Meager Gifts, Multiplied
"Me? A soccer coach?" Pastor Gloh chuckled to himself as he recalled his feeble gait and weak legs. He was one of many victims of poliomyelitis, the notorious viral infection that had paralyzed millions of children around the world, and was only eradicated from...
Getting in the practice: Terri uses her voice
Terri is a brilliant coach. You could say she grew up with sports right from the womb. Her mother played softball and was a strong athlete. That’s where Terri learned to love sports: in the family. As a young adult, she injured her knee. She tore some ligaments...
Kaleidoscope Contingent
Last October, Sports Friends hosted a 20-year celebration in Charlotte, NC. Local friends, supporters, and ambassadors of the ministry joined with national and regional leaders from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe to celebrate God's wonderful works. Plenty of...
Strong Love
The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that “love always protects” (1 Corinthians 13:7). The Sports Friends model thrives because more than 12,000 volunteer coaches embody this feature of God’s kind of love to the young people they work with. The teams are not like...
A Light on the Way
By Sandra Gargate Have you ever tried to find your way in the dark without the help of a light? If you have, you may have suffered the painful consequences of a stubbed toe, or worse! As a parent longs to see their child walk safely and firmly, likewise, our God...
Meet an Intern!
- By Luke Johnson - While Abi recovered from jet lag in Fredericton, New Brunswick, she marveled at the wide-open spaces of Eastern Canada. Having come from England, the sheer scale of the place in which she found herself was massive. “Things weren’t crammed...
From Thief to Coach
- By Danielle Byles - For years, the sight of Chinkwita would spark fear in the community of Mitundi, just outside Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe. As a local gang leader, he was a notorious thief who used to terrorize and injure people with...
From Forgiveness to Faith
- By Tohru Inoue - Sometimes it seems that our best ministry efforts are hindered by hardships, by a wall of hostility. In the field, we’ve seen people turned away by communities hostile to the gospel. “The power of darkness,” as the Sports Friends team in...
A New Calling
When Bob Cramer heard that Tripp had announced his retirement as Global Leader for Sports Friends in 2021, he was deeply disappointed. He had planned to volunteer with him in the Sports Friends ministry as soon as Bob retired just a few years later! Tripp and Bob have...
Inspiration, Revelation, Foundation
Just as God demonstrated His presence and affirmation during the early Church movement in the book of Acts, He provided powerful confirmations of His call and faithfulness throughout the development of Sports Friends. Tripp and Brian repeatedly witnessed God’s might...