2 minute read
Sports News
from His Grace Magazine
by His Grace
Page 18 Merry Christmas! December 2022
Jesse Bradley
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Over 18,000 World Cup Fans have come to Jesus after Pro Soccer Player/Pastor preaches Gospel
Jesse Bradley is a retired professional soccer player who is now a pastor on a mission to reach out to World Cup fans with the Gospel digitally.
Jesse Bradley is a pastor at the Grace Community Church in Auburn, Washington. He has seen thousands of soccer fans come to Jesus Christ since he started his effort. Jesse said, "We're able to create content where we share the Gospel. I share my story, and people are making decisions to follow Jesus. We're reaching millions of people. We're seeing over 18,000 already make first time decisions."
But this is not just limited to a simple counting of decisions made. This effort also has a discipleship element, Jesse Bradley is partnering with Global Media Outreach, a company leveraging technology to spread the Gospel. This will ensure the people are connected to a Christian community. Jesse said, "They follow up, and we help those people find a church. So it's not just decisions, it's disciples."
Jesse Bradley said that these amazing results from his campaign are expressive for a "massive hunger across the world not for God, for hope, faith, for Jesus." He went on to say the interest is extremely high.
That is why Jesse Bradley and his team are talking about his story and using his testimonia to bring interest in Jesus and soccer together in very special ways. Jesse said, "We all know there's something much more significant than soccer that we need. And I discovered it myself later in life, but our souls are content, and we have joy in peace when we discover a relationship with God."
Jesse Bradley's digital campaign creates content that "leads to conversations on top of conversations," that delivers all of these messages to mobile phones, and on other personal locations.
He has less than 60 second videos. They speak about the World Cup, then they go into his story.
Jesse Bradley was a professional soccer goalkeeper who had a tragedy; this is what creates some interest with the viewers. Jesse had reached his childhood dream of playing soccer in Scotland and Africa, but as he was taking medication that he was prescribed for Malaria, it almost killed him. Jesse said, "I literally was fighting for my life for a year. He faced phycological effects in addition to serious physical ailments. In the middle of the pain, God birthed a new purpose and passion."
Jesse Bradley then entered into the ministry to become a Pastor, and he has never looked back. Jesse said, "Stories are powerful; everyone has a significant story. You have a powerful story, and when you share it, we learn more about God, we appreciate God, we see how God works and how He transforms lives." He also said, "We really go from the secular to the spiritual and then to the Gospel in Jesus."
Jesse Bradley is so encouraged for the huge reaction to the Gospel. He said, "It's so fulfilling. I've been in ministry now for two decades, and we've never seen more fruit than we have in the last two years."
