Displaying items by tag: Olympics

US track star Noah Lyles is praising God after winning the men's 100-metre final in the Olympics. Lyles, 27, who beat Jamaica's Kishane Thompson by 5 milliseconds, expressed gratitude to God both before and after the race. He said, 'I had to find my own journey with God, and a lot of that came through track because there were times when I doubted myself. I said, “God, if you really want me to do this, give me a sign.” He did, and I said, 'I'll never doubt You again.'’' Lyles has faced significant life challenges, including asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression. He emphasised that these conditions do not define one's potential. Lyles' mother, Keisha Caine Bishop, expressed her overwhelming excitement at her son's achievement.

British diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix gave glory to God after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics. Spendolini-Sirieix, 19, and Lois Toulson, 24, were competing in the women's synchronised 10-metre event. She said In an interview, 'I'm so happy. I usually have so much to say; I don't have anything to say today. Having my family here, doing it alongside Lois, it's been a crazy two years. I give glory to God.' The duo's final dive surpassed competitors from Canada, with China winning gold and North Korea silver. Despite finishing sixth in the individual 10-metre platform dive, Spendolini-Sirieix remained positive, reflecting on her journey from severe mental health struggles after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She emphasised her faith, stating, 'It was just God's way of saying we've still got a lot more to do, and I just give God all the glory.'

Team GB swimmer Daniel Jervis has thanked God and his family church for their support during his Olympic participation. ‘I want to thank my village of Resolven and I want to thank my church, Sardis Baptist Church, Ammanford church in Ammanford, who have really been supportive of me, and everyone back home who has been praying for me. ‘I am proud of many things in my life, but the thing I'm most proud of is that I'm a Christian. Obviously, God was with me tonight, and I'm just really grateful to be representing Him,’ he told the media just after he finished his last race of the games.

When a country holds the Olympic Games, there is often a redevelopment of parts of the host city. Hundreds of homeless people in Tokyo were given eviction notices even though they have nowhere to go. Metropolitan officials cleared the area of homeless people before the Olympics, and are still doing it during the games. A 62-year-old homeless man said an official approached him on 8 July to tell him, ‘Remove your belongings by 21 July; they are creating obstacles for the Olympics’. According to a Tokyo-based support group, authorities have taken tougher approaches against homeless people since Tokyo was named the host city of 2020 Olympics. Parks are now locked and lit up at night to discourage the homeless from sleeping there. There were 1,126 homeless living in parks in Tokyo in January 2019, but only 862 in 2020. The whereabouts of the 264 is unknown. Tokyo's homeless are experiencing extreme pressure to hide.

Tatjana Schoenmaker set a new record in the women’s 200-metre breaststroke, and she is using her success to point others to God. After breaking another record in the preliminary rounds for the 100-metre breaststroke, she ended up claiming the silver medal. In all her competitions in Tokyo, Tatjana has worn under her green South Africa swim cap another cap proclaiming her faith with a blue Jesus fish and the phrase ‘Soli Deo Gloria,’ meaning ‘Glory to God alone,’ printed on the side of it. She has used her platform to discuss her Christian faith before the Olympics began in an Instagram post, ‘Father God, may Your will be done, may Your peace fill us up, may we praise You no matter what the outcome, may we be empowered by Your strength to give our all and may we forever be in awe of Your goodness!’ she wrote. ‘Thank You for bringing us to this very moment.’

She was going to try out for the Olympics. Then in February Quanesha injured her femur. ‘Eleven weeks of frustration, limitations from physicians, doubt from others, and not being able to train was a big challenge. My coach definitely didn’t think I would be able to compete at the US trials for a spot on the Olympic team.’ But she would not be held down by negativity. ‘Being an Olympian is a promise God made to me before the trials or injuries. I held on to that promise through the good and bad. Being an Olympian is great, but it could never be as fulfilling as the joy of knowing how my faith was tested beyond measure and I held on to God’s promise with all the trust I had, and He never left my side.’ On 30 June Quanesha qualified for the Olympics.

