FamilyLife Today®

Heather Reddy: What does it look like to just relationally love people? I think that's at the heart of it. Are we able to pull ourselves out of what our agendas are, our busy lives, and see the people God has put in front of us? Be intentional to love them. Inviting them into your home is a way to love them.

Dave Wilson: Welcome to FamilyLife Today, where we want to help you pursue the relationships that matter most. I’m Dave Wilson.

Ann Wilson: And I’m Ann Wilson. You can find us at familylifetoday.com. This is FamilyLife Today.

Dave Wilson: I’m excited today. We’re talking about football.

Ann Wilson: Is it your kind of football?

Dave Wilson: Maybe not. I don’t think they spell it the same, do they?

Ann Wilson: They’re ready. It’s spelled the same.

Heather Reddy: It’s spelled the same. In Spanish, yes. Fútbol.

Dave Wilson: This is how much I know about the soccer world. I’m done. You guys talk about this.

Ann Wilson: No, this is good because you know everything about the sports world. Heather Reddy is with us today. She does know a lot about it.

Dave Wilson: Tell us what you do. You do something in the sports world sort of like we did and still do. We still lead a Bible study for the Lions. Isn't that crazy? Not officially their chaplain anymore, but since they started winning, we came back. It’s sort of fun.

Heather Reddy: I’d be happy to know that. I work with Athletes in Action. Part of my role is chaplaincy work. I chaplain the NWSL team, the Orlando Pride, which is Orlando's local women's soccer team, a professional team. I’m also one of four chaplains for the US Women's National Team.

Dave Wilson: How’d you get into it? You were at the great Ball State back in the day. Are you happy about this right now, Dave? I don't think we've ever had a Cardinal on here.

Heather Reddy: I’m not. I went to the neighboring Taylor University close to Ball State, so close.

Dave Wilson: Taylor’s awesome. Did you work with athletes there?

Heather Reddy: I did not work with athletes. I was Cru Campus. We were working on the campus ministry there for about seven years. We did interact with athletes some, but mainly just with campus.

Dave Wilson: Then Northern Illinois?

Heather Reddy: Northern Illinois for a few years, which was cold. Somebody told us it was the last suburb of Chicago. We drove and hit the last suburb of Chicago, and then there were miles of cornfields, and then we hit DeKalb, Illinois, where Northern was. We were there for two years.

Then my husband and I were the campus directors at the University of Central Florida here in Orlando for five years with Cru Campus. About seven years ago, we transitioned over to Athletes in Action.

Ann Wilson: Why did you make that transition? What happened?

Heather Reddy: We were growing our family. We have six kids. They were very involved in the sports world playing soccer. We found ourselves on the sideline interacting with parents and athletes all the time. That was where we were being pulled.

As we got to this place, we saw God move. My husband is an athlete; I played soccer in college. We had always considered Athletes in Action but had never moved in that direction. We felt like if we could marry sports and Jesus, what an incredible opportunity and how fun that would be. That’s when we made the transition over and jumped into pro soccer specifically.

Dave Wilson: Have you read *The Away Game* yet by Ed Uszynski and Brian Smith?

Heather Reddy: I have not read the whole thing. I’ve read part of it, and it is amazing. My husband and I started reading it and we need to get this in the hands of as many parents as we can. It helps think about how we enter into youth sports as a family.

Ann Wilson: How do we disciple our kids through it in a healthy, biblical way?

Heather Reddy: I highly recommend it, especially if you have kids in youth sports and you're trying to figure out how to navigate this landscape that will take everything from you. How do we engage as a family? What does it look like to bring Jesus into that space?

Dave Wilson: Before we jump into what you’re doing with the World Cup, how do you and your husband navigate the youth sports world? You’ve got six kids. Are they all doing it?

Ann Wilson: You get to know the parents and families really well, don't you?

Heather Reddy: We do. Our kids range in age from 23 to 8. We have three in college; two are currently playing soccer in college. Then our two youngest have been playing soccer.

It has been an interesting journey for us. For our three oldest, we did the whole travel, intense sports, and it was draining. It was so expensive. We remember thinking if we're going to do this our second round, God gave us a redo.

We wanted to rethink how we do this. We've been intentional with our younger kids to pull back and not jump into the craziness. We try to keep boundaries within our family of what we value and stay close to those values. It's so easy to let that creep in and think my kid has to do this to be the best player or get that scholarship.

Ann Wilson: Parents and coaches tell you that. If you want to make it to the next level, you have to be on this team.

