We can't put a missionary in every stadium. But we can put a pin in every fan's hand — and a multilingual responder on the other end of every tap.
Short-term mission teams travel to the host city to meet long-term IMB strategies already in place. Volunteers staff distribution points at fan zones, transit hubs, and pin-trading meetups. Every interaction is designed to lead toward a real conversation — not a transaction.
Olympic pin trading is one of the most beloved unofficial events at every Games. We design custom pins — collectible, tradeable, gorgeous — each embedded with a near-field communication (NFC) tag. Tap a phone to a pin and a landing page opens with the gospel, a Bible reading plan, and the option to chat live with a responder.
Three different pins, placed in three different host venues, give pin traders multiple reasons to keep showing up — and multiple chances to keep the conversation going.
From their living rooms anywhere in the world, trained Southern Baptists watch the same broadcasts the fans watch — and are ready to chat in real time in 16+ languages. When a fan in Tokyo taps a pin in Milan at 2 a.m. local time, a responder is awake and ready.
The most important moment isn't the chat — it's what comes after. Every promising conversation is connected to an IMB missionary already serving in the responder's home country. The Games end. The relationship continues.
In the next five years, a globalization goal of all IMB workers is to mobilize 500 local believers to become global missionary partners serving on IMB teams.
Global Sports Outreach is one of the most natural front doors to that pipeline. A fan who tapped a pin at the World Cup, a curious traveler at the Olympics, a believer encouraged in their home country — these are tomorrow's senders, goers, and trainers.
Pins, Bibles, training, and travel all add up. Help us fund the next event.
