Attacking The Epidemic Of Loneliness- My IMPACT Players Story by Warren Mainard
⚔️We are attacking an epidemic of loneliness amongst men & I am inviting you to Link Shields 🛡️ 🛡️ with us in our mission.
Here is my story... (written by Warren Mainard)
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic in Seattle, WA Matt Wimmer called me & asked me to pray about becoming the first Executive Director of IMPACT Players. “It’s time to go all in on men,” Matt said. I was intrigued & intimidated by the invitation because it would require me to raise an entire ministry budget from scratch, while the world was in lockdown.
My whole family committed to praying & after a month of prayer, my 14 year old son (at the time) said, “Dad, we all know that God wants you to do IMPACT Players. He is going to provide… I am just curious to see how he will do it.” With that amazing vote of faith, I thought, “OK God, You are giving me a chance to show my kids what YOU can do when we put everything on the line for you!”
So, in August, 2020, we started raising funds & by October 1, I was the full time Executive Director of IMPACT Players in Seattle. What happened over the next 4 years was an amazing testament to GOD’S power as IMPACT Players grew from 30-40 men at a monthly breakfast to over 1,000 men across the Puget Sound! The breakfast grew to as many as 200+ men, & our cohorts multiplied to 20 bands of brothers from West Seattle to Snoqualmie, Tacoma to Bothell!
In 2023, I was asked to bring IMPACT Players to Everett, WA & we launched our first chapter outside of Seattle. God was stirring a new vision to take IMPACT Players nationwide, & in Jan. 2024, we brought on Gary Shavey to become the Executive Director of the flagship Seattle Chapter as I prepared to move to Charleston to start a new chapter & launch IMPACT Players National.
This bold move required another massive step of faith as I would need to raise an entirely new budget & establish a whole new Board & organizational structure to support the national movement. In Nov. we moved to Summerville, SC & launched our first online cohorts as men across the country started participating in our cohorts over zoom.
In Feb. 2025, we started our first two cohorts in Summerville & in the months that followed, we saw new cohorts & chapters get started in Phoenix, Dallas, Florence, Charlotte, Boise, Spokane, & Accomac.
In the last 10 months, IMPACT Players has grown to nearly 3000 men in 5 states, 11 cities and 40 locations.
Our VISION is to inspire men to be great husbands, fathers, & leaders by equipping them to thrive in the relationships that matter most.
Our MISSION is to reach & equip men to be the chief disciple makers in their home, workplace, church & community.
Our BATTLE CRY is… “Every Man Needs A Band of Brothers!”
If this stirs your soul to generosity, you invest in this ministry by becoming a monthly donor? Even $27 a month will help us reach 10 men across the country who are in need of a band of brothers.
Investing in men is investing in marriages, families, communities and churches. Click on the GIVE NOW button in the top link or right here- www.impactplayers.org/give