things I do with FCA Hockey and Northstar. I'm excited to show you this first video, and more will me coming in the coming weeks. Also, please donate to FCA Hockey and to MYFCA Account under my name so I can continue to help here and spread the gosple. God bless yall!

  This week I’ll be covering music and how it has certainly changed the way I live my life for God and using it to glorify him. We all have been in the rinks, locker rooms or tailgates of music that sounds pleasing, fun and catchy; but at some point in that moment do you try to find God's message? Many songs these days speak against God and we may not know it.  Personally, I try my best to influence others with my music taste with Christian music, worship, christian rap and hymes. I have 100% scared teammates with my music choices and stir up questions of why don't people experience music like I do? For the message, not for the pleasure. I for one dont wanna listen to song speopking about lust, distruction, iggurance, murder, lies and a laundry list more not only before playing a game, but approaching life with that music being so influential, that it can and has made me fall short. I’ve recently watched a Netflix film called, A Week Away, that brought back some fun memo...

For hockey players, staff and parents; hockey rest days are few and far in between during the long seasons. Long night, bus rides, fast food we “don't” make time to just rest in God's presence. I can tell you one thing for sure, we can get a fair share of naps but wake up restless, irritated, pressured, not truly resetting. I fall victim to this way of living all the time. Even though a healthy amount of work is put in to relieve my stress, it still lingers in the back of my mind. You can read the 1st chapter in the bible and you’d read that even God rested on the 7th day of creating everything and the heavens. Throughout the old testament Jews practiced the Sabbath day to be in God's rest and presence. Jesus slept during a raging storm at sea.  When Jesus went back to heaven he sat at the right hand of God. Examples on top of examples of rest in many different forms, but which is accurate to current day? “4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest stil...

   Watch this video above before reading. The Boston Bruins have been known to have one of the most loyal fanbases in all of hockey. Not only with hockey but all their sports (Celtics, Red Socks, Patriots). This commercial was made before the 2018 Stanley cup playoffs and intrigued me in 2 different ways. One with how quiet that church was and I am at fault like this man of watching hockey during church, another is being a ‘fan’ no matter where you are or what you're doing.     This was 100% a convection of mine being distracted by what I want to do. I’ve recently learned instead of asking what did a person do wrong, I start asking myself what did I do wrong? It's an honest question in everyday life and my walk of faith. It’s hard to do the right thing and easy to do the wrong thing. But God called us to be doers of the word, Otherwise your just fooling yourself (James 1:22). We need to find a way to stay active and find good in everything we do. Hebrews 12:2 says, “...

FCA Hockey has started ‘the ripple effect’ on social media that you can learn from here https://www.nscacademy.org/the-ripple-effect/ A ripple can be caused when you drop a rock in water. An uncountable amount of ripples follow the rock from the surface of the water to the bottom where the rock stops, yet the impact is still felt. We can use this example when implying our faith in God and what Jesus has sacrificed for everyone. His ripple has been a mighty wave for thousands of years. The ripple we're talking about from the article started with me in Allen, Texas when I witnessed the ripples a player named Gary Steffes spread for the glory of God. I then followed the kneeling prayer at center ice in home rinks, and on the blue line in away rinks. I’ve been doing that now for over 6 years now and have many players joining me over the years. My siblings for one have done this, and in youth hockey in TX and New England have many teammates, coaches, parents, refs, zam drivers, y...

My season and junior hockey career ended by falling short to the playoffs with the CT Chiefs on February 28th, 2020. I was injured (but still playing), touring multiple college campuses, texting and emailing with college coaches to get them to come see if what I had to offer was good for their program.  Energy, Speed, relentlessness, passion and loyalty. Injured or not, I was driven to get on a college team and take the next step in my life. Then as I was a phone call away from commiting to a college, that's when the world literally started shutting down. 14 days to flatten the curve.  The hockey world, while I was at a rink watching pro sports, shut down right before my own eyes. People preluding to wearing masks even before the mandatory mask mandates and breaking news that weekend of a national shutdown across the U.S. I was heartbroken, stressed and feared what would happen next for everyone in everyday life and hockey.  The only thing that kept me sane an...

