Mark Tronson's visit to the US
Wednesday 04 Mar 2009
Gold medals for Jesus!
9 March 2009
Well-Being Australia chairman, Mark Tronson, and his wife, Delma, say that the gold medals they were recently awarded to acknowledge 27 years Sports and Olympic Ministry are Gold medals for Jesus!
Since their return to Australia from the presentation in Dallas, Texas and an associated speaking tour, they have reflected on three significant events that have influenced their philosophy of ministry.
First, while away they came upon a situation where those involved had become debilitated by events that had occurred some years previously.
“Delma and I noticed how this so affected these people that their personal lives were constrained, their family situation was deplorably compromised and their ministries were forever being forfeited to what had been,” M V Tronson said.
Looking forward has always been a feature of Mark and Delma Tronson's ministries. It was the Reverend John Edmondstone, then President of the Baptist Union of Churches of Australia, who counselled them to always look ahead.
“I fell ill with stress in 1999 and Heads of Churches, of whom Reverend Edmondstone was a part, released us from the Sports and Leisure Ministry which we had pioneered from 1982,” M V Tronson noted.
“We were encouraged to proceed forward, rather than dwelling on past events, and we initiated the ministry now called ‘Well-Being Australia’ so as to retain the cricket chaplaincy and specialise in athlete/coach respite ministry.”
Second, the organisers of the Baptist World Congress ‘Living Waters Conference’ for Australasia and the South Pacific being held in Cairns from May 5-9 have called upon Mark and Delma Tronson to lead a workshop session titled, 'Linking Sports to the Christian Community'.
The third situation has has come about as a direct result of M V Tronson's interview by Dan Wooding on his 'Faith, Hope and Charity' IPTV (Internet Protocol TeleVision) station in Los Angeles, a new technology developed by Alan Metcalf.
“We too have been invited to establish a similar IPTV station in Australia. Already our mission's technical man Peter Scotland is looking into how to proceed forward with this.”
Mark and Delma Tronson have witnessed first hand the benefits of 'looking forward' in their ministry and affirm that the Lord continues with His wonderful grace, pleasure and providences for them.
Olympian of the Century Carl Lewis presents Sports Ministry Award to an Australian couple
26 February 2009
Olympian of the Century, Carl Lewis, presented an Australian couple, Mark and Delma Tronson, an international award in Dallas Texas last week in a glittering event. The Lay Witnesses for Christ award was for their services over 27 years to Sports and Olympic Ministry, along with their part in the Beijing Olympic Ministry international prayer network.
Hosted by Lay Witnesses for Christ founder and president Dr Sam Mings and his wife, Sharon, the largest audience ever (700 guests) turned out for the 20th year celebration of Texan high school Christian Athletes of the Year (male and female), and many other awards.
Master of Ceremonies for the evening, US sports and Olympic commentator Lewis Braxton Johnson, read out Mark and Delma Tronson's citation which was followed by Carl Lewis placing the ribbons holding the gold medals around Delma’s neck, then Mark’s.
M V Tronson was invited to respond. He initially referred to their 32nd anniversary celebrated a few days previously, then explained that, having pioneered the Sports and Leisure Ministry in 1982, they had travelled a parallel pastoral course in sports ministry to Dr Sam and Sharon Mings.
“I thanked Sam and Sharon for their insights and wisdom over the past 27 years, spoke of the Well-being Australia 'Basil Sellers Athlete Respite facilities' in Moruya and the Tweed and the Olympic prayer network,” M V Tronson reported.
He specifically identified the five elderly praying ladies who have committed themselves to pray daily for himself and his wife Delma, their children and their ministry over these past 27 years of faith finance ministry.
“When Dr Mings requested we establish the Beijing Olympic International Prayer Network, it was initially to these five elderly praying ladies I turned and then it went world wide,” M V Tronson noted.
The citation that Dr Mings wrote for MC Lewis Braxton Johnson to read included a comment that Mark’s efforts helped every door to be opened for Sam and Sharon and their team in their Right Track 2008 Beijing Olympic Ministry, including one service where where 1,000 Chinese came forward to receive Christ.
M V Tronson observed that the American culture shows a more public face in acknowledging the role of God in the life of ordinary people than is common in Australia. He further reflected that this particular presentation ceremony relied on the support of the organisers’ families and representatives of their local communities to run so efficiently and smoothly.
Rather than being a ‘razzle-dazzle’ piece of theatre to honour people, it thus became a fitting tribute to the way the Lord works through ordinary men, women and young people.
Coaches of Influence
3 March 2009
Nelson Cook, who initiated the sports ministry ‘Coaches of Influence’ nine years ago in Los Angeles, hosted Australians Mark and Delma Tronson for all of last week.
Nelson Cook and Mark Tronson have known each other since 1984 when Mark was engaged in a USA sports ministry study tour and visited Dallas where Nelson Cook was the Texas director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).
In 1988 Nelson relocated to Los Angeles to take up the role of Californian FCA State Director; a role he relinquished in order to concentrate on raising his three young daughters when his first wife Stephanie was tragically died from a brain tumour in 1995.
“The workload I had in that director’s position was beyond what a single father could cope with,” Nelson Cook explained. “On top of that, I was myself grieving, and also trying to support the grief of three little girls who had lost their mother. As a result of seeking the Lord to help provide an idea to resolve my situation, I visited Terry Franson, a friend with spiritual wisdom,”
Terry Franson has been an Olympic USA Track Coach, and under contract has coached the Nigerian Olympic Track Team and had been a wisdom consultant to Nelson Cook over many years.
“My idea was to establish a sports ministry for Christian College Coaches (University and High School level) in the Los Angeles area and Terry Franson immediately came on side saying this was well overdue,” Nelson Cook noted.
Since that initial meeting, Nelson Cook has established a faith funded ministry for ‘Coaches of Influence’ and he ministers to Christian sports coaches in the huge competitive world of college (university) and high school sports in Los Angeles.
“For the entire week Nelson Cook invited me (and Delma) to speak to numerous coaches’ lunches and breakfasts (including one Church men’s breakfast), as well as to meet many other coaches in one-to-one meetings including professional sport coaches,” M V Tronson said.
Coaches are the unsung heroes at USA college and high school levels. They have to contend not only with enormous work loads, but also unbelievable pressure from the education system as well as all their family commitments.
“The operational aspects of ‘Coaches of Influence’ was an eye-opener to me,” M V Tronson recalled. “I especially noted the value the coaches place on the prayer network that Nelson Cook distributes by Email, where very specific prayer needs in trust are spelt out and then crossed off as prayers get answered.”
For contact
M.V. Tronson
Tel +61 (0) 409 607 211 +61 7 5536 3658
Email: Mark at PSI http://www.bushorchestra.com
Mark is, or has been:
* Author of 24 books;
* The Australian newspaper 'field hockey' writer over 24 years to 1994;
* Cricket Chaplain (1984-2000 Australian Team, 2001 – Life After Cricket ministry);
* Adviser to IOC Religious Services Host City Village Protocols (since 2000)
* Founder of Sports and Leisure Ministry, 1982 – by 2000 placed 150 Chaplains in Professional Sports
* Chairman of Well-Being Australia since 2000 (Respite facilities for elite athletes)
* Writer of Christian press releases since 1971
* A faith-financed missionary since 1982
* Baptist Minister for 32 years
* As 'Tronson du Coudray' – painter of fine art.
For more of Mark, check out: http://bushorchestra.com/video/VideoGallery.html