Heather Reddy: It doesn't matter who you are. They say they're going to help you get that scholarship. Let me tell you, seven percent of high school athletes go on to play in college. It’s so small, and it's easy to buy into that.

We’ve been rooted in who the Lord is. Even our kids' stories of how they got to play where they're at was totally a God thing. It wasn't this massive recruiting thing. Our one son was looking for a team last summer. He got a call from the coach in the middle of the summer. He said he just had two keepers drop and asked if he wanted to come play for him at a D2 school, a fantastic school. Lord, that is so you. It wasn't through all this, which you can do, and that's not wrong. It's determining as a family how we want to enter in and how we care for each other in this.

Ann Wilson: How do we bring God into it?

Heather Reddy: What I love about *The Away Game* is when else do you get a front-row seat to your kid's character and how that comes through? We as parents have an opportunity to enter in with them in an incredible way to show them what it looks like to live out the gospel on the field.

How do you treat your teammates? How do you treat your coach? What happens when you don't play or you get injured? It is truly such a privilege and blessing to walk that with your kids, but also really hard. You're dealing with your own inner stuff. I played in college, and of course, I wanted my kids to play in college, but to what end? Even for me, I have to sift through that and make it more about the Lord and not about what they are achieving.

Ann Wilson: And even to be able to love the families and the friends of your kids and not be in judgment of lifestyle choices. How do we love them? How do we present the gospel in a way that's not offensive? It's tricky.

Dave Wilson: Even for me, Ann knows, how do we separate our identity and our happiness in life from how our three boys are doing on a field? My youngest got all the way to the NFL and got hurt in his second year. He would tell you the same thing: this was harder on Dad than it was on me.

Ann Wilson: It was Dave's identity. He knew God had called him into ministry and he was ready to go. Dave was like, "No, get one more year! Get the money!" Dave was in the tank. He couldn't even function. He'd ask if he was going to be able to preach this week.

Dave Wilson: It was so bad, but it's how we live as parents. It's crazy.

Ann Wilson: It’s the constant evaluation of, "Am I holding onto this too tight?" Our kids see all of that in us. For Cody to say, "Dad, is it more important to you or to me?"

Dave Wilson: Can we get off me? I brought it up, but let's not linger here.

Ann Wilson: Let's get into this. We're talking about the gospel and how to share with families. The World Cup is coming. Educate us because we're not soccer people.

Dave Wilson: We’re football people. There's this soccer thing happening. We're talking about the real football.

Heather Reddy: A lot more people in the world are watching soccer than NFL or college football. Five billion people will watch the World Cup. Five billion. Three-fourths of the world's population will be engaged in the World Cup during June 11th through July 19th. That is a massive amount of people whose eyes will be on this sport.

There are 48 countries that will be represented at the World Cup. This is one of those things where when you look across the world globally, countries will stop. People will stop working. They will gather around TVs to watch their team play. You see this incredible unity even within the country of people coming together to watch these games.

It’s coming to North America. Canada will have games, Mexico will have games, and the US will have a majority of the games. It is an incredible opportunity for us as believers to engage with those people around us, whether we like soccer or not. It doesn't matter. You don't have to.

Ann Wilson: So it’s like the Super Bowl times a hundred.

Dave Wilson: It’s like the Olympics, too. And it’s every day for a month?

Heather Reddy: It's every day, four games, especially in the beginning. There will be four games every single day. You're talking about when to engage and invite people over and come to hang out and watch a game. You have multiple opportunities. The Super Bowl is one night. Here, you have almost a whole month to plan and host a watch party in your house. It really is that easy.

Dave Wilson: What would that look like?

Heather Reddy: We have had major watch parties. We’ve been soccer fans for a really long time. I think of your kids who are on a sports team and you are engaging with these parents on the sideline multiple times a week, all weekend long at tournaments. You know them. Sometimes you think you just need an excuse to invite people over because life gets in the way. We are all busy. Now you have a month of excuses to say, "Hey, come over and watch this game."

We’ve created this fantastic kit that helps you host and have conversations with the people God has put in your life.

Ann Wilson: So it’s a how-to kit?

Heather Reddy: Yes. We tested it last year and got some feedback from pastors and other hosts because we really wanted to make it as user-friendly as we could. Every item in the kit is designed to help you either invite people over, have a spiritual conversation, or have a gospel conversation.

It’s not about forcing anything. We’re asking people even in the beginning: who are the five people that you want to pray for? Who are the people that God has put in your heart that you want to see Him work in their life?

For some, it might just be inviting them over to their house for the first time. That might be your first step. That’s a step of faith and we want to celebrate that. For some, we've been having these conversations and a few spiritual conversations and I feel like we're ready to have that spiritual conversation. We have training that goes along with that, and then same with the gospel. We have ways of how you bridge into that gospel conversation.

We have a kit and we have videos, five five-minute videos that walk you through each one of those things so that you feel equipped and expectant that God is going to work during the World Cup.

Ann Wilson: It doesn’t have to be awkward. It’s not like you’re going to stand in front of the TV at halftime and tell everyone they need Jesus.

Dave Wilson: You're not going to walk up, grab a guitar, and sing a worship song and say, "Jesus loves you or you're going to hell."

Heather Reddy: We’re not looking to be awkward here or weird. We are looking to relationally love people. I think that’s at the heart of it. Are we able to pull ourselves out of what our agendas are, our busy lives, and see the people God has put in front of us? Be intentional to love them. Inviting them into your home is a way to love them.

Ann Wilson: I was just talking with Bruce, our audio engineer, before we started recording. He was saying it’s such a perfect first step. We’ve all wanted to invite people over for a small group, like a marriage small group, but now you have a reason. This would be an even better first step because it’s neutral ground. We're all watching this, it's fun, it's easy conversation. It doesn't have to be weird or awkward when they're coming into a Bible study. Small groups don't need to be awkward or weird, but it can feel intimidating for a person walking into your home. Sports doesn't feel intimidating.

When people hear the word small group, they perk up and wonder what the expectations are. This is just, "Hey, come over and have a meal with us." Even in the kit, there's a soccer ball. It’s an actual box and we have some great pictures. There are different sizes. A size one is smaller and there's a QR code on there. When you scan it, fun conversation questions come up. It’s something to toss around. You're having a group of people over, throw the ball around, scan a question, and ask it to the group.

Ann Wilson: Like what? Give us an example.

Heather Reddy: Just fun get-to-know-you questions, like, "What is your dream vacation?" Really fun get-to-know-you things. Then we have another piece in there. Cru uses Solarium cards.

Dave Wilson: Fantastic. I used those with the Detroit Lions wives for years.

Heather Reddy: They are great. It’s an easy way to throw a bunch of pictures on a table and ask fun questions. What I love about Solarium is they can go as fun or easy to as deep as you want to take it.

Ann Wilson: And these pictures are random pictures. It could be a hot air balloon, a bike, or a field. Very random. I remember doing this, Heather. Some were like, "Pick one that today you're relating to." People will say, "This is kind of a funny one."

But then you can get to the point where this girl picked a card and it's this broken-down bicycle. She said, "This is me right now in my life. Everything feels broken down and bent and I don't even know how to get on the bike because it's so broken down. And honestly, that's my marriage." Now you're thinking that would be awkward during a game.

Dave Wilson: "US is up 5-1 but you just blew that one!" You wouldn't say that, Dave.

Ann Wilson: For our context with our Bible study, it was great. It’s a great get-to-know-you. Most of the time, people aren't going to go that heavy.

Heather Reddy: No, they're not. And it’s evergreen. You get to take that with you. Maybe you might not use it during the game, but now you've established that relationship. Have them over for dinner another time.

We’ve really tried to do it where we're trying to remove as much of the awkwardness as we can so that people really feel comfortable. It really is that relational engagement. We want people to know, "You are loved. We see you and we love you." And it’s fun. People want to come do something that’s fun.

Dave Wilson: You’ve always got to say, "Be yourself, don't be weird." "I’m watching World Cup but it's really an evangelistic meeting, so I brought some people over that aren't always at my house."

We all know you don't receive the message until you like the messenger. If you're a weirdo Christian person and you have a big cross in front of your eye, you're freaking people out. Not even watching the game, I think you're going to repel them. They should leave your house, get in their car and say, "That was really fun. I like those people. I like their friends. I hope we do that again." Maybe it’s the second or third game where something goes a little deeper spiritually. It doesn't have to happen in the first ten minutes in the first game.

Heather Reddy: That’s the whole goal. We thought about how we want to approach engaging in the World Cup. Our goal is to equip 100,000 believers and 10,000 churches. If people are equipped and trained in how to share their faith, the World Cup is a moment. It is a big moment that we don't want to lose, but you now can share your faith for the rest of your life.

Dave Wilson: I need a kit. Where’s the kit?

Heather Reddy: victorybeyondthecup.com. You can go on now and you can sign up for a free kit. They’re free. We'll have a link in our show notes too. There are only 25,000 physical kits, but we have digital kits that will also be available that have some fun things like soccer bingo on there as well.

