The World Cup has officially arrived in the United States. For the next several weeks, the globe will be captivated by the beautiful game. Stadiums will roar with excitement, nations will hold their breath, and legends will be made on the pitch. But long before the first whistle ever echoed across an American stadium, God was already at work. A passionate group of college students from South Carolina had the privilege of witnessing a far greater victory than lifting a golden trophy—they saw God move powerfully, using the sport as a tool to save souls and help a church reach and connect with their community.
In late May, the Lord led ten students from South Carolina BCM to travel on mission to Manchester, United Kingdom. Partnering alongside IMB missionary Kris Kuriger, dedicated British believers, and Trinity Church Manchester, this team didn’t just cross an ocean; they stepped into divine appointments orchestrated by God. Their primary mission field? A neighborhood soccer pitch beating in the heart of one of Europe’s most legendary soccer capitals.
In Manchester, it’s not just soccer. It’s football. And football is the absolute lifeblood of the city. It dictates the rhythm of the week, shapes deep-rooted community identity, and dominates daily conversations. Knowing this, God masterfully took the very pulse of the city and used it as a brilliant bridge for His Gospel.
The Lord worked through the South Carolina BCM team as they joined forces with a local British church and an IMB missionary to host a dynamic football outreach camp for neighborhood children. As the student volunteers ran drills, cheered on every child, and forged authentic relationships, the Holy Spirit opened doors to share the ultimate story of love. By using the profound narrative of Abraham and Isaac, they illustrated a Heavenly Father who willingly sacrificed His only Son for our salvation.
God’s impact was nothing short of miraculous. Hearts were softened by His grace, and right there at the soccer camp, the Lord drew four individuals to make life-altering decisions to follow Christ!
Igniting a Generation
But God’s transformative work didn’t stop with the local community; He was actively igniting the hearts of the American college students, too. Tyra, one of the students serving on the trip, watched the Holy Spirit move in real-time.
“One way I’ve seen God move on this trip in Manchester is seeing kids who were not interested in Christ having questions and becoming curious about Christ,” she shared, her faith renewed by the raw spiritual hunger God was awakening.
This is the beating heart of collegiate missions: God using students who are available and willing to go.
Across the Baptist Collegiate Network, the Lord is raising up a generation of students. Guided by His Spirit, they are dedicating their spring breaks, sacrificing their summers, and giving their absolute best through Baptist collegiate ministries, local churches, state conventions, Send Relief, NAMB, IMB, and other vital mission partners. From the bustling streets of North American cities to remote, unreached corners of the globe, God is sending these students into places of deep spiritual need.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, these young adults realize they do not need to wait until after graduation to fulfill the Great Commission. God is sending them now. Their leaders are helping them recognize that their campus years are not a mere “waiting room” for future obedience. When students are intentionally discipled, equipped, and surrendered to God’s will, He uses their open hands and willing hearts in extraordinary ways.
Collegiate leaders are helping students understand that they are not just preparing for life after college. They are following Jesus now. They are not merely future church leaders. They are present-day witnesses.
Deep Conversations and Breaking Barriers
Beyond the football pitch, the Lord guided the team as they partnered with Trinity Church Manchester to reach out to Muslim families in the northern part of the city. The students witnessed the Holy Spirit empowering local believers to love their neighbors. Students were blessed to partner with church members who themselves give time each week to genuine conversations and intentionality to share the Gospel. One member, an 80-year-old retired nurse, uses her time each week to share the Gospel with people who have little access to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Justin, another student profoundly impacted by the trip, watched God crumble walls through honest, spiritual dialogue.
“I have seen God move in amazing ways,” Justin testified, “and one of those ways is having people coming from a Muslim background who have never been to church asking deep theological questions about Jesus and wanting to really seek Him and learn more about Him.”
IMB missionary Kris Kuriger emphasized that God has made Manchester a profoundly strategic training ground for college students, offering immediate impact.
“One of the benefits of coming to the UK is there’s no language barrier, so you can jump right into ministry,” Kuriger noted. Yet, the spiritual hunger is immense. “Most of the UK is less than two percent Christian now,” he urged. “It is an opportunity for Christian students to come and actually reach the least of these, and so we want to invite you as a college student to join in with what God is doing.”
Ready for His Call
Through Baptist collegiate groups, God is actively helping students discover their divine calling in this global mission. For some, He uses a single, one-week trip to shatter their worldly perspective and open their eyes to His global heartbeat. For others, God uses a summer assignment to forge an unbreakable courage to witness as they learn to rely on Him in a new city.
As the World Cup dominates screens across America, millions will celebrate the world’s game. But in Manchester, God allowed a team of South Carolina college students to see the Creator of the universe use a simple sport to open eternal doors. They saw God love children through time spent around a football. They rejoiced as the Holy Spirit called four souls from darkness into light.
The Lord has made the college generation ready. He is equipping them to serve, giving them the hunger to go, and preparing them to carry the Gospel from their campus quads to the nations. The only question that remains is whether churches, ministries, and leaders will continue to partner with God by boldly calling them, training them, and sending them out into the world He so desperately loves.
Chad Stillwell is the Evangelism Share Team Leader and Collegiate Ministries Director for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
