Josh and Joy Brodt

Jordy de la Cruz was a hardcore gang member in middle school. He lived a bit of a double life, tagging and hanging with his gang while no one suspected his affiliation because he was a good student. But, when a fellow gang member got shot standing next to Jordy, he began to ask questions about his life.

When he became an athlete at Monroe High School in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley, Jordy also came into contact with Josh Brodt, a member of Christian Assembly (Christian Assembly L.A. Foursquare Church) in Los Angeles, who serves as a representative with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Jordy prayed to receive Jesus Christ because of Josh’s campus ministry, and now Jordy uses his platform as a college athlete at California State University Northridge to challenge other students to follow Christ. During the last school year, Josh and his FCA teams led 1,363 people like Jordy to Christ on Los Angeles area school campuses.

Josh remembers leading someone to Jesus for the first time. He was being recruited by Life Pacific College (now Life Pacific University) to play basketball and brought some high school buddies with him for a visit to the San Dimas campus. One of his buddies did not know the Lord and started asking questions. By the end of the trip, Josh had led his friend to Jesus.

“I was hooked,” Josh says. “I felt the presence of God like I had never felt it before anywhere else in my life.”

He enrolled at Life and became a two-time Academic All-American basketball player. Shares Josh: “At Life Pacific, I grew in my understanding of the Word of God, how to apply it to my spiritual walk, and how to teach others to do the same. I also grew in understanding and applying the gifts of the Holy Spirit to my life and ministry.”

Student athletes know Josh has experienced hard workouts, trained with a team and knows what it’s like to keep up with homework.

“I love watching God transform people like Jordy and other students. I guess that’s why I enjoy working with youth and serving Jesus at Christian Assembly, and with FCA.” —Josh Brodt

Josh’s campus ministry consists of 17 student-led “huddles” that attract between 60 and 70 students who initially are drawn to the free food; but many stay to hear a band or Christian speakers, who sometimes draw as many as 500 students.

Christian Assembly is a “kingdom partner” with Josh, financially supporting the grassroots ministry. Tom Hughes, co-lead pastor of Christian Assembly, says the fruitfulness of Josh’s ministry is one of the top reasons why. Christian Assembly also has given 3,000 New Believer’s New Testaments to students through Josh’s ministry, Tom notes.

Student ministry with the FCA

Serving as a prime example of how local Foursquare churches across the country support one another and partner interdenominationally, Lompoc Foursquare Church in Lompoc, Calif., Freedom Church (San Fernando Valley Freedom Foursquare Church) in Chatsworth, Calif., and Beaverton Foursquare Church in Beaverton, Ore., also financially support the campus ministry in the San Fernando Valley.

Some of Josh’s student leaders at Crescenta Valley High School were discouraged this past year because they could only attract a handful of students to their huddles. They prayed for revival to hit their school and sought partnerships to put together an end-of-year event that would make an impact.

“Two of our student leaders from Christian Assembly stepped up and got involved with the event,” Josh says. “Jake Walker, our youth leader, and several volunteers from our church helped us, and we pulled off an event that broke all attendance records for the year.” Best of all, Josh adds, four students at the campus event received Christ as their Savior.

“I love watching God transform people like Jordy and other students,” Josh states. “I guess that’s why I enjoy working with youth and serving Jesus at Christian Assembly, and with FCA.”

See where Josh Brodt is serving by following him on Instagram.

was an ordained Foursquare minister, Life Pacific University instructor and freelance writer.
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