PRETORIA, South Africa — “Normally when I played soccer, I played for myself,” says Tumi Mogotsi, a university student from Soweto, South Africa. “Now when I play on the fields, I know I’m going to play for God – not for me.”
Mogotsi is one of about 50 athletes attending an Athletes in Action (AIA) training for ministries related to the World Cup which starts on Friday. More athletes will arrive within the week.
AIA is a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. “Our main mission is to use the platform of sports to reach the world for Christ,” says Terry Bortz, operations director for AIA media.
Athletes from ten countries are participating in the AIA training and will travel in teams throughout South Africa during the World Cup. These teams will minister alongside local churches as they hold soccer clinics and lead in other efforts to share Christ with the surrounding communities.
The athletes come from the USA, Canada, South Africa, Zambia, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Sweden, Germany and France.
“These guys will go back to their countries with a vision, with training, and continue the work that God has done in their lives here,” says Chris Dirks, director for AIA South Africa.
One evangelism tool AIA athletes will use and distribute is “The Prize: Chasing the Dream,” a half-hour DVD filled with testimonies of Christian soccer players, including six of the top players in the world.
“Each of the players [on “The Prize”] have something in common, and that’s a personal relationship with Christ,” says Andrew Eppes, an AIA staff member.
Eppes shared “The Prize” with Mogotsi at the University of Johannesburg. Mogotsi, who admittedly admires some of the professional players, is emphatic that their testimonies changed his perspective on life and soccer.
“It helped me spiritually to see players like [them] praising and glorifying Christ,” says Mogotsi.
Now he realizes his soccer talents are a gift from God and can be used to glorify Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment