Blog

Over a year ago, sitting across the table at Crema coffee shop in Nashville, TN, I was visiting with Ryan Doyle. I could sense his enthusiasm for the sport of soccer. A pastor of a church plant and soccer coach of 18 years, we discussed the upcoming opportunity with the pro team coming to town. Ryan has a passion for the game, but more so, a passion for people.

As we talked about soccer and chaplaincy in the weeks to follow via email, I made a casual comment. Soccer Chaplains United isn’t just about the pro game — we’re looking to get chaplains at all levels of the sport. That mention started to gain momentum as Ryan and I discussed potential chaplaincy with Christ Presbyterian Academy, a private, coeducational, college-preparatory school for grades preschool through 12. CPA seeks to provide transformational education through a Christian worldview and is a ministry of Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ryan has served as both a head coach and as an assistant coach in soccer with CPA since 2001, and leapt at the opportunity to create such a program at CPA. His main work is as pastor of Mercy Presbyterian, a PCA church plant of the Nashville Presbytery. He will begin this spring to transition more into a role of chaplain with the CPA Boys Soccer Team.

“I have loved soccer and been around the game as a player and a coach since age 5. However, beyond love of the game, what has always been the central focus of my coaching has been the opportunity to build relationships, disciple young men, and care for families in the program, through the vehicle of the beautiful game of soccer. Our team motto is ‘Love God, Love the Brothers, Love the Game’.

Ryan earned his Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He is currently working on his Doctor of Ministry at Covenant. He also serves as Adjunct Faculty at New College Franklin, teaching Biblical Greek and Theology. Before working in church planting, Ryan served as Assistant Pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church and as Instructor of Bible/ Worship Leader at Christ Presbyterian Academy. Ryan and his wife Lindsey have six children the youngest three from Uganda and China. Ryan and Lindsey are passionate about discipleship, worship, adoption, and local and global mission, leading trips to Uganda and Belize every year. They see no greater gift than to serve others for Christ.

This chaplaincy creates a more formal and distinct structure from within which to minister to our players and families in such a manner. I am deeply grateful for the partnership with Soccer Chaplains United in leading men along the path as we all follow the Good Shepherd. 

Ryan and CPA are now the second high school being served by Soccer Chaplains United. Ryan’s appointment now brings the number of chaplains to 14. We look forward to seeing God grow the chaplaincy work with CPA through Ryan. You can learn more about Ryan on his bio page 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, counseling, and community service across all levels of soccer. Please consider making a contribution today to help us continue growing our work.