This summer marks the 12th anniversary of two Beaverton, Ore., churches’ annual soccer camp initiative. More than 200 kids from local public schools are invited to the weeklong event in June, where congregants from B4 Church (Beaverton Foursquare) and Centro Victoria will serve and share the love of Jesus through the game of soccer. The sister churches share a campus and regularly celebrate their vibrant partnership through joint worship services and community outreach.
Soccer camp has had a profound impact on those who attend. Many of the children who participate in the camp as elementary and middle schoolers “graduate,” and return as high school and young-adult volunteers, leading groups of kids and coaching the activities. Local children bring siblings and friends, fueling a yearly expansion of the camp.
This intergenerational camp nurtures significant relationships with parents, local schools and city officials, and it unites the English and Spanish-speaking congregations in a common mission. In fact, much of the vision to plant and launch Centro Victoria five years ago was birthed among leaders who met while serving together at soccer camp.
This shared vision also extends beyond Oregon. In the last eight years, leaders from both B4 Church and Centro Victoria have been sent to Mainland China, Korea and Paraguay, sharing the vision of the camp and training volunteers to adapt it to their local contexts. Invitations have come from Foursquare Church leaders and entities in Latin America and Asia as leaders in these nations are eager to introduce this model in their regions.
Soccer camp is designed to be low cost and easy to run, making it an accessible model for most churches. B4 Church has prepared a comprehensive package with the materials, plans and curriculum needed to run the camp. The package is readily available to other churches within our Foursquare family who would like to run their own camps.
If your church or community is interested in learning more about Soccer Camp and how it can fuel your outreach initiatives, we invite you to contact our team at B4 and Centro Victoria. Working together kids can learn of Jesus’ love through the game of soccer.
