The Power of Presence in Athens

By CHAD BONHAM

SportsLife Leadership continued its ministry to the jiu-jitsu community in Athens, Greece, at an Empower Camp hosted by Director of Field Operations For Wrestling Steven Jude and Alliance Jiu-Jitsu gym owner David Said.  

An estimated 100 people participated in the three-day, two-night camp, which was a continuation of SportsLife’s partnership with Said that began last summer in Las Vegas at the World Championships and continued with ministry opportunities in Portugal this past January and a day camp in Athens this past May. 

“David has a servant’s heart,” Jude said. “He’s a phenomenal leader and his dream has been to have an overnight camp, which is something that’s not done very often in Greece. 

Clinicians Leo Viera, owner of CHECKMAT (one of the largest jiu-jitsu clubs in the world), and UFC fighter Nate Marquardt, led two training sessions each day while Dan Russell, founder of Wrestling For Peace, and SportsLife Wrestling Ambassador Tim Hess taught leadership classes. On the second night, the camp held a worship service with a team that led song in both Greek and English. 

“A lot of them come for the jiu-jitsu but they end up getting even more out of the experience than what they expected,” Jude said. “There was a lot of seed planting thanks to the great conversations that took place between our staff and the campers. And for the believers that were there, we prayed with them and encouraged them to grow in their faith.” 

According to Said, some of the highlights were those small moments when he and other team leaders were able to infuse life and faith into personal situations that campers were dealing with at the time. 

“There was one camper who had just dealt with the death of a friend and his car was stolen the day before the camp,” he said. “He wasn’t one of my students at the gym, but I felt led by the Spirit to pray with him and you could just feel the Lord moving on his heart. We used that moment to remind him that God has more for his life and that prayer is a way to stay connected to Him.” 

Hess was joined by his wife Kelly and employed a simple but powerful ministry method. 

“There’s so much power in presence and just walking around and talking to people,” Hess added. “In some cases there were some language barriers, but we were able to overcome those challenges and connect with the campers through prayer and encouragement.” 

Hess also observed Said and his wife Maria’s exceptional leadership skills in action. 

“David is an extraordinary human being,” Hess said. “He and his wife are amazing. They worked so hard. There were some roadblocks that got thrown up a week before the camp, but they figured it out and, like champions, they were able to pivot in a high level way and come up with a very successful plan B. It was impressive how they worked so hard to get things set up and then continued to grind from sun up to sun down.” 

In addition to the training and teaching times, Empower Camp participants and team leaders joined the United States U17 boys freestyle team on an excursion with Wrestling For Peace. Dan Russell led the group to historical sites such as the Panathenaic Olympic Stadium and the Acropolis along with a visit to the Elpida Children’s Hospital where Wrestling For Peace donated money and toys and the jiu-jitsu and wrestling athletes spent time with patients. 

For Said, the camp was a way to continue learning how to serve the Kingdom in a way that prepares more leaders to step into ministry in the sport and throughout the nation of Greece. 

“I want to see more works of God and see more people saved,” he added. “I’m praying for revival to come through every sphere of society and, for us, specifically through the sport of jiu-jitsu. I want to see revival not just in sports but also in politics, arts, and business, and anywhere that the Kingdom can grow. That is the fruit I hope to see from the seeds that we are planting now.” 

According to Jude, events like the Empower Camp are all about building and nurturing relationships to infuse life into leaders in their sports community. 

“When we plant seeds, we’ve got a guy like David who is able to water the seeds, and then we trust that God is going to move on people’s hearts,” he said. “David’s vision is that jiu-jitsu will continue to be a way that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is spread throughout Athens.” 

Plans are already in the works to hold this event next summer, but in the meantime, Jude anticipates that Said’s ministry will continue to grow in the coming weeks and months including the Bible study he already holds at his gym, which is regularly attended by believers and non-believers alike. 

“Within the jiu-jitsu community, David is a respected leader in Athens and around the world,” Jude said. “It’s been a privilege to see his growth and how God is using his influence to impact the Kingdom. Our charge is to stay in touch with David and his wife and support them, encourage them, and then go over there and do ministry with them in person from time to time. That’s the goal. It’s the lane that God has opened up for us. We’re just trying to be faithful to walk that path and be obedient to do what he wants us to do when we’re there.”