Paul and Betty Weresch are on a mission trip to Germany, Poland and Russia, visiting churches they have planted in the past several decades of ministering to that area. They will wind up their trip the middle of April visiting Sochi, Russia, a city that hopes to host the Olympics in 2014.
Meanwhile, back in their home town of Vancouver, BC, the preparations are reaching a feverish pitch as that city readies for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Imagine, a city filled with hundreds of teens and young adults who follow wholeheartedly their particular sporting endeavor.
Many of those young people follow the Lord wholeheartedly as well. Laura Wilkinson, two-time Olympian gold medallist in platform diving, is one of those young people who did just that. She says on her web page that her favorite saying was a Bible verse: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. She said she loves that verse because, “I know whatever challenge I face in life, Jesus will lead me through it.”Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all the Olympians felt the same way as Laura does?
Karen Reed of Vancouver, believes it would be wonderful and is doing something about it. Having served for 21 years in pastoral ministry at Broadway Church, Karen is the Chief Executive Officer of More Than Gold, an organization that is reaching out for Christ during the Olympic games in Vancouver. You can learn more or participate by clicking on the link supplied to the lower right on this page. As you will see on their web page, they asked the question, “What is to be our response as a Christian community?”
They believe transformation is possible and that networks are the best way to bring about change. More Than Gold supplies that network. They feel this could be a 'tipping point' for significant advancement of the kingdom of God.
We feel the same way. Karen and her organization is doing what Jesus asked each and every one of us to do as written in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
It took Jesus’ followers at that time awhile to understand the good news and what all the world meant, but as the Holy Spirit opened their hearts and minds, they began to go. Was the world prepared for them and their life-changing message? The answer is a resounding yes! And … it is still yes today!
God had a specific strategy in mind for sending his message of salvation to the world. In Romans 1:16, Paul summarized it in this way: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes …”.
Are you a bit timid … do you wonder how you can make an impact … do you need that power that Jesus’ followers needed to get started? Just remember what Laura Wilkinson knows is for you to know as well …“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Larry Abele - Editorial Team
Posts
