ARTISTIC "OLYMPICS" OFFER PERFORMERS PLATFORM AT REAL GAMES

UP-AND-COMING Christian artists from around the world are being given the chance to showcase their talents and share their faith before thousands of visitors to the Olympics, next year.

An invitation to be part of an extensive creative arts program being organized for the large-scale evangelistic outreach planned for the Games will go to the winners of talent competitions to be held in as many as 100 countries.

The local musicians, actors, dancers and other performers taking first place in their national events will be given the opportunity to appear at a wide range of venues - from shopping centers to prisons - in and around Sydney when the city plays host to the world's top athletes.

"The arts can be used very effectively to communicate the gospel, and the Olympics provide an opportunity not only to impact Sydney but the world as it gathers," said Julie Spence, coordinator of the Gospel Eisteddfod program. "We have more opportunities open to us than in any other Olympics and we want to take advantage of them.

"We want to involve Christian artists from as many different countries as possible because the Olympics involves all the nations of the world, and we want to demonstrate Christian unity - which itself draws God's blessing."

An eisteddfod - a Welsh word meaning "competition" - is already being organized in more than a dozen countries, including Australia, the United States, Japan and the Philippines. There are plans for events in 80 more. The competition is open to groups and individuals from local churches and Christian organizations.

"Competition helps people to reach their potential, to strive to do their best rather than be complacent with their present standard," said Spence, a Youth With A Mission worker seconded to Quest Australia, the umbrella group arranging the outreach. "If they are good they can become better or the best. People in the world excel for money; we serve the creator of the world, so our calling should be higher."

The winning artists will be added to the already 15,000-strong roster of performers. Those scheduled to be part of the creative arts program include a 5,000-voice children's choir, chain saw sculptors and dancers.

A ten-year veteran of Christian arts management, Spence organized successful Gospel Eisteddfods in Australia in 1996 and 1998. Winners of last year's event went on to appear at a nationwide March For Jesus rally in Canberra, and are now recording.

Olympic Eisteddfod winners will have the chance of taking part in other outreaches in different parts of Australia and other countries in the region on their way to or from the Games. The Eisteddfod initiative is also intended to provide long-term resources for missions and evangelism.

"We want not only to use the Games as an opportunity to raise the standard of Christian performances, but also produce a database of all the artists so they will be available in the future for other outreach opportunities in their own countries, or overseas."

Gospel Eisteddfod: Quest Australia, PO Box 8501, Perth Business Centre, Perth WA 6849, Australia.

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