Olympic Ministry Memory: Athens 2004

Recently I had the opportunity to display my Olympic Pins & Memorabilia at my daughter's elementary school as part of their Culture Night.  It is always an exciting walk down memory lane as I pull out each pin and memorabilia card to place on the display.  As I was putting the display away, I discovered some of my memorabilia from Athens 2004 that I had misplaced. 

Athens was an incredible place to visit and the atmosphere during the Summer 2004 Olympic Games was electric.  It was, after all, the 100 year anniversary of the modern Olympics.  One of the most amazing things about being in this incredible city was the significant history represented.  From the ruins of the Parthenon to the old streets, history was present everywhere I looked.  But, without a doubt, the most significant place I was able to visit was the Areopagus, also known as Mars Hill.  This historical site is where the Athenian philosophers and leaders would gather to debate and reason truth.  It was here that the Apostle Paul proclaimed the Gospel clearly and in a compelling manner to a truly pagan audience.  His incredible message is recorded in Acts 17.  I can not begin to tell you how humbling it was to be there in 2004 and to be on the same spot where the Apostle Paul proclaimed the Gospel and continuing the task of making Jesus known.  Paul used a message before the city's leaders.  I used The Jesus Pin and personal encounters of Gospel conversations to proclaim the Gospel.  It was an exciting day of unforgettable Gospel witness.

I do not know which of my Olympic Ministry team members took the photo below but it remains one of my most treasured pictures.  It shows the significance of what it looks like to take the Word to the World during the Olympic Games.   I had engaged in a conversation with this gentleman who was from South Korea.  It was one of many encounters I had that day on the Aeropagus.  As it turns out, this was one with a Brother in Christ who was excited to hear the message and to know that there were Christ-followers on mission during the Olympics to share the message of Jesus with the world gathered in this historic Olympic city.