As Paris and all of France gets ready for the inauguration of the Olympic Games (26 July), evangelical churches are networking to “connect, collaborate and cultivate” with the Christian message.

Ensemble 2024 (Together) is a “coalition of churches, ministries and individuals all seeking to make Christ known in word and deed during the Olympics”, Matthew Glock, the effort’s national coordinator told Evangelical Focus.

Working groups in around 10 cities (including, of course, capital Paris) have started to host events around sport, social help, music, arts, as well as outreach campaigns.

An example of these local initiatives is a whole week of events in Grenoble, with volleyball tournament, concerts, a hiking day, football competitions, united prayer gatherings, distribution of evangelistic materials, and an open air festival.

Another example is the four-day Kids Games organised by the evangelical church in Le Mée sur Seine.

Much anticipation

Matthew Glock sees “a great deal of anticipation as well as anxiousness among the French people”. People realise that the Olympic Games of Paris are going to be “a big deal”.

The networking initiative of churches and Christian organisations “was created to encourage collaborative efforts that would last beyond the Olympics”. Churches have the potential to work together to reach “various themes or spheres of society”, he adds.

Prayer is also central in the Ensemble 2024 effort. The National Council of Evangelicals in France (CNEF) is leading this effort. Furthermore, a global prayer campaign is to be launched with International Prayer Connect.

How to pray

Asked about specific prayer points for those following the Paris Olympics from abroad, Matthew Glock mentioned three.

Firstly, “unity in Christ: May our unity in Christ be evident through the way we work together and towards those we serve”. Then, “prepared hearts: May God be pleased to use our efforts to bring the truth Gospel to those he has prepared. May many come to faith”.

Finally, Christians in the country ask for “lasting fruit: May the lessons learned through our collaboration during the Olympics produce lasting changes in the ways churches and ministries work together for the cause of the Gospel in France”.