Jamaica Churches Praise God for Olympic Success

Proud Jamaicans celebrated the success of their Olympians Sunday as dozens of pastors referenced the gold medal wins in their sermons.

"God wants to use us for His praise, but it is for us to allow Him to do so," preached the Rev. Douglas Robb of New Life Assembly of God, according to the Jamaica Observer.

"God's blessing continues to flow, it never stops. But for it to reach us as it did the Jamaican athletes in China, we have to allow it to flow," he said during Sunday service.

Jamaican athletes broke the country's record by winning six gold medals, three silver and two bronze to place 13th overall out of the 204 countries participating in the Olympics in medal count.

Track and field star Usain Bolt won three of the six gold medals and set new world records for the 100m and 200m individual events. Bolt and partners also set a world record for the 4 x 100m relay.

The gold medal wins set off island-wide celebrations and reignited feelings of national pride.

"People in Jamaica need to remember who they are," Father Michael Lewis told worshippers at the Stella Maris Catholic Church. "It is no secret that Jamaicans are confident. It is therefore very important for us to use this confidence to hold our heads high and with dignity, similar to what the athletes did in the Olympics."

At the House of Prayer and Praises Ministries, Pastor Michael Taylor preached from Ecclesiastes 9:11 about the race not being swift. Taylor used the 4 x 100m relay as the example.

"Keep your eyes on the finish line despite the distraction," he said. "Work hard to deliver the gold."

Meanwhile, at Redemption Church of God, the mother of gold medalist Asafa Powell, the Rev. Cislyn Powell, said the service would specially recognize the great achievements of the Olympic athletes.

"He (Asafa) would be here celebrating with us, if he was in Jamaica," Asafa's mother said, according to The Jamaica Gleaner.

"We are a blessed nation, and Asafa is a blessing, a blessing to this community," she said.

At Faith Cathedral Deliverance Center congregants praised and dance in celebration for the Jamaican athletes.

In Jamaica, the population is 62.5 percent Protestant and 2.6 percent Roman Catholic, according to the CIA World Factbook.