Jesse Bradley Urges Us to Be Ambassadors of Christ

Jesse Bradley defends hope with the same determined desire as he once did with a soccer goal at his back, saying, “People are searching and starving for hope right now. We need to reject the narrative of hopelessness. God’s hope is indestructible. Let’s receive God’s hope and give God’s hope.”
The former professional goalkeeper now pastors, Chaplains the Seattle Sounders, and appears on national media as an invited contributor, voicing a pastoral perspective from a city that picks its preferences.
 
Question: “Here you are in Seattle, dubbed thee least religious city in the US. Why do you think there is that disconnect?”
 
Jesse Bradley: “You can’t deny that reality and we can't stay within the walls of the church. We've taken drive through prayer to the busiest street; pull into the parking lot, they pour out their hearts. There’s tears for God's presence. And they might say they're not religious, but that doesn't mean they're not open. Some people have experienced hypocrisy. What they need to separate is a negative experience from the goodness of God.” 
 
Question: ‘You were a professional goalie and then tragedy hit. What happened, Jesse?”
 
Jesse Bradley: “I played at Dartmouth College. We won two Ivy League titles to the NCAA Final Eight. From there I played in Scotland, then I played in Africa. It’s the Highlander’s Football Club. There was a prescribed medication to prevent malaria. But the toxic levels in my system tragically ended my career. I was fighting for my life for one year, and it took 10 years to fully recover. And it was brutal. Tom, I felt like I lost my identity. But God met me at that low place to rebuild and restore me and even redirect me to be a pastor now.”
 
Question: “Footing is important in any sport. Paramount in soccer! What does the game allow the player to uncommonly see from the ground up”

Jesse Bradley: “Your footwork is your foundation. Because soccer’s about moving the ball forward together, making the runs off the ball. And when you understand each other, complement each other, that’s the culture that you want to build on every teams. How can we bring up the best in each other? …”
 
Jesse Bradley: “… Learning patience and perseverance on the field carries over into every other part of your life.”
 
Question: ‘What’s the primary skill set to be an elite soccer goalie?”
 
Jesse Bradley:  “I think back to a coach I had who’s from Ghana. The 18-yard box - that’s where a goalkeeper can use your hands. He said, ‘you are the lion and they are coming in to try to steal your cubs. This is your territory and you need to lead it, make sure that nothing is going to enter into the net. That’s the mentality you have. If they don’t score we’re not going to lose.
 
Question: “You’ve got to have awareness, you’ve got to have anticipation … ”
 
Jesse Bradley: “Goalkeepers have a unique perspective. You see the entire field. And you have to think we – the other teammates to be in the right places. And if you are able to see not just what is happening but what’s going to happen, now you can extinguish the challenges before they build momentum.”
 
Question: “How have those positional instincts equipped you in having the back of a congregation and not needing to be at the forefront of it?”
 
Jesse Bradley: “Great question, Tom. When you’re upfront and when you’re in a place where no one’s watching, are you the same person? Are you abiding with Jesus? You can’t have complacency. As a goalkeeper, if you mentally start to drift when the actions further away, you won’t be ready when the ball comes. It’s about being in the right place and being ready, abiding with Jesus, being led by the Holy Spirit. Where is God moving to be available and listening before the save happens? There’s so much in our lives God is preparing us for before the breakthrough and the big moment. It’s incremental, not just monumental.”
 
Question:  “Fitting that you’re the Chaplain for the MLS Seattle Sounders. What is it about the soccer life that’s unique compared to athletes in other professional sports?”
 
Jesse Bradley:  “Soccer’s the most popular sport around the world. It’s the beautiful game. More running, more footwork, and there’s less scoring. So you really have to appreciate the nuances. The chaplain’s role is to serve.  What do you need? How can I pray for you? How can I help you in a situation or in your walk with God? Being consistent. Keeping your word. When people trust they open up. And that’s where life is rich! A lot of teams care about the souls, the mental health of the players because they know that this is an individual that should be much bigger than just their performance.”
 
Question: “With every high performance, profession, especially sports – identity and it can be about uncertainty. ”

Jesse Bradley: “Identity leads to security. And security leads to authenticity and soccer players, athletes, feel like you always have to be impressive, compete. When you’re secure, you can rest in the lord’s love. You understand that who you are is not what you do. The crowd’s gonna be fickle, you might get traded, you might get cut, so in a world that’s constantly changing – to have Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever - you have that security in your soul. You’re not as rattled by criticism because you already know whose you are and you don’t have to impress everybody. You’re secure in how God’s made you and being faithful to Jesus. That’s our north star! “
 
Question: “We often need to be reminded, each of us can be chaplains within our own occupation.”

Jesse Bradley: “Choose faith over fear! God calls us to move out of what’s just comfortable. And God makes it clear in his word that we are all ministers, we are all priests, and we are all ambassadors for Jesus. Because that’s who we are let’s live that out. And when you see lives transformed, now they come alive! As you serve people that’s when you’re going to be at your best. That’s when you’re most like Jesus.”