After the Olympic Games of 393 A.D., the Christian emperor Theodosius I cancelled the Olympiad. He detested its pagan odes to divinities in Greece and Rome, including an animal sacrifice to Zeus at the opening ceremonies. After more than 1,000 years of competition, Prometheus' ceremonial flame was extinguished.

Not until 1896 did the Olympics return. And ever since, it has built momentum, in size and scope. The highest peak may be NBC's estimated sacrifice of $894 million for television rights in Beijing this summer. Theodosius would no doubt cancel the competition again for the Games' ode to the gods of consumerism and personal glory.

But for some Christians, the Olympic Games are an altogether different form of worship. "I feel that my talent is from God, and this is the way I can give it back and glorify Him," says American Allyson Felix (at left), a silver medalist and favorite for gold in the 200 meters. "My running is my testimony."

Thanks to the network and legions of corporate sponsors, close to 4 billion people will have access to seeing Christian athletes give their testimony. There's nothing like this platform. "Once you win a medal in the Olympics, people keep remembering you. It's not like any other championship," says Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, who has won the prestigious Boston Marathon four times and the world championships twice, and yet stands tallest for her 2004 Olympic medal.

Five-time medalist, American swimmer Josh Davis has also found that the platform is wide, but not just for the athlete. "My Olympic medal may draw crowds," Josh says, "but unless the Holy Spirit works through His Word, no one will come to faith. The only achievement that brings new life is the cross of Christ. And everyone who is a Christian is called to hold that up by our words and deeds."

In the following stories you'll meet former and current Olympians who compete as their testimony, and who use their platform to hold up not simply a medal, but the cross of Christ.