Well, hey, welcome back to the podcast. Today I have a guest with me that I have followed online for a while. I love his heart for the Lord. He is a pastor, a former athlete, and still an athlete as far as I understand. He is about to go to a soccer game, so he is still an athlete. Pastor Jesse, welcome.
So glad to join you today. I appreciate all the ways you are serving people. You love Jesus. You are teaching at a high school, pastoring, podcasting. I see your passion for God’s Word. Scripture changes lives. You care for people, and that shows. It is a pleasure to have this conversation.
I am amazed at the work God has done in your life. I read your history and how you were an atheist and then encountered the Lord at college. You did not come from a Christian family. Can I say that?
Right. God loves us and pursues us before we ever respond. I was not interested in God. My parents divorced when I was seven. I just wanted them back together, but that was not going to happen. So I focused on school, sports, and friends, thinking if those three things went well, life would be good.
I went to Dartmouth College. Soccer was going well as a goalkeeper. We won the Ivy League title. My grades were strong. Life looked great on the outside, but on the inside something was missing. I did not feel fulfilled.
I took a class, Introduction to World Religions. I had never read the Bible before. The professor tried to undermine Scripture, but I read the Gospel of John. That was the first time someone who followed Jesus actually talked with me. His name was Mike. He was on my dorm floor and on the track team.
He created a safe place where I could ask hundreds of questions. I was not going to believe blindly. I asked everything. What stood out was that other religions felt like achievement and striving, but Christianity was about grace, not religion but relationship.
Grace is an undeserved gift. Jesus paid the full price for our sins. God is holy, we are not. Jesus died for us and rose from the grave. C. S. Lewis said Jesus is either liar, lunatic, or Lord. I had to decide.
When I trusted Christ, something changed deeply inside me. Blaise Pascal spoke of a God shaped vacuum. Augustine said our hearts are restless until they find rest in God. I experienced joy I had never known. I stopped drinking, had more joy than before, forgave my father, and my life changed.
Tell me about your connection with the Seattle Sounders and what you do as a chaplain.
I serve as chaplain for the Seattle Sounders and also with the U20 national team. Athletes often feel pressure to have everything together. A chaplain provides a space where they can be real, pray, and talk.
They face injuries, loss, family tragedy, and pressure. I relate because I was a professional goalkeeper. I know what it is like to play without God and then with Christ at the center.
One shift is identity. Athletes can fall into performance based identity. If everything depends on performance, life becomes a roller coaster of pride and shame. When my soccer career ended through injury and hardship, I had to ask who I really was.
Now I understand my identity is in Christ. I am a child of God. That cannot be taken away. That shift changes everything.
I see athletes give everything to their sport, but a single injury can end everything. I spoke with a student who feels overlooked by a coach. What practical advice would you give?
Every day, practice, and game is a gift. Sports should not become your whole world. Most careers end by 40. You need a deeper foundation in Christ.
Injuries, criticism, and setbacks will come. I used to replay mistakes in my mind. One practice I use is the power of the second thought. We cannot control the first thought, but we can choose the second. Take thoughts captive and replace them with Scripture.
Jesus used Scripture in temptation. God’s Word renews the mind. Pain and disappointment are real, but they can lead us deeper into God if we bring them to Him.
When my career ended, I grieved. I did not know how to process it. But God brought me back into soccer in a new role through chaplaincy. At the World Cup, millions are watching, and many are hearing the gospel.
What the enemy meant for harm, God uses for good. My identity is not in saving goals anymore, but in seeing God save souls.
For young athletes who feel passed over or forgotten, what would you say?
Work hard, but understand life is not always fair. Coaches make decisions for many reasons beyond your control.
Trust God even in injustice. Release bitterness. Your life is not your own. Surrender to God.
Seek growth. Ask coaches what you can improve. But also understand some things are outside your control.
The most important thing is faithfulness to God. You will remember relationships more than statistics. Sports reveal character and teach life lessons.
What about friendships and mentors?
Your friends shape your future. Choose them carefully. Friendship is not just social, it is spiritual.
