This is the story of the birth of a miraculous, unexpected ministry. It all began over two and a half decades ago. In the mid-90s, I became interested in graphic design. I was intrigued with the digital photography boom, and a computer graphics class at a local junior college would lead me down an unexpected path.

In a Photoshop class, I was given an assignment to create a poster. We could pick any subject, and we were to use only the tools we were learning in the class. I began the project while sitting in my office thinking about the assignment. A drawing on my wall depicting Jesus laughing caught my attention. I thought about a loving Jesus laughing and enjoying life. The thought intrigued me because we don’t read about that attribute of Jesus’ life in the Bible. Was He always solemn and somber? He must have sometimes been a fun man, playing with the kids and laughing, as depicted in the drawing.

Contemplating the assignment once again, I thought about my involvement coaching youth soccer for my kids. The World Cup soccer event was in full swing, and I mused, World Cup? Why not have “The Jesus Cup”? Ideas flooded my mind, and I imported the drawing of Jesus laughing to my screen. I added more graphics to the page, and I saw something take shape before my eyes that was much more than just an assignment. My creative mind linked with something supernatural.

I realized that there was much more to this idea than just a class assignment. I pictured Jesus playing with the kids that He loved so much. I could see Him kicking a goatskin ball around with the kids, playing tag, hide-and-seek. That side of Jesus, which we rarely talk about, isn’t mentioned in the Bible. The concept of an evangelistic soccer tournament suddenly emerged. Copa is a Spanish word for cup, and soccer-loving people would immediately relate it to the World Cup. Relating to that, we could take soccer to the Spanish-speaking community as a tool to share the love of God. The concept and its potential occupied my thoughts as I completed the assignment. The potential haunted me, and I knew I had to share it with someone. I needed help to get this amazing idea off the ground.

I raced over to the church I was attending at the time, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, with high hopes of securing a meeting with a pastor to share this great vision. I excitedly described the concept to Pastor David Hocking. A soccer tournament utilizing fun, food, and fellowship to open the door to present the Gospel message sounded so good. My high expectations ended there.

Great disappointment was my reward, and I walked away. I got a pat on the back for encouragement and a Bible verse from Pastor David. Those words didn’t do much for my hopes at the time, but they would ultimately be revealed as a prophetic message in the years to come. The Bible verse Pastor David gave me was Habakkuk 2:2–3. “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

I didn’t comprehend the implications of that verse at the time. Futilely, the following dozen years would find me exploring many different options to get the Copa Jesús tournament off the ground.

My frustration grew into surrender. I failed to remember that a tool in the hand of an Almighty God can do amazing things.

Pastor Bert came on board at Beachside. I was able to share the vision with him, and he handed me a ray of hope when he proclaimed characteristically, “Vámonos, let’s do it!” At last, another door seemed to be opening. That door stayed closed for the next few years as the vision failed to materialize.

The vision slumbered for several more years. Today, as I look back on the journey, I see that God always has an appointed time for what He is doing.

Early in 2017, I was working in Hawaii when I got an unexpected call from Pastor Bert inviting me to join a team going to Ecuador to assist Firefighters for Christ. The big surprise came when he told me that the fire chief and mayor of Portovelo already had a soccer tournament arranged between four schools. He shared the idea with them, and they agreed. The city tournament would be called Copa Jesús.

We boarded a plane with a ministry team of twelve to Portovelo, Ecuador. Bert and I stood on the sidelines of the indoor soccer arena watching the kids play, marveling at the promises of God, like so many who have been a tool in His hand. Later that week, the team shared the crafting of gospel bracelets in classrooms with the kids who had played in the tournament. The Lord had it all planned out all along, and we got to be part of it.

Fast forward to 2021. I was blessed to be part of a team of fifteen remodeling a building for a church plant out of Calvary Chapel Rosarito. Pastor Peter Velazquez was to be the pastor of the new Calvary Chapel in Monterrey, Mexico. I shared the concept with him, and he immediately said, “Yeah! Let’s do it!” Two Copa Jesús tournaments have been played in Monterrey, Mexico.

Peter has caught the vision, and we now partner to do tournaments wherever the Lord leads. In Latin America, fútbol is greatly loved and has an amazing history. We found that the combination of food, music, and fútbol in a family-friendly setting is a winner. With Copa Jesús, we have a powerful tool in God’s hand to present the Gospel message to whole families. We now effectively use that tool to grow new and existing churches, with invitations coming in from all over.

Please join us in praying for wisdom and discernment as we reproduce this event wherever the Lord leads.

This story is meant to encourage the body of Christ in missions outreach wherever it is told. This story illustrates the beauty of the Lord’s intervention in our lives and His ability to use the most unqualified, unlikely, unskilled individuals to do amazing things for him.

“Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” — Habakkuk 2:3
We covet your prayers and future involvement.

Grace and peace to you all.
Rich Schwartz, January 2026