In 2019, Nate Thurlow and his wife, Taylor, flew from their home in Colorado to Austin for a job interview. Afterward, when Nate asked how they should spend their Friday night, his interviewer didn’t hesitate: “This is Texas, baby. Go to a high school football game.”
Thus, the couple found themselves under the Friday night lights in Tiger Stadium, dazzled by the field house, the giant inflatable tiger tunnel, and the DSHS High Kickers. And they also felt something deeper: “I thought, ‘This is nostalgic; this feels like my childhood,’” Nate remembers. “And so we said, ‘Let’s move to Dripping Springs!’”
The job was Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in Hays County. Founded in 1954, FCA is a nonprofit built on the belief that, if athletes have the power to shape culture by marketing sports drinks and clothing brands, they also have the ability to impact lives through faith. Its vision is to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes at every level.
Nate’s connection to FCA goes back to his own high school years, when his promising baseball career was interrupted by injury. “Sports were my life, my identity,” he says. “And when sports were taken away, I had no idea who I was.”
A friend invited him to his on-campus FCA meeting, and Nate instantly felt comfortable surrounded by fellow athletes. Later, he also became involved with FCA in college and, after a post-graduation missions trip, his calling became clear: “I realized that I love this; I want to do this for the rest of my life.” In 2014, Nate joined FCA full-time, and he’s built his career with the ministry ever since.
Six years ago, Nate and Taylor moved to Dripping Springs to launch FCA in the region. “Dripping Springs was that first splash,” he says. “And it’s created ripples as we’ve worked our way out to Hays ISD, San Marcos ISD, Wimberley, and beyond.”
A large part of FCA’s growth in Dripping Springs is its local presence. Living in the community he serves, Nate consistently shows up in the lives of students and coaches, and FCA partners with local churches and volunteers. “This is our home,” he says. “I think that’s the secret sauce to building these relationships. We call it a ministry of presence.”
Today, FCA is active at Dripping Springs High School and both middle schools. The model is built on equipping a local coach, who then empowers student athletes to engage their peers. Each week, hundreds of kids gather on campus for student-led Bible studies called “huddles.” Nate shares, “It’s peer-to-peer ministry, which makes it really powerful.”
In addition to weekly huddles, students are encouraged to form discipleship groups and plug into local churches. FCA also offers day camps and overnight camps, and the ministry hosts “game days” throughout the school year, bringing students together to support friends’ athletic events, often followed by “fifth quarter” hangouts filled with food, music, and connection.
One of the most moving events of the year is Fields of Faith. In October, over 500 students gather on the DSHS campus for a student-led night of singing and sharing testimonies under the stadium lights. “There is nothing more beautiful than seeing athletes raise their hands in worship,” Nate reflects.
Moments like these offer a glimpse into the remarkable transformation Nate has seen in students’ lives through FCA. “I have seen addictions break, tears shed for newness, hope in broken family situations,” he shares. “My faith grows when I see spiritual movement in a coach or athlete.”
In a world where student athletes often feel like performance, playing time, and social media define their worth, FCA offers a different message. “We want these kids to know that their identity is in something far greater than the sport they’re playing,” Nate says. “Their identity is in Jesus Christ, and that can’t be taken away.”
And when kids understand that, everything changes: “Sports become fun again and have a greater purpose,” he says. “You get to see them compete freely, not under pressure.”
Alongside her husband, Taylor is also actively involved in the ministry, mentoring female athletes and helping to manage donor relationships for the faith-funded nonprofit. The couple, now with two young children—Lilah Rae (4) and Grayson (2)—and a new baby on the way, has built their life around faith. Their journey has been marked by ups and downs, but they’ve never walked it alone.
“I think those trials and tribulations create in you a resilience and faith,” Nate shares. “We moved across the country to a city where we knew nobody, away from our families, but we just felt like God was calling us to do it. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve done it together. And I’m just really proud of our family and what God has done.”
That spirit of teamwork has also carried FCA forward, as the steadfast commitment of families, coaches, athletes, and donors has helped fuel the mission. “We call them ministry partners because we really believe they’re a part of the ministry,” Nate says of FCA’s financial supporters. “We would not be where we are today if it weren’t for the people in this community rallying behind us.”
As the ministry continues to grow, Nate dreams of a day when FCA might have its own sports fields and facilities, and he hopes to expand its reach beyond schools into club and league sports like DSYSA and Special Olympics. “Our mission is to reach every coach and every athlete,” he states.
Trusting God with what’s ahead, Nate turns to Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Grounded in this call to live with purpose and gratitude—and with great faith in God’s promises—Nate sums it up: “We’re thankful for the people, hopeful for what can come.”
FCAAustin.org/hays-county | @drippingspringsfca
“It’s peer-to-peer ministry, which makes it really powerful.” - Nate Thurlow
“There is nothing more beautiful than seeing athletes raise their hands in worship.”