Team GB will be represented by its largest-ever delegation for an Olympic Games on foreign soil, with 376 athletes and 22 reserves competing across 26 sports in Tokyo’s 2020 Games. Also, for the first time, Team GB will have more women than men. Since 16 July six athletes and two staff members from the athletics team have become self-isolating after having close contact with an individual, not from Team GB, who tested positive after arriving in Tokyo. Pray that they will be able to resume training again soon. Taylor Campbell, who will compete in the hammer throw, said cases like this would be unavoidable. GB team members flying to Tokyo had seats mixed with the public instead of sitting together at the back of the flight.

The director of the Olympics opening ceremony was dismissed for making jokes in the 1990s about the Holocaust. Earlier this week, a composer quit the ceremony team after it emerged he had bullied classmates with disabilities at school. In March the Olympics' creative chief quit after suggesting that plus-size comedian Naomi Watanabe could appear as an ‘Olympig’. In February the head of the organising committee had to step down after he made inappropriate remarks about women. The scandals have increased massive unease about the Games. A recent poll found 55% of Japanese were opposed to holding the Games, fearing it could become a coronavirus super-spreader event. Already, organisers are dealing with rising Covid cases. Dozens involved in the Games, including officials and athletes, have tested positive. An increase in cases among Japan's population - only a third of whom have been vaccinated - has led to a state of emergency being declared for the duration of the Games.

As all eyes turn to Tokyo for the Olympics and Paralympics, Japanese Christians are inviting the global Church to unite for one million hours of prayer for the spiritual transformation of their nation. An international prayer movement (Japan1Million) is led by the Japan international Sports Partnership and the Japan Evangelical Missionary Association. Their partnership is driven by a vision to see the Church in Japan grow to ten million people by 2024. Working towards that vision, they had hoped to reach a million Japanese people during their Olympic outreach year. Covid closed those doors, but one door remained open; the door to prayer. With less than 1% of its population of 126 million attending church, the Japanese are the world’s second largest unreached people group. Most people in Japan have not been to church, read the Bible or encountered any Christians. Committed prayer is needed for a significant spiritual breakthrough.

We are pleased to bring you this July 2021 edition of IPC Connections.  

Our Editorial article this month is an astounding report from the Passover to Pentecost Group!  These partnered events, missions and media projects have collectively seen 20 million new Jesus followers added to the Church since last year.  This 2021 Review details massive numbers coming to faith in Jesus Christ, Gospel movements emerging in the nations, and disciple-making churches being planted in unreached areas.   Let’s be in prayer for these huge numbers of people of all ages coming to faith, that they will grow into spiritual fullness in Christ. (Col 2:6-7)

Read about the 1 Million Hours of Prayer for Japan and the Olympic Games initiative that we are jointly launching with JiSP (Japan International Sports Partnership), in our second editorial article.  Sign up for the Prayer Guide.

We would welcome you to join us for the launch of the 1^st FRIDAY GO PRAY online prayer event on Friday 6^th August at 6AM Pacific time during which we will be Praying for the continued spiritual harvest AND for Japan and the missional opportunities that the Olympic Games present. 

We are not spotlighting a team member this month to make space for the Editorial article.  We would however covet your prayers for the whole team right now.  The IPC Leadership Team and Board’s representation spans the continents. They are each involved in a local church as well as ministering nationally and internationally.  Please pray for strength, good health, equipping and protection for them and their loved ones, as they continue to serve, often at personal cost, during these challenging times.

Thank you for continuing to partner with us in mobilising and informing united prayer across nations, denominations, movements, and generations for the fulfilment of the Great Commission.

May we express grateful thanks to Andy Page and the IPC Editorial Team who put this email together each month.

Every blessing,

Jason Hubbard - Director
International Prayer Connect

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Disclaimer… The views and opinions expressed in IPC Connections and the articles on our website are those of individuals and our partner organisations. They do not necessarily represent the policies or views of IPC or its individual leaders.
We aim to respect the diversity within the prayer movement and yet embrace our unified calling to mobilise prayer for the nations. (2 Chron 7:14)   If you wish to discuss the appropriateness of any articles, please contact us.