I have podcasted before on The Emmaus Road as a biblical text that helps us to make sense of grief, but as Luke 24:13-35 is one of my favorite texts, it has grown on me a bit more with some new and different insights and I wanted to revisit it again during this month of May. May is usually an emphasis on mental health and mental health is a massive issue in professional sports, especially soccer. So how can we integrate more of our Christian faith and belief with aides and helps with our mental health? I think certain texts in the Bible stand out to help us more.
Today, I share two lessons in part one of this months feature. The first lesson might be simply stated that God is always making the first move and coming toward us. Secondly, we might be blind (emotionally, spiritually, etc) for any number of reasons, but that doesn’t mean that God isn’t with us or near. I recently preached a sermon on this same subject that you can view here on the Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church YouTube channel.
From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).
Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd,in the Apple and Google store.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art-II.jpg14001400Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2025-05-07 00:00:002025-09-12 10:39:59Emmaus: Making Faith Sense of Mental Health, Part One
Psalm 137 is one of those parts of the Bible that can make someone cringe if we don’t look deeper into the text and historical context…known as an “imprecatory psalm” is calls about a curse for a particular city and its people. Can we do that as Christians? It’s a little bit longer of a reflection and meditation on today’s podcast, but where the Bible says “Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks…” I have translated it for soccer as, “Blessed is the club that steals your academy athletes…” Listen in to learn more about how we ought to see ourselves and God in the midst of evil.
The Soccer Psalms, is a self-published book available on Amazon. (You can also find The Football Psalms-a British version-if you appreciate the different terms around the game). Both books are available globally on Amazon and contain 31 psalms that have been translated into “soccer psalms” — with words, language, and metaphors that connect soccer to God’s Word. I also include some reflection on the context and writing as well as some questions for reflection. Check out the book below:
From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).
Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd,in the Apple and Google store.
Psalm 134 is a song that would have been sung by worshippers as they were leaving the temple in Jerusalem and are blessing the Levite workers who remain there readying the temple for the next day. In the Soccer Psalm version from my recent book, I’ve imagined Psalm 134 to come out like a song we might sing with the stadium cleaners and security guards as we leave the home ground with a victory and a sense of joy in our hearts. How can we bless those who work in these common spaces and share the joy of the Beautiful Game with these “less seen” people? That’s what we are talking about on today’s podcast.
The Soccer Psalms, is a self-published book available on Amazon. (You can also find The Football Psalms-a British version-if you appreciate the different terms around the game). Both books are available globally on Amazon and contain 31 psalms that have been translated into “soccer psalms” — with words, language, and metaphors that connect soccer to God’s Word. I also include some reflection on the context and writing as well as some questions for reflection. Check out the book below:
From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).
Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd,in the Apple and Google store.
I am really pleased to share that a proposed talk has been initially accepted for the 4th Global Congress on Sport and Christianity (GCSC). The congress, happening this summer in Waco, Texas, has been something that I have prioritized now for a number of years dating back to the first congress in 2016 in York, England.
The working title of my presentation is “Game Plans and Gospel: Translating the Scriptures for Sport” How Contextualization and Paraphrasing Bring Biblical Truth to the World of Sport. As I was thinking through some potential topics to share during the congress, my thoughts began to center around the profound amount of translation that I often find myself doing as a chaplain. Whether it is a Bible story or biblical concept — there is a lot of paraphrasing and retelling the Gospel story in ways that are fresh, compelling, and captivating for many people who’re unfamiliar with the sacred scriptures.
Translation is not an easy or light kind of work either. Some images don’t translate. Some parallels shouldn’t be made. How do we hold the tension of the integrity of Scripture with the difficulty that much of the world doesn’t know what God says through the Bible? The aim of this talk is to encourage and inspire others to do the difficult work of translating God’s Word in appropriate ways into their sporting context.
A lot of this idea came from my recent books which were published, The Soccer Psalmsand The Football Psalms. While I still have yet to fully develop the presentation, the abstract below makes for a great starting place and reference point:
Translating the Bible into the language, imagery, and story of sport presents both challenges and joys. How can the profound truths of Scripture resonate with athletes, coaches, staff, and fans immersed in these unique cultures? Drawing from 20+ years of experience as a chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer, this presentation explores the creative process of contextualizing and paraphrasing biblical texts—like the Psalms—to connect with the spiritual needs of those in sport. Through examples like “Psalm 23 for a Footballer,” questions arise: Does such adaptation dilute Scripture’s authority? Can such efforts genuinely foster biblical literacy in a community often disconnected from faith? Yet, there’s joy in witnessing the transformative power of Scripture presented in fresh, accessible ways. This session highlights the balance between honoring biblical integrity and engaging imagination to make the timeless truths of God’s Word accessible and to draw individuals toward the life-giving truths of the Bible and a deeper engagement with God through His Word.
