MAI CORE VALUES
{FRST LOVE}
(Faith, Relationships, Submission, Transformation, Love)
FAITH
FAITH
rooted in a Biblical worldview, guides our decisions and our actions. We place a high priority on prayer, submitting our plans to the Lord and seeking His will in all of our endeavors. We trust God to provide for our needs and staff members experience this collectively as we raise our own personal financial support. We use the sport of soccer for sharing the gospel in places that may be difficult to access otherwise.
rooted in a Biblical worldview, guides our decisions and our actions. We place a high priority on prayer, submitting our plans to the Lord and seeking His will in all of our endeavors. We trust God to provide for our needs and staff members experience this collectively as we raise our own personal financial support. We use the sport of soccer for sharing the gospel in places that may be difficult to access otherwise.
RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships
establish the community through which we cultivate lives for Christ. We must be involved in relationships so that we can be transformed and have an impact on others. We strive to be a resource to the body of Christ and, in order to do so, we develop partnerships with others believers, increasing our effectiveness.
establish the community through which we cultivate lives for Christ. We must be involved in relationships so that we can be transformed and have an impact on others. We strive to be a resource to the body of Christ and, in order to do so, we develop partnerships with others believers, increasing our effectiveness.
SUBMISSION
Submission
places ministry first, soccer second. We desire to see God glorified over our own ambitions. We submit our love of the sport of soccer, our pride and ambitions to the cross. We seek to develop sports ministers who are “Christians who play soccer” rather than “soccer players who are Christians”.
places ministry first, soccer second. We desire to see God glorified over our own ambitions. We submit our love of the sport of soccer, our pride and ambitions to the cross. We seek to develop sports ministers who are “Christians who play soccer” rather than “soccer players who are Christians”.
TRANSFORMATION
TRANSFORMATION
is the outcome we seek. We want to see “lives changed” through the transforming power of the gospel applied through Sports Ministry Training (SMT). This happens through developing an authentic relationship with Christ and applying it on and off the field. The transformation starts in our hearts, is demonstrated in our actions and bears fruit as we serve others.
LOVE
Love
motivates everything we do. We cannot give away what we do not have. Because we have received the perfect love of the Father, we can now give it away to others. Once we have experienced the love of God, the natural response is to tell others about it. The result of being connected to the very source of love is a selfless, sacrificial, servant- minded approach to ministry. God’s love compels, motivates, and urges us to be practical expressions of His love through the environment of soccer.
motivates everything we do. We cannot give away what we do not have. Because we have received the perfect love of the Father, we can now give it away to others. Once we have experienced the love of God, the natural response is to tell others about it. The result of being connected to the very source of love is a selfless, sacrificial, servant- minded approach to ministry. God’s love compels, motivates, and urges us to be practical expressions of His love through the environment of soccer.
MAI CORE VALUES
{FRST LOVE}
FAITH
FAITH
rooted in a Biblical worldview, guides our decisions and our actions. We place a high priority on prayer, submitting our plans to the Lord and seeking His will in all of our endeavors. We trust God to provide for our needs and staff members experience this collectively as we raise our own personal financial support. We use the sport of soccer for sharing the gospel in places that may be difficult to access otherwise.
rooted in a Biblical worldview, guides our decisions and our actions. We place a high priority on prayer, submitting our plans to the Lord and seeking His will in all of our endeavors. We trust God to provide for our needs and staff members experience this collectively as we raise our own personal financial support. We use the sport of soccer for sharing the gospel in places that may be difficult to access otherwise.
RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships
establish the community through which we cultivate lives for Christ. We must be involved in relationships so that we can be transformed and have an impact on others. We strive to be a resource to the body of Christ and, in order to do so, we develop partnerships with others believers, increasing our effectiveness.
establish the community through which we cultivate lives for Christ. We must be involved in relationships so that we can be transformed and have an impact on others. We strive to be a resource to the body of Christ and, in order to do so, we develop partnerships with others believers, increasing our effectiveness.
SUBMISSION
Submission
places ministry first, soccer second. We desire to see God glorified over our own ambitions. We submit our love of the sport of soccer, our pride and ambitions to the cross. We seek to develop sports ministers who are “Christians who play soccer” rather than “soccer players who are Christians”.
places ministry first, soccer second. We desire to see God glorified over our own ambitions. We submit our love of the sport of soccer, our pride and ambitions to the cross. We seek to develop sports ministers who are “Christians who play soccer” rather than “soccer players who are Christians”.