Ann Wilson: Do you have the rules of soccer?

Heather Reddy: We do have "Soccer for Dummies" on there. I should know better. I remember I literally got asked to be a goalie for this rec team years ago. I thought I could play goalie, it's got to be easy. You get to use your hands. I put on my NFL receiver gloves and I walk out there and they asked what I was doing. "Don't you guys wear gloves?" "Not those gloves!" They were shocked. I didn't know half the rules.

Ann Wilson: I have to ask this. Dave does not like to invite people over for the Super Bowl because he wants to watch the game. If you want to talk, go in the kitchen, I’m watching. I had a friend come in and she asked if this happens every year, this thing called the Super Bowl. Dave gave me this look of, "How could you invite her to our Super Bowl?" He might have said, "You guys can go in the other room."

Dave Wilson: I’m getting a really bad reputation today. And I earned it because that’s me.

Ann Wilson: But because there’s so many games going on, this is a great opportunity. Maybe the Super Bowl is like the finals, but this doesn't necessarily have to be like that.

Heather Reddy: Maybe be strategic about the game you pick. If you are a soccer fan, don't pick the team that you really are invested in because it's going to be really hard for you to engage. It was funny because I was talking to somebody and they were saying they're huge Argentina fans and they were not going to invite people over when Argentina plays. I wouldn't either. So be strategic. Go through and look through the schedule and choose the date of the game that you want to invite people over to.

We have a kit and a host guide, a key player guide, which is our host guide. It is step-by-step of how to host. Very clear. As a parent, this is a great opportunity to share this whole idea with your kids. To pray as a family. Families are into these sports. Soccer, when you're into a sport as your kids are, the whole family is involved. Invite the whole family.

Maybe you can't do a lot of families depending on how big your house or apartment is, but this is a great thing to bring your kids into for discipleship. "Guys, we care about Jesus, we care about people, so what if we prayed? Lord, who are some families we can invite over?" This gives your kids a vision for how Jesus can use their lives.

Dave Wilson: You know and we know, because we were chaplains, sport is such a common bond. It binds us. You don't even have to be like me. I don't know soccer as well as I know other sports. Could I still see God use that in our home? We've got to get the kit. We're going to invite people over. I'll let them teach me soccer as we're watching the game. They’d probably like this more than anything. Sport is strategic. It connects you to people. Why not use it to lead them to Jesus? Can you imagine hearing stories from around the country of people coming to Christ because you used the kit and used the World Cup to say, "Let’s meet Jesus"?

Ann Wilson: The kit’s free. If the box isn't available, you can get it digitally.

Heather Reddy: You might be passionate about soccer. Great, you get to share that. But if you aren't, there are people around you. If there’s five billion people engaged, there is somebody around you that you know that cares about this. Then you get to learn and experience their passion. What a gift that is, that we get to give other people to come in and teach us and help us understand the game that they love so much. It’s that mutuality that we get to experience. It’s that bonding together that sports really uniquely does.

Dave Wilson: One last thought. If you don't host it at your house and somebody invites you to their house, go. You're going as an evangelist. Don't be a weird evangelist, but go and love and enjoy. Be a friend and then they might invite you back and then later you can invite them to your house and see what God does.

Ann Wilson: Why wouldn't we?

Dave Wilson: Heather, what would you say to someone who is ready? What do I do?

Heather Reddy: Your next step is to go check out victorybeyondthecup.com. On there is a place where you can sign up to receive a free kit. From there, you will get the kit and even in the kit, there's going to be QR codes that are going to take you to videos. Quick five-minute trainings that you can watch individually, or if you even want to bring your small group in and watch it together. That’s a great option to just train so you feel prepared and ready and expectant to see God move during the World Cup.

Ann Wilson: Here’s what I would end up doing if I was doing this. I’d order the kit, I’d call my friend Michelle—our kids are similar ages—and I’d say, "Hey, let's do this together." It's always fun to do something together with one of your friends. Then you can start praying as not only just your family, but their family, too. Catch a vision. God wants to use you. He wants to use your gifts, your passions, and maybe you're not so into football—soccer—but there's a lot of people that are. If this is your thing, start praying and inviting them. First of all, get that kit.

Dave Wilson: We’ve got the link in our show notes. Go to familylifetoday.com, click on that link, and start the journey.

FamilyLife Today is a donor-supported production of FamilyLife, a Cru ministry, celebrating 50 years of helping you pursue the relationships that matter most.