If Owen Moore, Grand Canyon University men’s soccer goalie, could relay one message to the world, it would be that Jesus saves.
So when he got a call from his friend, Matthew Torrell, Calvin University men’s soccer player, about producing a Christian commercial for the 2026 World Cup, he was on board.
They didn’t have filmmaking experience, but their passion for the gospel and love for soccer was enough.
In less than two months, they produced a 60-second Jesus commercial that aired during the World Cup USA vs. Australia game.
“Our prayer was that this would reach exactly who it’s supposed to,” Moore said. “If we get 20 views, those 20 people need to see the commercial. If we get 20 million views, 20 million people need to see this commercial.
“This is all from God, and it was evident to us, between all the people that said yes to everything that came together, that this is no longer our work, but it is from the Lord. We were completely at peace with whatever happened.”
Three months before the World Cup started, Moore received a call from Torrell. He had a vision from God to produce a Christian commercial for the global soccer championship, encouraging players to find their identity in God instead of solely sports. He wanted Moore to be his partner.
The duo, who met while playing soccer at Liberty University, had no prior knowledge in film production. So their first task was finding someone who understood the field and could bring their vision to life.
After hours of scouring social media, they stumbled on the page of Toby Preyer, a Los Angeles filmmaker. A simple introductory message to Preyer quickly turned into a call, then a storyboarding the project.
“Matt gives me a call one day saying, 'Hey, God gave me a vision to make a commercial for the World Cup.' And I am sitting there like, 'the World Cup that’s in three months?'” Moore said. “There is no way that is happening. But then we started praying about it, and the vision became clear to both of us that this is from God, so let’s go at it.”
Added Torrell, “There were plenty of times in the process where we thought, this is in three months, it’s too fast of a turnaround. Maybe we do this in the future. We were ready to give up on it, and then suddenly, Philadelphia Union said we can use their stadium.”
“The stadium is yours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.,” were the words Moore heard on his call with the Philadelphia Union, a major league soccer academy and Moore’s alma matter.
Preyer was on the next flight out of Los Angeles to Philadelphia, accompanied by Bowen Moreno, a cinematographer friend and a GCU 2020 alumnus. Moore and Torrell reached out to all the soccer connections they had and gathered roughly 40 volunteers to shoot the commercial in one day.
Within a month and a half, the commercial was shot and produced in Philadelphia and LA. It was initially funded by the duo’s Christian sports apparel companies, Faithful Champions and 611 Armor, but then Moore and Torrell launched a public online campaign to help them cross the finish line.
Through social media crowdfunding, they raised $55,000 in less than a week.
On June 19, the commercial aired during the World Cup USA vs. Australia game in Charlotte, North Carolina; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Philadelphia; New York; and Miami.
Grand Rapids has aired the commercial roughly 60 times, while it has received millions of views across social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
“It was definitely an ambitious project,” Moreno said. “We had limited resources, but Owen and Matt are some of the best producers and go-getters that I’ve worked with. They have so much drive. So once they heard the concept from Toby and they heard I was on board, I think all of us just had a synchronicity.”
Moore grew up playing soccer, but he didn’t always believe in God.
It wasn’t until his teammates at Liberty University showed him what it’s like to be an athlete and play for God that Moore understood the profound impact having strong faith can have.
When he gave his life to God while at Liberty, his mission became simple – to live for God and tell others that Jesus saves.
“What I always thought about soccer was that it was a dictator (of your) mood," Moore said. "Up until the early stages of college, soccer was all I gave my life to. So if I was playing good, great mood. If I was playing bad, bad mood. But that is no way to live.
“But then I found the Lord. I have a foundation that isn’t about who you are, but it’s in whose you are. Now I play soccer so freely because I know that my identity isn’t in a sport. I play it simply because God blessed me with the ability.”
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
