October 1, 2026
SENOIA, Ga. — Children raced across soccer fields at New Hope Baptist Church on Saturday, June 20, chasing goals and medals amid the excitement of a World Cup-themed tournament. But for the church, the Mini Cup of Nations was about more than soccer.
The free youth tournament drew more than 320 children, many of them registering on the day of the event, and gave New Hope an opportunity to connect with families, serve its community, and share the gospel in English and Spanish. “We wanted to bring the neighborhoods and communities together for fun, family, friends, food, and to share Jesus Christ,” said Al Mead, New Hope’s community outreach pastor. “The numbers far exceeded our expectations.”
Mead said the idea grew out of conversations with Mission Georgia, a Georgia Baptist Mission Board initiative that helps churches meet needs and share Christ in their communities. As part of its broader ministry, Mission Georgia has been equipping churches to use the excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup as an opportunity for outreach.
“With Atlanta hosting the World Cup, we all thought it would be a great idea to have a combination soccer tournament and watch party,” Mead said. “This was an opportunity to blend fun competition, cultural celebration, and gospel-centered impact.”
New Hope first reached out after seeing Mission Georgia’s World Cup ministry resources, said Beth Ann Williams, lead strategist for Mission Georgia. After an initial phone call, Williams visited the church and met with church leaders. She shared several outreach strategies, but the tournament idea quickly connected with the church.
“They really caught on to Cup of Nations,” Williams said. “They loved that idea.”
For Beth Honeycutt, New Hope’s media lead director, the tournament reflected relationships already built through Upward Soccer. The church’s Upward Soccer program runs each spring and fall and drew nearly 500 children this past season. “This truly was a special event, and we're so grateful for the impact soccer continues to have in bringing our community together,” she said.
Many of the leaders and volunteers from Upward Soccer helped make the tournament possible. “Their investment in families throughout the year created a strong foundation for this outreach event,” Honeycutt said.
Williams said that existing ministry helped New Hope move quickly from idea to implementation. “The great thing is that they already had kind of infrastructure because they do have such a big Upward Soccer program,” she said. “They have referees. They have kids. They had infrastructure to do it on a large scale.”
Families began arriving at 8 a.m., followed by registration and check-in. The tournament began at 9 a.m., with children playing in a fast-paced round-robin format. The top teams in each age group advanced to compete for the Cup of Nations.
Throughout the morning, families also enjoyed music, bounce houses, face painting, food trucks, and an indoor area where they could cool off and watch the USA soccer match in the Worship Center.
Mission Georgia also provided event-day support through a Send Me Now mission team of four college students.
Williams said the team adapted as needs changed during the day. “They served as part of the team,” she said. “They jumped in wherever there was a need.”
The Send Me Now students helped with activities such as face transfers and games, but also filled in as needed, including working as referees and field monitors.
One of the Send Me Now students, Lizzie Rodriguez, a recent Dalton State College graduate, spent part of the morning applying temporary soccer-themed face transfers.
Rodriguez said a spring break mission trip to Jamaica helped stir her desire to serve in missions during the summer. Though she had missed the original Send Me Now application deadline, a spot opened shortly before training. “The Lord made a way, and everything aligned perfectly,” she said.
At New Hope, she said, serving children and families through the tournament was a joy. “It’s been great,” Rodriguez said. “I love kids, so this is awesome for me.”
Around midmorning, the church paused the tournament for a bilingual gospel presentation. Mead shared the gospel in English, and Edgar Montaño, New Hope’s Hispanic pastor, followed by sharing the message in Spanish.
Mission Georgia provided outreach resources for the event, including hacky sacks, gospel tracts, and full-size gospel balls marked with colors used to help explain the gospel. Mead used one of the multi-colored balls during his presentation.
Mead said several children raised their hands, indicating decisions for Christ, and the church collected information from six children who indicated they had made first-time decisions.
“We’ll follow up with each of them and their families and invite them back to New Hope to get connected with a local church,” Mead said.
The Mini Cup of Nations also offered an example of what Mission Georgia has encouraged churches across the state to consider as the World Cup brings international attention to soccer. Mission Georgia has promoted outreach ideas such as watch parties, soccer clinics, pop-up games, mini tournaments, and Bible discovery opportunities.
The goal, said Williams, is to help churches recognize that shared enthusiasm for soccer can open doors for hospitality, relationships and gospel conversations.
For Mead, the event was a natural way to engage a soccer-loving community. “Georgia soccer statistics estimate 100,000 youth and adults play soccer in the state, including club soccer, and our community is one of the largest,” he explained. “With the FIFA World Cup in Atlanta, it provided a unique opportunity to connect with the soccer enthusiasts in our community and share Christ.”
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