What is Nonprofit Management? Online Masters Nonprofit Alumnus Shares How Sports and Ministry Go Hand in Hand

Austin Shaner felt called to sports ministry in high school. 

As someone who always enjoyed soccer and competing in athletics, he sought a way to make his passion for sports into a ministry. 

As he transitioned from high school to college life at Warner University in Central Florida, Shaner made the decision to pursue his calling in sports ministry, getting a degree in interdisciplinary ministry with a concentration in sports ministry. During the school year, he played soccer for Warner University, but in the summer, he participated in the summer academy by playing for the Chicago Eagles, a team under Missionary Athletes International.

Missionary Athletes International (MAI) is a Gospel-centered ministry in eight major U.S. cities that partners with organizations and churches globally to reach youth and young adults for the Gospel through soccer. MAI creates soccer ministry opportunities for players, coaches, and teams in a variety of contexts, each sharing the name “Eagles.” Their mission to train players and coaches who will impact the lives of the people they come in contact with for Christ confirmed Shaner’s calling. 

“Getting to spend the summer playing with other Christian college athletes from around the world, training in that environment, learning about sports ministry, and understanding how to share the Gospel made a huge impact on me,” said Shaner.

Serving the Eagles

That summer spurred him on to serve with the Charlotte Eagles after college. There, Shaner lived in a refugee community and played soccer with the residents. Though there were many different cultures among the group, they were unified through the game of soccer.

“Multiple times a week, we would host the neighborhood academy,” Shaner explained. “Dozens of kids would come to the neighborhood dirt field to play soccer and hear a devotional about Jesus.” 

Through this opportunity, Shaner was able to share the Gospel and coach soccer with his neighbors. Getting to reach these kids was a unique and indescribable experience. 

“For many of these kids, it was the first time they were learning about Jesus,” said Shaner. “God moved in amazing ways in the community.” 

Furthering Ministry with an Online Masters Nonprofit Degree 

After serving with the Charlotte Eagles for a year, Shaner then moved back to Indiana and married his wife, Annie. There, he started working at Bridge Community Church as the athletics pastor in the Fort Wayne area. At this church, Shaner served in sports ministry. Shaner was surprised by the level of managerial skills needed to lead the sports ministry. This compelled him to begin the search for an online masters nonprofit program. 

“I always want to grow, be a learner, and challenge myself,” said Shaner. “A degree in nonprofit management was always something I had in the back of my mind.”

When searching online for online nonprofit degrees, Grace College’s Master of Nonprofit Management stood out to him because of the Christian emphasis and the program’s online delivery. 

Dr. Stephen Grill, director of the Master of Nonprofit Management, was intentional about forming a personal connection with every student. Shaner appreciated his devotion to ensuring students’ success in the nonprofit world. And when Shaner enrolled to get a degree in nonprofit management, he found that his professors were very accessible, always willing to talk to him when he needed it.

Grill also placed a large emphasis on practical work in the online masters nonprofit degree courses. The program skips the busy work and encourages each student to practically apply the content to serve their long-term nonprofit career goals. 

“The skills I learned through the practical nature of the program were huge,” said Shaner. “I use those skills in my work on a daily basis.”

Challenged to Dream Bigger

While in the program, Shaner would have an annual call with Grill, who consistently asked the same question: “Austin, where do you want to be in five years?” 

Shaner said he was happy where he was, but Grill continued to push him. Shaner responded by saying that if he had to have a five-year goal, he would love to serve under the leadership of Dave Urban, the CEO of MAI. However, there was no position available at the time that reported directly to him.

Still, Shaner continued to work on his education and prepare for the future. 

Not long after graduation, Shaner received two unexpected calls with sport ministry job offers. While he wasn’t intending to leave his job in Indiana at the time, he listened to their propositions and committed to praying about them. Just minutes before back-to-back interviews for these organizations, Shaner received a third call. Once again, he was being offered a job.  

“I know enough to know that that doesn’t just happen when you look for a job, let alone when you’re not looking for a job,” Shaner said. 

He and his wife continued to pray, asking God what His plans were for them. These prayers culminated in the formation of a new branch of MAI: Orlando Eagles, with all three callers becoming a part of the Eagles’ launch. And the cherry on top? Shaner reports directly to Urban. 

Looking back, Shaner can see how Grill’s challenge to think about five years in the future pushed him to make his dreams a reality. 

“It’s cool to see how Dr. Grill would continually challenge me in that, and then God opened the door for me to work in a way that didn’t seem possible,” said Shaner. “This story shows God’s leading and God’s provision in what He’s doing.”

The Beginning of Orlando Eagles

After more than a year of hard work and fundraising, Shaner successfully started a new location for the MAI Eagles in Orlando, one of the most dechurched cities in the U.S. Orlando has an overwhelming need for ministry geared toward those who used to go to church but no longer attend. 

As the Executive Director of Orlando Eagles, Shaner gets to empower a wide range of people within and outside of the organization. “I get to coach a lot, but also get to help equip and empower other coaches to learn how to do sports ministry and share the Gospel,” said Shaner. 

When college soccer players come to Orlando Eagles in the summer, they learn how to live out their faith on the field as a player, and potentially, from the sideline as a coach one day. 

“We just want to use soccer to share the Gospel,” said Shaner. “Whether it’s in refugee camps, sports camps, clinics, or club teams, we can use soccer to open the door to share the love of Christ.”

Looking back on his experience with Grace’s online masters nonprofit program, Shaner can see how the preparation of the program and Grill’s encouragement played out in his career.  

“Being able to step into a place that not just wants to give you intellectual knowledge, but also wants to give you practical hands-on experience and genuinely care for you where you are leading is a huge win.”

Interested in Grace’s Master of Nonprofit Management? Explore our program to become who you are created to be!

If you’re interested in nonprofit management, learn how to start your own nonprofit or how Grace alumni are using their Nonprofit Degree.