   2015 was one of the hardest years I've ever faced. Lots of people didn't know how bad it was. I had friends and teammates parents die tragically and medically. I had to play down to AA hockey instead of AAA because of medical bill for dad's cancer increased. Kids that I played with at Stars elite are now NHL Draft picks, D1 kids, and played high level juniors while I had to work for a title I couldn't keep. Had one of the worst season with that AA team that the coach didn't want me and a person wrote me to sit the bench. I was top 5 in points, but playing just a shift a period most games. They even messed up the roster during nationals and label me as a goalie so no scouts talked to me except to jokenly ask why am I a goalie playing player? Dad's Cancer that year almost took him, multiple ER trips in the middle of the night, ambulances and everything, and going to MN to fix his chemo. Mom had to work 4am shifts at Albersons to keep us ...

   Hello all, posting in 2021 after an amazing summer in Alexandria, MN. Between the morning skates, devotions, 'the program' and camps; we had our hands full but also our hearts to keep pressing on and serving our summers for the mission to spread the gospel of Jesus to ice hockey players. It was a fast sprint during our camps between a 2 1/2 week timespan from youth to professional athletes. We had many testimonies, rededications and salvations this summer, it was overwhelming but amazing to see God's plans unfold. Gods hand was over everything and we were able to stay healthy and have a great impact this last summer. I ended up helping Northstar Sportsplex becoming a go-to Zamboni driver and in charge of ice maintenance along with my normal duties; coaching, helping with devotions, cleaning and inventory of everything. I really was going to miss Northstar however I had to leave to start my freshmen year at Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA.      One of the mai...

   Hello Everybody! Its been over a month since rejoining FCA Hockey for my internship for the second year. I live off one of the 10,000 lakes with a group of other interns this summer. It's been a blast and a blessing being on the ice, at the same time being challenged and stretched spiritually.    I am woke by the beautiful sunrise around 5:15-ish every morning. I the get ready for work, eat and read my personal devo, a chapter of the bible and be alone in prayed. Then depending on the day we leave the house at 7:20 to gt at the rink by 7:25 for a 7:30 player led devotion. Its the most critical part of the day, including with the wisdom walks principles, it has a emphasis on talking to people spiritually and building each other up. After we're done we get on the ice at 8:15 and have a fast pace, competitive practice ran every morning by Tim Jackman. After that we run 'the program' a on-ice/ dryland/ devotion program that ranges from squirts to high school players....

Hello everybody! I'm back in Alexandria this summer to be a senior Intern at FCA Hockey! I'm truly excited and blessed to be here during all the chaos going on in the world. I pulled in in Late May and been working and training on and off ice. Our devotion we're going over this summer is called Wisdom Walks by Dan Britton and Jimmu Page. This goes over 54 life principles from the bible and personal experiences for a significant & meaningful journey.  We have only gone over 7 so far as a group and reading ahead, this study has open my eyes, heart and spirit to things I've been blinded before. Its teaching me how to be a good friend and leader as well as growing my own faith and sharpening it with others. Starting Monday, we get to lead kid throwing weekly sessions called the program. I'm really excited to be with most of these kids throughout the summer and help them grow in all areas. Hockey, training and learning about God, His promises and truths. As of right ...

Enjoy these's Videos of what happened during team FCA, Skills and advance camp. See the impact God's having through these first 3 camps and try to find Waldo (Me) in these videos;)

I'm back with another exciting 2 part camp starting with skills camp on June 8th. I was in charge with the littlest group aging from 8-10 years old. They were a ball of energy and with 5 guys helping out, they ran around like sheep. Everyone was greatly effected by our bible talks, testimonies and little spark conversations that grew interest in God. we had a busy schedule starting at 6:15 AM and ending at 11 PM. We worked out, skated, played sports, ate and had huddle talks. At the camp ground at Luther Crest bible camp, we had interesting prayers before dinner, played games like gaga ball, dodge ball, basketball, ping ball, fools ball and air hockey. During the night worship service, Josh Wagner (Also my roommate) sang his heart out for God and each night we had a Testimony from interns, coaches and FCA staff during the week. We had over 40 kid walked away with a renewed faith and it was fantastic.    Straight after the skill camp ended on June 12th, advance camp kids age...

Hello guys! To those of you who don't know, I'm in Alexandria, Minnesota this summer interning with FCA Hockey. To the people who donated, thank you so much for supporting me in this journey this summer! To the people who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll fill you in coming up and tap here to donate.    So I've come into Minnesota May 20th to meet my billet family, and the guys who are interning along side with me. We set up our rooms and chat about our hockey and faith experiences and connected real quick.     This week, we started most of the days with an ice session that was great! We as a group then sat down and talked about our duty's here, learning the facilities and worked on our testimonies. As Thursday came around, our first camp, Team FCA started. I was the coach on Gold team. We went over the message of the summer in Matthew 28:18-21.      Then Jesus came to them and said,"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given t...