BY MATT & SYLVIE GLOCK
Every four years, the Summer Olympics dazzle people everywhere. This past summer, the world came to Paris. Major sporting events like the Olympics present a unique opportunity to serve communities and proclaim the Gospel. So, as the City of Light prepared to host athletes, coaches, and spectators, Christians prepared to share their faith and Christ’s love with the crowds. These efforts affected not only the Olympic participants but also the French church.
When Sylvie and I moved to Paris in the summer of 2016, we never imagined what the summer of 2024 would bring. It was a unique time, and we thank God for all He did through that period and for the fruit He will yet produce. Many evangelistic initiatives happened this summer, and to understand them, it is useful to first see what was done to prepare for the Paris Games.
Building the framework
In March 2023, I became aware of the burgeoning plans to encourage and support the many initiatives that would take place during the Paris Games. These would come from many associations, churches, clubs, and individuals in France and around the world. I also learned that the global Christian sports movement ReadySetGO1 was ready to support these efforts with the knowledge and experience gained from previous events.
In May 2023, I joined a group of dedicated people working to put in place a framework for the many evangelistic projects. We knew there would be no shortage of them. We also believed that if we worked together, the projects would have a greater impact. We chose the name ENSEMBLE 2024 for this movement and were encouraged by the truth that God is always at work and our job is to discover what He is doing and join in. Throughout the experience, we saw God confirm this truth again and again.
As summer turned to fall, our activity accelerated as we formed work groups. We focused on creating spaces where individuals and groups with the same passion—whether sports, arts, or mercy ministries—could discuss what they were doing, encourage each other, and share resources. We also sought to develop collaboration within the cities of France. Weekly video calls allowed us to quickly establish these groups and begin collaborating. At the same time, we set up communication tools: a website (ENSEMBLE2024.com), a regular newsletter, and a WhatsApp community.
To illustrate what ENSEMBLE 2024 represented, we would speak of going to see Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Once we have seen it, it would be strange to speak of the frame and not the painting. It is the Mona Lisa that matters. The frame exists simply to give the painting greater value. ENSEMBLE 2024 existed to facilitate the hundreds of initiatives that occurred during the summer of sports.
At the beginning of 2024, we realized that while the many meetings online were useful, we needed to see each other in person, face to face. So we instituted a monthly in-person meeting held in the 12th arrondissement at Paris Epicentre (a building that houses a church and many other activities). It allowed partners in the movement to meet each other, learn of the projects being planned, and encourage each other. We also had times of training and prayer.
One of our goals in creating the work groups and getting the participants to talk to each other was to create an environment for spontaneous collaboration. We knew that centralizing everything would slow things down, but we experienced great joy whenever we learned of a collaborative project between groups. Each time it happened, we knew we were on the right track.
All this demonstrated a way of working together that could last beyond the summer of 2024. We pray that fruitful and ongoing gospel collaboration will be one of the legacies of this year’s Olympic Games.
Executing the outreaches
Now that we’ve spoken about the preparation for the Games, let’s turn to what happened. Some of the first questions people interested in the evangelistic efforts ask are “How many people were involved?” and “What did they do?” While we tried to be aware of the many outreaches happening across France this summer, it was impossible to have an accurate number. We are thankful God knows. We estimated that more than 2,500 disciples of Jesus Christ from France and around the world were connected to at least 76 different ministries. We also estimated that about 50 churches from Paris, including assemblies, were involved in these activities.
When it comes to what was accomplished, at least 500 events took place during the Games, spanning the 16 days of the Olympics and the 13 days of the Paralympics. Here’s a sample of all that happened: Believers shared gospel literature throughout the Paris region and all over France. They organized multiple prayer initiatives; at least one million prayers were offered through one project. More believers passed out gospel pins. Teams contributed to the “fan zones” (sites where fans could gather for screenings free of charge) that town halls organized. Churches opened their doors for concerts, art shows, and other outreaches.
Two such churches were the Paris Beaugrenelle assembly in the 15th arrondissement and the Jardin de Reuilly assembly in the 12th arrondissement. The former held bilingual services during the Olympics, while the latter hosted two teams that distributed literature, served in a fan zone, and organized a Bible exhibition.
Events weren’t limited to just the time of the Games. The cities of Lille, Nantes, Saint-Étienne, and Grenoble all had events celebrating sports and making Christ known, including athletic tournaments, literature distribution, concerts, and cultural activities. These city teams, along with the team in Paris, represent the developing legacy of the 2024 Games.
We heard many reports that the teams in the streets had great freedom to proclaim the Gospel and pass out literature. They distributed hundreds of thousands of pieces of literature, ranging from a brochure with Eric Liddell’s story and New Testaments featuring athletes’ testimonies to gospel tracts and much more. This was a grace from God, and the proclamation of His Word bore fruit. We heard reports of hundreds of individuals who trusted in Jesus Christ. To God be the glory! May He preserve that which was received.
One initiative that embodied ENSEMBLE 2024 was what we called the Paris Hub. We rented a floor in Paris Epicentre, the building where we had held monthly meetings during the planning phase. It became a dynamic space where teams could hold meetings in preparation for their events and access literature. Believers took thousands of New Testaments and Gospels of Mark to give out in the streets. The Paris Hub also offered a prayer room, where more than 400 people came to pray over four weeks. We also shared many meals.
All this contributed to a sense of working together for the sake of the Gospel in Paris, pointing a way forward for future collaboration. Individuals, associations, and churches learned to work together in new ways, and relationships were deepened. Jesus Christ tells us that the world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another (John 13:35). During the weeks of and surrounding the Olympics, the many disciples from different church backgrounds worked together, and their love for each other was evident.
Praying for the future
As the Games came to a close and I considered all that had happened, it was clear that God did abundantly more than all that we asked or thought (Ephesians 3:20). Let us, together, thank Him for His goodness. Let us also pray that the Word that has been sown will bear much fruit. May we all have greater assurance to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the world that needs Him.
Matt and Sylvie Glock are commended from Plano Bible Chapel in Plano, Texas. They are involved in building up the assemblies throughout France, especially Paris.
Originally published in Missions magazine, November 2024. For more content, sign up for a free subscription (US) to Missions at CMML.us/magazine/subscribe
