Rising Above the Noise
I can hardly wait—football season is coming! The anticipation is keen, and people are talking and gearing up for it. The excitement of a new season is hanging in the air!
It’s a new chance to start over for most and a challenge to defend a title for a select few. We await the click of the towering floodlights as they come on, filling the field with a blinding light. We can already smell the fresh scent of newly cut grass and look forward to the loudspeaker squawking in the background, the roar of the crowd, and the band playing to cheer our team on to victory.
But…wait . How is it that we can get so excited about a 12-game sports season, something that passes by ( pun intended ) so quickly, and yet many hearts hardly quicken when someone challenges us for the eternal work of the kingdom?
Let me be clear: it's perfectly okay to be excited about football or any other sport. But we are not to be consumed by it. Amidst all the clamor and noise of sports, we must still hear the clarion call to reach the lost for Christ. We can admire someone’s giftedness and effort to be successful in a sport, but we must also realize that it is fleeting and temporary. What is eternal must get our utmost attention, and friends, where we will spend eternity—where our favorite athletes will spend eternity—is of utmost importance
It’s a new chance to start over for most and a challenge to defend a title for a select few. We await the click of the towering floodlights as they come on, filling the field with a blinding light. We can already smell the fresh scent of newly cut grass and look forward to the loudspeaker squawking in the background, the roar of the crowd, and the band playing to cheer our team on to victory.
But…wait . How is it that we can get so excited about a 12-game sports season, something that passes by ( pun intended ) so quickly, and yet many hearts hardly quicken when someone challenges us for the eternal work of the kingdom?
Let me be clear: it's perfectly okay to be excited about football or any other sport. But we are not to be consumed by it. Amidst all the clamor and noise of sports, we must still hear the clarion call to reach the lost for Christ. We can admire someone’s giftedness and effort to be successful in a sport, but we must also realize that it is fleeting and temporary. What is eternal must get our utmost attention, and friends, where we will spend eternity—where our favorite athletes will spend eternity—is of utmost importance
Put the spotlight on what matters
This world excels at taking something good and making it all-consuming. It happens in sports, with food, and with success in every field of the working world. We get distracted with something good and forget to focus on the most important thing: our relationship with Jesus Christ and the fact that most of the world does not know him as Savior and Lord. There are entire groups of people, Muslims for instance, who have little to no opportunity to hear of him.
You could help change that. Use something you are interested in, such as a sports event, to invite a Muslim friend, neighbor, or colleague to join you. You can explain the game to them while cultivating a deeper relationship with them. Ask them about their favorite sport or hobby and, if you are not familiar with it, ask them to explain it to you. In the midst of the conversation, take time to explain that while you are interested in sports, you also know that eternal matters about God are much more important.
Ask if you can share the gospel story with them. While the average Westerner has eliminated God from their conversation, Muslims often remain open to hearing about your thoughts and beliefs about God. Also, please take the opportunity to ask how you can pray for them, and spend some time right there praying for them.
And now, you have had the chance to share that Bible story you have been working on!
10/10 Prayer Initiative
We are praying for 10% of the Muslim world to follow Christ in 10 years. It would take a miracle, and that is what we are asking God to do—something so big and amazing that all the glory goes to God alone. Please join us in prayer in seeking his glory spread among the Nations!
Other Prayer Requests:
As schools begin a new school year, pray for Christian students and teachers to be bold and seek out Muslims and befriend them.
On college campuses around the world, Muslim international students from unreached countries and people groups are arriving to study. They will only be there for only a few short years. We have an unprecedented opportunity to reach people who would otherwise never have the chance to hear the gospel. Pray for college campus outreach ministries as they begin fall activities.
Pray for Muslim Olympic athletes who heard the gospel at the recent Olympics in Paris. Pray for the Good News to sink deep into their hearts and minds, and that they would give their lives to Jesus.
Pray for Ryan Corbett, who has been held hostage by the Afghan Taliban for over two years now. Pray for strength for him and his family as they struggle through this very difficult time. Pray that the Taliban leaders would have a dream and that they would release him.
Tensions are high in the Middle East as Israel faces numerous challenges from all sides. May the voice of peace and truth be heard. Pray for mercy for the remaining hostages and their families as we soon approach the first anniversary of the attack on Israel. Pray for those fleeing the unrest, that they would find true peace and rest.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
