October is Pastor and Ministry Appreciation month and today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I (Brad) want to take a minute (well a lot of minutes) and share about the special people that make up Soccer Chaplains United. We now have a team of 28 people who are working and serving as chaplains to the sport of soccer and each of them comes with a special set of gifts and talents and contributions that they make to Soccer Chaplains United and the teams that they serve. I wish I was able to personally thank them over and over again for representing Jesus to the people of soccer as wonderfully as they do, but at least for today — I will talk about them and point you to honoring their work and their sacrifice.
From the Touchline is a 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).
Don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd,in the Apple and Google store.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-10-11 00:00:002024-07-08 23:47:422023 Soccer Chaplains United Chaplain Appreciation
Growing up in Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa Tate Madizma grew up in a Christian home and also grew up kicking a ball and loving sports. While he grew up going to church and having an idea about God, a relationship with God, with Jesus, was a more difficult thing to grasp. Tate, on multiple occasions, found himself struggling to understand God’s grace until his youth pastor began to disciple him and teach him more accurately about the nature of God.
Then, in 2004, Tate made the move to the United States for college. He studied Radio, Television, and Film at the University of North Texas, but he had a call upon his heart for full-time ministry. He began to serve at The Village Church while he was in college and God started doing a work in him which led him to seminary and eventually into more full-time ministry.
Fast-forward to last year (2022) and Clint Moore began to consider whom he might add on to the chaplaincy team serving Albuquerque’s professional soccer team, New Mexico United. As Clint moved from full-time church work into a role in industry, he felt as though his time may grow to be less flexible than it had with pastoring. As Clint and I talked about United and the team’s needs, I asked him, “Who do you think might be able to fill your role well, in the event that you need to step back or step away?”
“Two guys, actually…” he replied.
Earlier this year, we introduced Jordan Rivera who serves as bilingual chaplain to New Mexico United. Tate now joins to also co-chaplain the team and bring some different gifts to the table. Tate is the Children and Families pastor at Desert Springs Church, a church which helped to birth out the church Clint pastored at for several years. Tate and Clint had for a number of years been playing soccer together weekly in a midday pick up game. The connection between the two churches had helped to reinforce their pastoral relationships and friendships and the mutual passion for soccer was a bonus. Clint shared with me the how and why Tate fits Soccer Chaplains United.
Tate being born and raised in Zimbabwe brings a whole other experience and value set to the table…he can readily related to people in soccer that come from similar kinds of backgrounds. Yet, Tate has been in the U.S. long enough now that it’s seamless for him to integrate and “get” those that have grown up here for their whole lives. He loves Jesus, people, and the game of soccer…plus he has kiddos running around the house so he gets what it is to juggle the demands of job and family life all at the same time. This is a place where many in USL soccer find themselves.
Clint Moore, on how Tate adds to the team serving New Mexico United
I had the opportunity, earlier this year, to meet with Tate over a meal in Albuquerque. I shared more with him the style and approach that Soccer Chaplains United takes as we take on chaplaincy in the soccer space, much of which really resonated with Tate. He shared some of his background and some of the gifts that add to his chaplain and pastoral presence and appraoch.
I feel that being a chaplain and part of the team with Clint and Jordan suits me really well. My love of the game, my love of people, and my love for Jesus, kind of all get wrapped up here. I can imagine some of the challenges that come with the game and the pressures and I come from an ask culture — I am going to ask and pursue and seek to help people in an authentic way. My wife and I are excited to add this to our and our families opportunities to serve others here in Albuquerque.
Tate Madzima, on his vision for serving New Mexico United
The appointment of Tate brings Soccer Chaplains United’s chaplain corps, currently, to 22. His bio page is found 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 work. Our chaplains are not employed or paid by any of the clubs that we serve. Check out our Donation Page with all the different options. Or, simply click the PushPay link below to make a secure, online, tax-deductible gift, or mail a donation to Soccer Chaplains United, PO Box 102081, Denver, CO 80250.
https://soccerchaplainsunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/madzima-2_Original-scaled.jpg19201280Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-04-25 00:00:002024-07-08 23:49:48Tate Is Great for Soccer Chaplains United
The United Soccer League (USL), notably has a number of different teams all throughout the soccer landscape of professional soccer. From representing the second division all the way into the 4th tier (USL 2) and is ever expanding to bring pro soccer to many smaller cities and communities.
With the USL-Championship set to start the league season this weekend we have a number of our Soccer Chaplains United chaplains on the podcast today to give a quick look back at last year and preview of the year to come.
Special to this episode of From the Touchline, today, we have our first ever head to head competition of Crosses with Revthe little game I like to play with podcast guests. So tune in and listen as we talk about USL soccer today on the podcast.
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/2019/11/From-the-Touchline-Cover-Art.jpg15001500Brad Kenney/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SCU_Seal_Logo-300x300.pngBrad Kenney2023-03-08 00:00:002024-07-08 23:50:092023 USL Preview with special guests Greg Aydt, Kurt Trempert, Tate Madizma, and Josh Bailey
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