Mark Tronson is a retired Baptist minister who founded in 1982 the Sports and Leisure Ministry (under Heads of Churches), was the Australian Cricket Team chaplain for 17 years to 2001 and a receiptent of the Olympic Ministry Medal presented by Olympian of the Century Carl Lewis in 2009, an author of 24 books and a prolific writer.
In this series on Miracles, Mark Tronson is taking the reader of a journey of faith through his own ministry illustrating time and time again how the Lord's touch blossomed a situation where the only response was to offer praise to the Almighty.
Christian Ministries and Missions across the centuries can point to similar outcomes which has resulted not so much in new buildings but in both the intangible and tangible such as changed lives for Jesus or the excess of alcohol converted into children's shoes.
The eighth article in this series covers the Olympic ministries and how Mark Tronson was able to develop a highly specialised Olympic ministry for over 29 years.
Mark Tronson consults with Olympic host city's organising committee's on Olympic Village's Religious Services. He has been involved with Olympic chaplaincy since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In 2000 he was invited to the IOC in Lausanne Switzerland where he worked with staff to develop a Religious Services Protocol for Olympic host city's. He sends an updated Protocol to each subsequent Olympic host city.
In this sense, his 'Protocol of ideas' includes a short history of Olympic host city Religious Service programs. It explains that the world's five major faiths have their separate physical areas within the centre, 'Holy books' are permitted, and in reality, host city organisers apply 'political correctness' to the nth degree. The protocol explains how to handle this requirement with integrity.
Mark Tronson has since provided every subsequent Olympic host city a 'Religious Services Protocol of Ideas' and in 2009 he and his wife Delma travelled to Vancouver Canada to consult with their 2010 Winter Olympics Villages 'Manager' on Religious Services.
On March 17 this year he consulted with the London 2012 Olympic Organising Committee "Villages" manager and has been invited to cast his eye over their final product.
Mark Tronson says the Religious Services setting in the Olympic Village is 'not the setting' for Christian chaplains witnessing Jesus Christ in overt evangelistic programs. It's a quieter behind the scenes ministry.
But, he says there are, other forms of Olympic ministry where evangelism is appropriate and wonderfully expressed with many athletes coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is the Olympian invitation model, developed by Lay Witnesses for Christ International (LWFCI).
This has been running for the past seven Olympiads and its president and founder, Dr Sam Mings, of Dallas Texas, has the highest respect in Olympic circles and is regularly a guest at dignitary functions.
London 2012 will be the LWFCI eighth Olympiad. Dr Sam Mings and his team of past Olympians led by the Olympian of the Century Carl Lewis (along with Olympic Gold medallist Madelline Mims).
This team of chaplains receive providential entry to the Olympic 'common' and by Olympian invitation to national team accommodation areas. This is one to one ministry where the Olympians congregate in the common area, or in their accommodation units and where, bible studies and Christian counselling can take place.
Another major emphasis are outside programs. Events planned for London 2012 are Eric Liddell Rallies, music programs and the big one - the Evening of the Olympic Stars - where Olympic stars testify of their faith in Jesus Christ.
Carl Lewis for the past seven Olympics has given the keynote address at this Evening of the Olympic Stars. Dr Sam Mings calls on people to respond to Jesus Christ. LWFCI have repeated this outreach model at Track and Field international meets in 40 missions around the world to great acclaim.
The Olympic Village Religious Services 'quieter' model is clearly different to this Olympic invitational model. Many people confuse these two. It is not uncommon though, for chaplains to be involved in both situations during the same Olympics. A chaplain in the Olympic Village might be rostered off duty and therefore is able to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in the other arena.
Carl Lewis presented Mark and Delma Tronson the Olympic Ministry Medal (OMM) at the LWFCI 2009 annual glittering banquet bestowed by Dr Sam Mings.
Another area of Olympic ministry's focus is on the residents and visitors of the 'host city'. The host city's combined Christian Churches 'More than Gold' evangelism campaigns focus on the untold hundreds of thousands of spectators and visitors. Missionary organisations such as Youth With A Mission pour into the host city, and become part of the Olympic festivities.
The Olympic host city image is that of a month long Rio De Janeiro-style Mardi Gras and it is to this that this shape of Olympic ministry is directed. Again, the Olympic chaplains double up and get involved in these mission activities.
The miracle of the Olympic ministry is that so many open doors have been made available and the Lord has seen fit in his own economy to honour and bless these ministries as people come to Jesus Christ for Salvation.