• I saw the movie The Star this past weekend. It was refreshing to look at the Christmas story from the animal’s perspective. How many times do we gloss over the Christmas story? We have heard it many times and quickly say “Oh, I know it.” This Christmas season, I’ve been trying to slow down and not to gloss over anything. I’ve been trying to read the Christmas story slower and to think about each person’s place in the story in a meaningful way. I have found that God has been revealing to me each person was divinely appointed for that time. They each had a  place in God’s amazing story. How often do we forget our place in God’s story?

    Dec 18,
  • Today, it's my privilege to announce that Portland Timbers Chaplains Ben Dudley and Troy Ready have officially joined Soccer Chaplains United. Ben and Troy have been working with the Timbers of Major League Soccer (MLS) since 2010 and 2014, respectively. They co-chaplain the MLS side which won its first league title in 2015. Ben is no stranger to Soccer Chaplains United. He was part of CrossTraining back beginning in 2010 when he first moved to Portland and started working with the Timbers. He helped encourage me and the CrossTraining Board, at the time, to seek out becoming it's own non-profit 501(c)3 entity. He recently shared with the board and other team members, I’ve been in community with Brad for the past

    Dec 15,
  • A quick update as today, we were able to put forward our top chaplain candidate to Nashville SC. The search for a chaplain which began back in August, culminated in developing a candidate pool. We had those candidates meet with Tennessee Titans (American Football) Chaplain, Casey Cramer for an additional layer of vetting. Casey was helpful in sharing his own personal experience of working in a church setting and offering a chaplain presence to a pro sport team in the Nashville culture. Next steps will include the chaplain candidate meeting with team ownership to get a feel for cultural fit. Once the candidate has been accepted, Soccer Chaplains United will begin doing more coaching and development support as the chaplain

    Dec 14,
  • For the Colorado Rapids, offseason came sooner than last year. No playoff game appearance. No run for the league cup final. Players, coaches, staff all scattering to the far reaches of the globe until it's time to return and begin a season anew. For the Rapids and many others throughout professional soccer in North America, the season of waiting commences. The Rapids, recently announced a new head coach — so for some, the wait in that regard is over. But as the 2018 season lies ahead, there is a painful waiting that has begun. Waiting for a Contract Imagine this scenario. You are 30 years-old. Married. You and your spouse are expecting your first child and you are waiting for

    Dec 03,
  • Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking to the sports ministry major class at my alma mater Moody Bible Institute on the topic of sports chaplaincy. Students had recently read Anthony Maranise's article, Beyond praying for players: an exploration of the responsibilities and practices of sports chaplains from the recent Sports Chaplaincy: Trends, Issues, and Debates. That article coupled with my own, Foundations of Pastoral Care: Recovering the Spirit of Chaplaincy in Sport became the springboard for our conversation. One of the most prevalent questions that recurs amongst those looking into sports chaplaincy, is how does one serve someone of a different faith tradition? For many evangelical Christians that are studying and preparing to go into ministry, one of the struggles that takes considerable wrestling

    Dec 01,

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