2025 marks the fourth GCSC and the Faith & Sports Institute is proud to host the event at Truett Seminary in collaboration with Sport.Faith.Life, Ridley Hall, the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure, and Sports Studies, wired4sport, and the University of Tennessee’s Sport & Religion Research Alliance.
This will be a special time, as well, as I have had the privilege of teaching the online section of Soul Care in Sports with Truett Seminary this past semester and I will likely get to meet several of the students face-to-face, while in Waco. I am hoping to raise about $1500 to offset the costs of the conference. If you’d like to make a contribution toward this, you can make a one-time donation via PushPay to the General fund.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-14-at-2.10.39 PM.png10741912Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2025-04-21 00:00:002025-06-25 09:44:47Game Plans and Gospel: Talking Translation in Texas
St Patrick Presbyterian Church in Collierville, TN has been a church committed to the local suburbs in which she is planted. Missions has typically looked like offering money and prayers to those at a distance throughout her first two decades. But, more recently, the church has come to the realization that if we are to be faithful to the full call of God, there should be a launching out across cultures just like the church’s namesake, Saint Patrick of Ireland.
St. Patrick’s current Executive Director, Chris Bolton, spent several years as a missionary in the cities and villages of Peru. His work and heart for the country has translated into a team of some 28 people committing to crossing cultural boundaries with the Gospel to see God at work in Peru, this July. This marks the first time that Saint Patrick’s will do a short-term mission trip in Peru and it is also the first time in Soccer Chaplains United history that we are supporting a trip to Peru!
The team will be based in the coastal city of Trujillo and launch out with Peru Mission to the surrounding villages with whom they have relationships. In these villages, the team will see how God is at work in church plants, in ministries, and in family discipleship. They will be a part of the short term mission work for six days ministering through medicine, construction, ESL, and care. But the team will also look to express ministry through the global game of soccer.
Soccer Chaplains United Chaplain Rev Greg Aydt is part of the team headed to Peru. As Assistant Pastor for Youth at St. Patrick’s, Greg’s inclusion on the trip is a natural fit. Greg’s soccer chaplaincy work this past season has included helping athletes, coaches, and staff transition in the months following the shut-down in operations of local professional team, Memphis 901 FC. As disheartening as the team folding has been, Chaplain Greg has been looking for opportunities for faith and fútbol to coalesce.
I’m especially excited to be hosting local children in soccer camps each morning. With several high school soccer players on our team heading to Peru, we’re hoping to invite the children to play. And this is no small thing; we truly believe for children, play is Kingdom work.
The St Pat’s team is looking to take about 4 bags of gear down with the team and give away jerseys, shorts, soccer balls and more to the children that come out for the soccer camps. The team will leave out July 11 until July 19.
I’ve been able to take soccer gear from work with Soccer Chaplains United in the past to Latin America. And the impact it has on the excitement, enjoyment, and gratitude from the children is powerful. With some gear from SCU this summer, we travel with an eagerness to see how God can use us for His glory in the villages of Peru.
We encourage you to pray for Greg Aydt and the Saint Patrick’s Presbyterian Church team as they prepare for this exciting trip in July!
When you financially support Soccer Chaplains United a portion of your gift automatically goes to help our community projects and requests. You can give specifically to help cover our costs by making a gift through PushPay — simply select Community Project from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor individuals projects and organizations, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-11-at-12.37.20 PM.png11341432Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2025-04-17 00:00:002025-04-14 12:24:29St. Patrick’s Marks a First for Peru
Today, on the podcast, we look at Psalm 22 in both the Bible and the Soccer Psalm from my recent book. Psalm 22 is the most-oft quoted psalm in the New Testament. All four Gospel writers talk of Jesus saying the opening lines from the cross. The psalm gives language to a person who feels alone and abandoned. In soccer, it doesn’t take much for an athlete to feel this way or even a coach. We can feel like we are alone in much of what we are trying to do, but are we ever truly alone if God is part of our lives? We look at this and more.
The Soccer Psalms, is a self-published book available on Amazon. (You can also find The Football Psalms-a British version-if you appreciate the different terms around the game). Both books are available globally on Amazon and contain 31 psalms that have been translated into “soccer psalms” — with words, language, and metaphors that connect soccer to God’s Word. I also include some reflection on the context and writing as well as some questions for reflection. Check out the book below:
From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).
Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd,in the Apple and Google store.
Highline Community Church (HCC) has graciously partnered with Soccer Chaplains United for the past three years. Thanks to Brian Gawf and the church, to allow myself (Brad) to utilize some office space for my work with Soccer Chaplains United, as Executive Director, and the Colorado Rapids, as volunteer chaplain, it’s been nice to have a “home away from home” for the past few years.
The church, though, has recently received an offer for their building and are exploring the possibility to sell and move into a space that is more suitable for them as a church. Unfortunately, that means that myself and several of the other “tenants” in the building will need to move on and find a new space.
