Brazilian soccer star Kaka is famous for his Christian faith. He’s been known to sport T-shirts beneath his jersey that read “I Belong to Jesus” and says the Bible is his favorite book. But he’ll hardly be alone in proclaiming Christ this month when the world’s biggest sporting event kicks off in South Africa.
Christians worldwide plan to descend on the nation to evangelize the thousands of visitors expected to attend the World Cup, which begins June 11. Britain-based Operation Mobilization is rallying teens and young adults to participate in its Ultimate Goal Campaign, a partnership with local South African churches. And the World Cup Evangelism Project is training local Christians to use evangelist Ray Comfort’s Way of the Master outreach strategy to witness to soccer fans one-on-one.
“Many of the Christians down here in our country wish that they could go across the borders to other countries to spread the gospel, but just due to resources we’re just not financially able to do that,” said Nigel Titus, an evangelist in Cape Town, South Africa, and an organizer of the World Cup Evangelism Project. “We’re having people coming from all countries, tribes, tongues, nations—they’re coming to our shores. We don’t have to go over to them. So it’s an opportunity for us now to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.”
Athletes in Action also will be distributinga The Prize: Chasing the Dream, a half-hour DVD filled with testimonies of Christian soccer players including Kaka and Italian defender Nicola Legrottaglie. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, also an outspoken Christian, previously released an evangelistic DVD through Athletes in Action.
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