TRANSFORMATION
TRANSFORMATION
is the outcome we seek. We want to see “lives changed” through the transforming power of the gospel applied through Sports Ministry Training (SMT). This happens through developing an authentic relationship with Christ and applying it on and off the field. The transformation starts in our hearts, is demonstrated in our actions and bears fruit as we serve others.
LOVE
Love
motivates everything we do. We cannot give away what we do not have. Because we have received the perfect love of the Father, we can now give it away to others. Once we have experienced the love of God, the natural response is to tell others about it. The result of being connected to the very source of love is a selfless, sacrificial, servant- minded approach to ministry. God’s love compels, motivates, and urges us to be practical expressions of His love through the environment of soccer.
motivates everything we do. We cannot give away what we do not have. Because we have received the perfect love of the Father, we can now give it away to others. Once we have experienced the love of God, the natural response is to tell others about it. The result of being connected to the very source of love is a selfless, sacrificial, servant- minded approach to ministry. God’s love compels, motivates, and urges us to be practical expressions of His love through the environment of soccer.
MAI has entered its fourth decade of ministry continuing to fulfill its mission to “Glorify God and see lives transformed by sharing the message of Jesus Christ through the global environment of soccer.” (God Glorified. Lives Changed. Through Soccer.)
The vision for using soccer to reach a lost world led to the inception of MAI by Tim Conrad in La Habra, California in 1983. The fall of 1986 brought Dave Irby to MAI as its first full time staff member. In the fall of 1987, six other men joined MAI’s staff. That growth in personnel and programs has continued steadily since.
MAI became a charter member of the global sports network in 1985 and has been a member with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability since 1989.
The fall of 1990 brought the opening of MAI’s first divisional ministry office outside of the Los Angeles area. This office was headed by Jon and Ruthie Ortlip in the town of Bolton Northern England. In 1991, Brian and Chris Davidson opened MAI’s third ministry office in Charlotte, North Carolina. MAI’s fourth ministry location, the Czech Republic, was opened in 1993, led by Bill and Lisa Galipault. The fifth office opened under the leadership of Rick and Janice McKinley during 1997 in Wheaton, IL. In the late 90’s, MAI’s office in England became an independent organization under “Ambassadors in Sports.”
Today, MAI has 5 Divisions in the United States. These 5 Divisions are located in: Southern California; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; the NC Triad; and Phoenix, AZ with additional ministry partner programs occurring in other states and countries.
MAI’s main methods of evangelism and discipleship have been the organizing of soccer teams, conducting soccer camps and taking short-term soccer tours overseas. These programs are augmented by other ministries, including: clinics, school programs and inner city ministries; training leaders to be sports ministers and sending them out to partner with other Christian agencies.
We thank the Lord for His blessings in allowing us to grow from a few summer soccer camps, one international tour and a men’s amateur team thirty years ago to impact the lives of thousands of people each year through multi-faceted, year-round ministries that comprise MAI today.
Missionary Athletes International
MISSION
Glorify God and see lives transformed by sharing the message of Jesus Christ through the global environment of soccer.
VISION
To see lives transformed through teams that motivate people to follow Christ.
PROMISE
MAI teams will pursue excellence in soccer, authentic community and spiritual growth
Our Statement of Faith
- The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God without error in the original writings, and complete revelation of His Will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life (1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21). For purposes of interpreting the Bible’s meaning and application, MAI’s Board of Directors is MAI’s final interpretative authority with respect to MAI’s Statement of Faith, doctrine, practice, policy and discipline.
- There is one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit(Gen. 1:1; Matt. 28:19,20; Mark 12:29; John 1:1-14, 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14).
- Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; John 1:1,3, 12,14,18; John 3:16; John 1:29; Rom. 3:25,26; 2 Cor. 5:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:20; Acts 2:32; Heb.1: 3 – 13, 7:25; 1 John 2:1).
- The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict men of sin, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service (1Cor. 3:16; John 2:20 – 27; Rom. 8:2,4,9,12,14).
- Man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost, and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained (Gen 1:26; Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 5:15-19).
- The shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for the justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ by faith are born of the Holy Spirit and thus become children of God (Eph. 2:4-9; John 3:3-8,16; Rom. 10:9-10).
- God creates each person in His image, male and female, and has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of monogamous, heterosexual marriage. Any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, pornography) is sinful and grieves God (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Matt. 5:28; 1 Thess. 4:3-7, 1 Cor. 6:12-20).
- God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).
- God calls us through His grace, consistent with His Great Command to love God and our neighbor as ourselves, to afford to every person the compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity God affords to us (Matt. 22: Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).