Sports Friends International

Soul Brothers

Soul Brothers

Tripp Johnston, Co-Founder of SIM’s Sports Friends ministry, has recently published a new book, Soul Brothers.  This book is an inspiring account of God’s work in Tripp’s life and in Berhanu Kebede’s life, including the initial launch and early growth of Sports...

Kaleidoscope Contingent

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...

A New Calling

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

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...

To Both Ends of the Earth

To Both Ends of the Earth

Time went on and the vision grew. Berhanu directed the work in Ethiopia while Tripp and Brian returned to Charlotte, NC, to work from SIM’s international headquarters. They all had the sense that this ministry was to reach further, so they visited Nigeria to cast...

It Always Starts Small

It Always Starts Small

Twenty years ago, right around the time God was turning the century, He was turning Brian Davidson’s and Tripp Johnston’s lives upside down. The upset would cause a ripple effect intended to span continents and generations, and impact the lives of over a million...

Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

By Cat Tongkao, Sports Friends International Communications Director // When I was ten, I wrote an autobiography.  I must have thought I’d had a pretty exciting life for a ten-year-old. Almost 20 years later, I stumbled across it again while sorting through some...

The Scars That Shape Us… Part II

The Scars That Shape Us… Part II

On October 22, 2019, we shared a bit of Dan and Corrie’s story and how, through their own set of trials, Dan and Corrie have reaped a joy that they could never have produced on their own. They have seen how easy it is in the comfort of the Western world to forget...

Coronavirus: A letter from Sports Friends Leadership

Coronavirus: A letter from Sports Friends Leadership

To Our Partners and Friends, The coronavirus is sweeping the globe and causing unprecedented challenges in virtually all sectors of society and in virtually all countries.  Sports Friends is working in 19 countries across five continents, in some countries...

The Scars That Shape Us

The Scars That Shape Us

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3)  Dan and Corrie are no strangers to suffering.  Dan was born in Ethiopia to SIM...

An Unexpected Encounter

An Unexpected Encounter

People surge in from all over the world- eager to learn and meet new people. A steady hum of voices fills the large room. Booths are set up all over the with vendors eagerly waiting to testify about how God is working through their organizations in marvelous...

Voyage on Invitation 6:33

Voyage on Invitation 6:33

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 Invitation633 is a blog kept by a missionary family who see this verse as a motto in life. A couple with six children, they have just completed the...

By Prayer Alone

By Prayer Alone

"By prayer we view our calling. By prayer we respond to new and existing open doors to proclaim the crucified and risen Christ in communities where He is least known. Prayer reveals barriers and, by prayer alone, we cross them."  - Dr Joshua Bogunjoko, SIM...

Trusting God With Our Unknowns

Trusting God With Our Unknowns

“But surely You wouldn’t call me to that, Lord!”  Exhaustion had hit me like a ton of bricks after serving a week at a football camp in Ethiopia and I was just certain that this was causing me to hear God incorrectly. Wasn’t God aware of the career I had...

Why We Do Short-Term Missions

Why We Do Short-Term Missions

It’s always important to understand why we do what we do. Knowing ‘why’ we are engaging in mission directs the ‘how’, and that can be the difference between a good short-term trip and a potentially damaging one. Jesus’s last directive on earth was for us to go and...

Meet the Team: Dan Linsz

Meet the Team: Dan Linsz

We are really excited that our International Support Services team is growing with the addition of Dan Linsz. He will be serving as the team leader and based out of Charlotte, NC. Dan was born in Ethiopia to SIM parents and also grew up in Liberia. He and his wife,...

Your Guide to the World Cup and the Gospel

Your Guide to the World Cup and the Gospel

In 2014, over 3.2 billion people, almost half the world's population, tuned in to watch the World Cup in Brazil. In many ways, sports are a universal language. They unite people across countries, languages, and cultures. Sporting events inspire us and many of us can...

CAMPaign Giveaway

Every year we raise funds to send thousands of youth to camp. We are excited to have a giveaway this year with goodies from some of the countries we work in and several local Charlotte area partners! Share with your friends, family, give and make a difference! Here is...

A Long View on Short-Term Trips

Bryan Mills Seven years ago, I went on a short-term trip with Sports Friends, and was encouraged to see how God was using the simple tool of sports to introduce youth and their families to Himself. I came home humbled by God’s love for us and His pursuit of the lost....

Crossing Barriers Through Sports

All across the world, through the Sports Friends ministry and many other like-minded organizations, God is using sports to build His Kingdom.  How exciting to see God using something that the world is so passionate about to draw people to Himself! I recently returned...

What Does Discipleship Mean to You? 

By Jill Ireland I wonder if you have ever thought about how you might answer this question?! As I reflected on it, I realized that ‘discipleship’ is a word we use frequently in the church, though I’m not sure we all understand it to mean the same thing. For some it is...

Why Did You Not Come Sooner?

During our time at the Global Gathering in Thailand, each country gave ministry updates on what God is doing. In one of the closed access countries where Sports Friends works, a brother shared a story that stuck with us. In this man’s country, many people still...

What Do You Have in Your Hand?

By Brian Langley, SF Perú A couple years ago, Sports Friends Perú organized a Basic Training near the capital city of Lima. At this particular training, a well-dressed young man named Eduardo arrived the day of the event. He hadn’t signed up in advance nor called to...

Meet the Team: Bryan

This month we’d like to introduce you to Bryan, a member of the International Support Services team out of Charlotte, NC. Bryan is the Coordinator of Church Partnerships, and this month she will be leading teams as they visit Camp Langano in Ethiopia! Name: Bryan...