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Learning from the Olympics

MarathonThe Olympics as a cultural artifact can be seen as a sign of the kingdom, according to Al Hsu in an article on ChristianityToday.com. Hsu refers to Andy Crouch’s book Culture Making: “The cultural treasures of this world will be redeemed and incorporated into the kingdom of God as ‘the furniture of the new Jerusalem.’ Like athletes entering a stadium, the kings of the earth bring their splendour (Rev. 21:24). Far from being destroyed on the Last Day, cultural goods will be purified, renewed, and received into the kingdom as tribute to the one true God.”

Whilst it is important to recognise that the Olympic Spirit is not the Spirit of God, the Olympic Games do give us an insight into the cultural diversity of people on the earth, including people groups that are substantially unreached by the gospel. The racial and cultural diversity of heaven is going to resemble the Olympic Games opening ceremony more closely than it resembles a typical worship service in a typical church today.

Two days ago we had the opening service for our new building at Syndal Baptist Church. Portions of the service were translated into Chinese and Vietnamese. It felt like a step towards a truly multiethnic service, although in future weeks our non-English speaking congregations will still be meeting in separate locations in the building. How much more like heaven it would be if we could have many more ethnicities and languages meeting together in one place every week.