Olympics Finale--More Precious than Gold

While Greece wrapped up the homecoming Olympics on Sunday night with an extravagant closing ceremony at the main stadium for more than 100,000 people, including athletes and volunteers; Athletes in Action (AIA) a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ also celebrated the harvest of a successful outreach.

AIA reports that dozens of Olympic athletes graciously received copies of the JESUS Film Project's special release of JESUS on DVD, the seeds of the Gospel were planted and athletes from around the world came to Christ.

There were several Olympic athletes who prayed to receive Christ, including a boxer and swimmer from a central American country, and 5 athletes from a central African country. 26 Olympic team members from a South American country have indicated a desire to grow in their faith after meeting with an AIA staff couple.

This year more than 10,500 athletes, representing 201 countries competed for gold medals that bring national and international recognition and prestige during the Olympics; the More than Gold Olympic Project in partnership with many other ministries, has sought to communicate the message that a personal faith in Jesus Christ is "of greater worth than gold" (I Peter 1:7).

The four-yearly event provides a great opportunity for many Christian sports organisations and ministries to work together for the common cause of helping to fulfil the Great Commission. Christian organisations including the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptists, Youth with a Mission, the Evangelical Churches of Greece and the International Sports Coalition worked together and at least 3,000 Christian workers and volunteers were mobilised to share the gospel with tens of thousands of spectators through literature distribution, performing arts and outreaches to youth.