Athens 2004 Olympics -- Opportunity for Ministry and Evangelism
by Allie Martin
May 21, 2004
(AgapePress) - Officials with a Christian ministry say a major evangelism outreach will take place as planned at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Greece, despite safety concerns.Recently three small time bombs were detonated near a police station in the area of the site for the 2004 Olympics, scheduled to begin August 13. Amidst the security concerns surrounding the games, and among the thousands of athletes descending on Athens, will be those called to an eternal purpose. Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel, or AMG International, will send 17 teams to Athens as part of a massive outreach effort involving various ministries.
Paul Jenks, a spokesman for AMG International, says there will be many opportunities to present the gospel during the 17-day international event. He says much work has already been put into his group's evangelistic efforts
"We are developing a center that we call the 'Cosmo Vision Center,' and temporary housing facilities are being prepared even now," he explains. "We have sports facilities and facilities for showers and toilets that have been prepared and are being finished now. And hopefully we'll have hundreds of guests that will, in fact, be there during the time of the Olympics to do outreach -- both on the day of the opening exercises [and on the day of] the closing exercises."
AMG is part of a local organization called Flame 2004, which is a consortium of different ministries planning outreach during the Games. Jenks explains AMG's role in the outreach effort.
"Because AMG had a sports ministry there in Greece even before [that nation was chosen as the site of] the Olympic venue ... the consortium of ministries asked AMG and others if they would be willing to host an outreach at the time of the [Summer] Games," he says.
During the Games, the Olympic Village near Athens will provide accommodation and free-of-charge services to more than 16.000 athletes and team officials.
