February 10-26, 20061 Corinthians 9:24 (NIV)
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."
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History of the Olympics
Let's be honest. The ancient Olympic Games had little to recommend to Christians. In fact, to even participate in them would violate core convictions of the Christian faith. That's why Christian Emperor Theodosius banned the Games in the fourth century. Read more about this in Revisiting the Pagan Olympic Games.
But the modern Olympics, though hardly Christian, hail from an era when athleticism was next to godliness. Members of the Christian tradition were involved at the inception of the modern games, and Christians have tried in various ways to redeem the event or infuse it with orthodox religion ever since. Read more about this work in Olympia Revisited.
Then discover what we can learn from the perseverance and passion of the athletes at this year's games. And take another look at the symbolism behind the opening ceremony and the fierce competition for medals.
Current Olympic News
Keep up-to-date on the latest on Olympic victories, medal counts, and other news.
• NBC Olympics
• BBC Sport
• Yahoo! Sports
• ESPN
• USA Today
Christian Athletes at the Olympics
Golden Girl
History-making gold-medal winner Vonetta Flowers shares about the faith that
makes her truly strong and her hopes for the 2006 Winter Olympics.
by Lisa Ann Cockrel
Trusting God at 90 Miles an Hour
Why bobsledding champion Vonetta Flowers is no longer afraid to share her faith.
by B. Denise Hawkins
Related Links
• 2006 Olympic Games: Official Site
• International Olympic Committee
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Sports Outreach
• Olympic Academy
• U.S. Olympic Committee
• U.S. Olympic Team
Resources
Success Can Be Deceptive
This sermon illustration from PreachingToday.com looks at the success and
deceit of the coach of the Jamaican bobsled team in the movie Cool
Runnings.
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