Reports say Christian PostThe group hopes the free New Testaments will leave a “lasting legacy that reaches far beyond the playing field.” The Bibles are being distributed in French – 140,000 New Testaments and 60,000 in English. The versions also feature testimonies from Christian athletes, including French handball champion Joël Abate and Australian high jumper Nicolas-Oris-Lagace.
“It is very moving to read the testimonies of the athletes. They are a powerful reminder of the lasting impact the Bible continues to have on the contemporary world,” said Jonathan Blais, secretary general of the French Bible Society. Evangelical Focus Report.
“Furthermore, these events underscore the important role that national Bible societies play in making this timeless book accessible and relevant to all.”
The French Bible Society works with various Christian sports ministries, including Protestant pastoral associations, to distribute the New Testament.
The collaboration “transcends the boundaries of sport and spirituality, and showcases the power of cooperation and shared values that unite people.”
The special edition of the New Testament is entitled “More Precious than Gold” 1 Peter 7: “For the purpose is to prove the genuineness of your faith. For as gold, which is perishable, is tested by fire, so also your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must be tested so that it may endure, and you will receive praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
More than 11 million people from around the world are expected to visit Paris in the coming weeks for the Olympics, and the French Bible Society plans to distribute New Testaments during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which end on September 8.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Alex Broadway/Stringer
