There are seasons when God begins to stir something deeper than routine. For Jacob Pharr, pastor of the Chapel Hill, Mississippi Church of God of Prophecy, that stirring came near the end of the 2025 school year. Pharr also serves as Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Sponsor for Tremont High School, Tremont, Mississippi, “I really had a burden on my heart for FCA,” he shared. “I told some of my colleagues, ‘Let’s just pray about this and see if we can make some changes.’” What began as a simple prayer would soon become something far greater than expected.
As summer passed, that burden turned into clarity. “About July, God really gave me some ideas… I called it a ‘download from Heaven,’” he said. God impressed on him how to restructure FCA, how to involve local churches, and how to reach more students. With support from school administration, changes were set in motion at the start of the new school year. One of the most impactful shifts was moving FCA from an early morning meeting time to a break during the school day. What once drew only a handful of students quickly grew into something remarkable. Within just four weeks, nearly the entire student body was attending. “God really moved in that area,” Pharr said. “I just wrote down what He told me and did my best to follow it.”
Now in his fourth year as FCA sponsor, Pharr says his role has become much more than organizing meetings. “I feel like the school’s pastor,” he explained. Each week, FCA gatherings include speakers from across the community—students, faculty, and local pastors—sharing encouragement and the message of Christ. Plans are already in place to bring in athletes to connect with students in new ways.
Behind the scenes, the ministry has grown into a network of churches working together. By the end of the year, 23 churches were actively supporting FCA by providing donuts and snacks and partnering in outreach efforts. “It’s really about bringing people together,” Pharr said. “The churches, the school, the students—it’s all connected now.”
But the true depth of what God was doing became evident during one of the most difficult moments the school had ever faced. An eighth-grade student tragically lost his life in a car accident on a Friday afternoon. The loss sent shockwaves through the school, leaving students overwhelmed with grief.
“It was pure devastation,” Pharr recalled. “There were kids who didn’t come out of their rooms, didn’t eat, didn’t speak to their parents all weekend.” When students returned the following Monday, the atmosphere was heavy. In that moment, Pharr knew his role was critical.
“I had to be strong for them,” he said. “I had to represent Jesus Christ in the middle of that crisis. “Through prayer and seeking God’s direction, he led students through their grief.
During one gathering, something happened that he says he will never forget. “I saw the Spirit of God just come in and instantly hover over that student body. When I began to pray in front of the entire student body, ‘Peace, be still,’ the students who were sobbing stopped. The ones who were overwhelmed found peace. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
Just days later, on the morning of the student’s funeral, FCA gathered again. While many expected a somber service, Pharr felt led in a different direction. “I told them, ‘This is not going to be a sad one,’” he said. Drawing from the testimony shared by the student’s youth pastor, he spoke about the hope found in Jesus Christ—His death, resurrection, and the promise of eternal life. He challenged students to consider their own lives and their relationship with God.
That morning, three students gave their hearts to Christ. And it wasn’t an isolated moment. Throughout the school year, between 15 to 20 students made the same decision. “That’s the greatest blessing of all,” Pharr said.
What is happening at Tremont is no longer just a weekly meeting—it is a movement impacting an entire community. “It’s bringing churches together,” he said. “It’s bringing the kingdom of God together to lift up the name of Jesus.” For Pharr, the lesson has been clear “Sometimes I try to do things my way,” he admitted. “But God always brings me back to just listen.”
And in that listening, lives are being changed.
Pharr recently received the “FCA Sponsor of the Year” Award at the FCA Night of Champions held at Hope Church in Tupelo, MS.