I’ve put a message out to several churches in my denomination, but many of them are operating beyond capacity at this point with not enough space for their own staff. While the sale is still in process, a summer move out and move on is looking more and more likely. I’d appreciate prayers for a new opportunity that keeps me somewhat close to I-25. The current space has been ideal for accessing the stadium and meeting people downtown and other parts of town.
I am super grateful to Brian and the church for allowing me the use of the space and opportunity to continue the work of Soccer Chaplains United. I look forward to seeing all that God has in store for Highline and for Soccer Chaplains United. If you have a space suggestion or opportunity, please shoot me an email here.
Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and depends upon the financial support of our partners to carry out our work of developing chaplaincy across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our chaplains and our work — simply hit the donate link to go to our donate page for different giving options or PushPay button at the bottom of the page to make a tax-deductible, one-time or recurring gift.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMAGE-6160SWabash-WEB.jpg384681Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2025-04-15 00:00:002025-04-14 12:39:08Highline Community Church Likely Moving Out, Moving On
Thanks to Board Member Jan van Vliet and his work to engage the local church, First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center, IA has provided a grant to Soccer Chaplains United for 2025. The grant will specifically go toward our efforts to raise and train up new chaplains in the soccer space. The cost of discovering and developing new, volunteer chaplains continues to increase as soccer continues to grow in popularity and the number of professional teams is experiencing explosive growth throughout North America. The grant goes a long way in helping us grow the chaplaincy.
Jan van Vliet serves as elder with 1st CRC, Sioux Center
We recently conducted some research to uncover how much a typical chaplain placement costs Soccer Chaplains United. While there are many things that cause variations in a placement, the average cost is right around $2850 for a first year placement. The ongoing costs for supporting a chaplain are around $750/year. Some of these costs are offset by membership fees that we ask of our chaplains, but that usually only covers a fraction of the cost.
I’ve started to liken the work of raising up volunteer chaplains with soccer teams as a type of “church-planting” kind of work. It’s very entrepreneurial. It’s very difficult — sometimes we have to do a lot of work to educate a secular soccer club as to what chaplaincy is and isn’t. Sometimes, the people with these teams have had very negative experiences of sports ministry or the church. Sometimes, people are very skeptical about religion “in the locker room,” so to speak.
Regardless, we continue to work to do this education and prove ourselves worthy of the trust and confidence of the clubs to connect them into local pastors and ministers who have no agenda other than offering really good spiritual and emotional care and support for the people at a soccer club. Whether it’s the athletes on the pitch, the coaches on the sidelines, or the fans in the stands— our work is to love and serve people as Jesus taught us to.
Soccer Chaplains United depends a lot on our individual supporters and church partners to continue advancing the work of placing volunteer chaplains with the soccer teams that we serve. A lot of time goes into the discovery aspect. Pictured above (Rev Justin Noseworthy, Pastor Martin Lewis, and Pastor Amy Miller) are the past few chaplains that we’ve been able to place. It’s such a blessing to work with these men and women!
Soccer Chaplains United is non-profit, 501(c)3 and depends upon the financial support of individuals and partners to carry out our work of discovering, developing, and deploying chaplains across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today. Click the PushPay link below to make a gift or check out our Donate page for different giving options.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/slideshow99010_1.jpg7001424Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2025-04-14 00:00:002025-04-14 14:00:33First Christian Reformed Partners with Soccer Chaplains United
Today, on the podcast, we continue going through The Soccer Psalms. I read the 2nd Psalm and Soccer Psalm from my recent book, and offer a reflection and mediation on understanding that there is evil in the world. How do we reconcile that evil with a God who is supposedly “good”? And the fact that this good God created the world and everything in it? Psalm 2 helps remind us that there is One in Jesus who rises above the kings and kingdoms of this world and the corruption inherent within and we are to follow Him.
The Soccer Psalms, is a self-published book available on Amazon. (You can also find The Football Psalms-a British version-if you appreciate the different terms around the game). Both books are available globally on Amazon and contain 31 psalms that have been translated into “soccer psalms” — with words, language, and metaphors that connect soccer to God’s Word. I also include some reflection on the context and writing as well as some questions for reflection. Check out the book below:
From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).
Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd,in the Apple and Google store.
Today, on the podcast, I read—Psalm 1 and Soccer Psalm 1—from my recent book, The Soccer Psalms. In the reflection and mediation questions, we consider what it looks like to live a life as a footballer and as a person that follows a road which seeks out the pathway of God. Psalm 1 is the first psalm in the Bible and it comes with a promise for the one who is different, who is distinct and set apart. Psalm 1 is a “pillar flanking” our way toward prayer and conversation with God.
The Soccer Psalms, is a self-published book available on Amazon. (You can also find The Football Psalms-a British version-if you appreciate the different terms around the game). Both books are available globally on Amazon and contain 31 psalms that have been translated into “soccer psalms” — with words, language, and metaphors that connect soccer to God’s Word. I also include some reflection on the context and writing as well as some questions for reflection. Check out the book below:
From the Touchline is a short-feature (10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).
Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd,in the Apple and Google store.
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