October 2, 2000
Texans pin their hopes on Olympic gold
___By George Henson
___Staff Writer
___Three Texas pastors are looking beyond Olympian feats in quest of souls.
___The three traveled to Australia, where they led groups of volunteers seeking to win thelost to Christ during the Sydney Olympics.
___Chances to share the gospel in an environment like the Olympics are unique, said Steve Holland, pastor of First Baptist Church in Trenton. "The Olympics are kind of like a modern-day Pentecost with the numbers of people and cultures involved."
___Gaylon Foreman, pastor of Carver Park Baptist Church in Waco, got his first taste of Olympics witnessing in Atlanta four years ago and agrees with Holland's assessment.
___"I believe this is actually an opportunity to reach the world," Foreman said. "I had never experienced that before Atlanta. In just walking three blocks from the headquarters there, I met people from 30 or 40 nations. While I didn't speak all their native languages, I believe on some level I was still able to share the love of Christ."
___The Texans were part of a group of 230 volunteers collected by Lay Witnesses for Christ International who sought to share the gospel with the world. At least 175 of the volunteers were Texans. The volunteers assisted in hosting daily rallies at which Olympic athletes shared their testimonies, conducted sports clinics and ran hospitality centers.
___The volunteers used a specially designed pin to create dialogue that led to opportunities to share their faith. Trading pins is one of the time-honored traditions of those visiting the Olympics as visitors seek to accumulate as many different pins as possible.
___The volunteers gave away specially designed pins that incorporate the Olympic colors, but also have a greater story to tell--the story of Christ's death, burial and resurrection, and his atonement for humanity's sin.
___"God continues to pour out blessings far beyond anything we could have imagined," said Richard Palmer, personal evangelism coordinator for Action International. "I had the privilege of praying with a woman (who received Christ as Savior) on the train, four teenagers and three vendors, and sharing with many, many others."
___Editor's note: Next week's paper will offer more coverage of Olympic ministries.
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