Joy Schultheis on Creating Community Through Victory Beyond the Cup
“My goal was to connect with my neighbors”
Photo by Tom Mills
ORLANDO, Fla. — Joy Schultheis, a Cru® staff member, moved into her new home in Orlando, Florida, at the end of February 2026. Soon after, she heard about Victory Beyond the Cup, an initiative to use the world’s biggest soccer tournament to build relationships and share hope. Even though she wasn’t a huge soccer fan, she recognized it as a chance to gather people and intentionally share the love of Jesus.
Schultheis decided to host a watch party for one of the soccer matches. She printed out invitations and boldly knocked on over a dozen doors, seeking to meet her neighbors and invite them to her home.
“The goal for me was just to connect and get to know my neighbors,” she said.
She found that her neighborhood is a beautiful reflection of the world, mirroring the global soccer tournament. Her neighbors are from Albania, Libya, China, Puerto Rico, Brazil and other parts of the globe.
For Schultheis, taking the initiative was an act of trust and the biggest win.
“It takes a lot of courage,” she admitted. “It feels really vulnerable and very humble to make the first move. But didn’t Jesus do that? He made the first move with the woman at the well. He initiated.”
On the night of the game, Schultheis prepared Thai green curry and goulash. At first, she wasn’t sure if anyone would show up. But by the end of the evening, five neighbors had gathered in her living room, enjoying the food, the game and, most importantly, each other’s company.
“Initially, there was a bit of awkwardness because we didn’t know each other,” Schultheis recalled. “But gathering in my home gave a great space to have conversations to learn more about each person and their families. People enjoyed getting to know one another.”
She posed the question, “Where do conversations leading to people’s hearts happen?” and answered, “In your home. There’s something about being in someone’s home and providing a safe place to share their lives.”
Since the watch party, Schultheis has continued to build relationships with her neighbors. Her step of faith has inspired others too.
“My Albanian neighbors reciprocated my hospitality by inviting me to their watch party, which included all of their Albanian relatives. I attended with another staff friend, and the experience helped us continue building our friendship. We even watched the game in Albanian, allowing me to get a deeper glimpse of their culture and life.”
After sharing her experience with friends who live in Tokyo and Ohio, both friends decided to host their own soccer watch parties.
Joy shared, “I believe that people need the gospel. They need Jesus. Maybe they need community. Maybe they need a connection, and someone actually comes and invites them … I could tell people were like, ‘Wow, you're inviting me?’ … There’s something about that humility and just inviting. It models what Jesus did. He humbly invited people to join him. And not everybody did, but he took the initiative.”
By simply opening her home, Schultheis is helping fulfill the Great Commission, one neighbor at a time.
Watch Joy Schultheis share her story below.
Next Steps
Who do you want to invite into your home? There are always opportunities to share about God in your everyday conversations.
Continue reading more stories of God at work through Victory Beyond the Cup.
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