Spiritual friendships are life giving. They last a lifetime. Mentorship is also important, but it is not just one person. Often it is many mentors in different areas.
Do not copy others. Be who God made you to be. Learn from many voices, but stay rooted in your identity in Christ.
What drives you in ministry and life?
An eternal perspective. Life is short. Heaven is real. Hell is real. People matter most.
I want everyone to hear about Jesus. That conviction drives me. I want to be faithful to God and share the gospel wherever possible.
During the pandemic, I realized media could reach people in powerful ways. Podcasts and interviews opened doors I never expected.
I try to stay obedient to God’s leading, even when it feels like a risk. We often regret missed opportunities more than bold obedience.
God opens and closes doors. The key is listening and following Him.
How do you balance calling, family, and ministry?
Balance is not the right word for me. I am called to passion and obedience. God made each person differently.
I thrive in environments with many responsibilities. But everything must stay surrendered to God.
Sometimes God says slow down, sometimes go forward. The key is obedience.
Things that give you life, and I could preach several times every day, that is just how God wired me. If I pretended I am only going to preach on Sunday morning, it would not be real to the calling. Do not let anyone else set that. Get to know how God has wired you.
Do not overextend. You are not trying to earn God’s love. You are not trying to impress other people, but living by the Spirit’s empowerment.
Seminary was four years intense with God’s Word and a rich foundation. Every day I want to be in God’s Word. Every year I want to read through the Bible. I want God’s Word, but after seminary I also discovered I need His Spirit. It is not just principles and trying harder. It is supernatural empowerment, boldness, and comfort from the Holy Spirit.
The more you listen and are led, the more sensitive you become to God’s direction. That is where joy is, in a close relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit in us is a gift.
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. When I think about national TV opportunities or podcasting, I have to remember who brought me here. It was God. He sustained me.
We often step back in fear, but God is the one who brought us to this place. Even in podcasting, academia, and ministry, every step of uncertainty can become a step of fear or a step of faith.
One question I have for you, I know you are married, you have four kids, and you adopted one. What lessons have you learned as a father and husband?
Those faith steps matter. The disciples wanted to stay in the boat, but Peter walked on water. Comfort zone and calling are not the same. God does His greatest work outside our comfort zone.
For me, marriage was a step of faith because I saw my parents get divorced. I knew marriage had to be centered on Jesus. It is a covenant for life.
We had a mentor couple walk with us while we were dating. We brought difficult things into the light and had honest conversations. That prepared us.
When we got married, there were no surprises because we did the hard work early. We were not trying to impress each other.
Marriage is worth the wait. Do not settle for someone who does not love Jesus. Jesus is essential. It does not make marriage easy, but it brings unity, peace, humility, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Charm can be deceptive and beauty fades. A deep relationship with Jesus is the true foundation.
Marriage humbles you. There is no formula. Leading is serving. It is not a checklist, it is daily surrender and connection.
One of the best things we did with our children was praying and reading the Bible at night. That simple habit over years is powerful. We call it a devotion. Even now with teenagers, it has become something they value.
If I train seriously in sports, I should not be casual in my walk with Jesus. There is too much casual Christianity. I want to be all in for Jesus.
One day we will stand before the Lord and give account for our lives. What do you hope He will say about your life?
The greatest words are, well done good and faithful servant. My heart is to share the gospel with as many as possible. The Great Commission is clear. There is urgency.
We must be bold about Jesus, but humble like Christ. Faithfulness is the goal. Life is about finishing the race.
Rewards in heaven are real. God blesses us to be a blessing. What we do matters.
I almost lost my life in my twenties due to a medication taken while playing soccer in Africa. It built toxic levels in my body and caused severe heart issues, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.
Doctors advised continuing the medication, but I felt clearly from the Lord to stop. Later tests confirmed toxicity. God intervened. I learned to listen to His voice.
My sheep know My voice. God who begins a good work will complete it. My life is to lead people to Jesus.
If people want to connect, there are resources, devotionals, Bible studies, and books available to help people grow in Christ. The goal is to help the whole body of Christ live out their faith.
Everything points back to Jesus and His Word.