The strongest, fastest, and best athletes in the world will assemble this week for the Olympics in London. Thousands will experience the thrill of victory and the disappointment of defeat. Multitudes around the world will applaud and cheer their accomplishments.

I’ll watch, but with haunted memories. Those memories began in 2004 when the Olympic Games returned to their roots in Athens. That’s when life took a dramatic turn. Everything looked different early one morning during those Olympics. The buildings, the trees, the streets - they just weren’t the same.

Four weeks ago I wrote about the necessity of an empty heart. Everything I said was true, but we must realize the reason we need an empty heart is to make room for God to fill us with His heart. Before we can be filled with God, we must be emptied of ourselves.

There are two major questions about a full heart. First, what should our hearts be filled with? Once they have been emptied of sin and self, what next? If a heart is left empty, Satan will certainly find something to fill it. Therefore, it’s imperative to make sure our hearts are filled with good things - godly things - God.

Last week I discussed the controversy about the sinner’s prayer, a prayer often used to lead people to a personal faith in Jesus. A well known pastor and author stated that it was superstitous and even damning. I addressed that issue last week.

It concerns me as an evangelist when I hear such declarations. There was one other disconcerting issue from the pastor/author’s message. He discussed the truth of discipleship. On this issue, I think that those of us who are evangelistic in our ministries need to take heed to much of the criticism thrown at us. The great commission Jesus gave His disciples was much more than making converts of the world. The commission was to make disciples.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to be interviewed on the Chris Fabry show, a nationally syndicated radio broadcast. The discussion centered around a new controversy that has emerged in the Evangelical Christian community - the sinner’s prayer. First, I’m amazed that such a simple prayer has become controversial. Second, I must confess that I’ve led people to pray a prayer of repentance and faith around the world. Such a prayer is being dubbed as “the sinner’s prayer.”

A well known Christian author and pastor made some statements about the prayer that sparked the controversy. He said that leading people in such a prayer is “dangerous” and even “damning.” He asks the question, “Should it not concern us that there is no such superstitious prayer in the New Testament?” His question and description of this simple prayer have produced an avalanche of questions and debate.