Tebow’s Ministry

This was an article sent to me by my dear friend and fellow sojourner Cindy Lennon.

The Gospel on Offense – The Faith of Tim Tebow by Mark Earley

America ‘s largest church has a capacity to hold 16,000. But while Tim Tebow
may not be a preacher, when he runs into the University of Florida ‘s football
Stadium-affectionately known as “The Swamp” -his congregation numbers just over
90,000. And you can bet they’re hearing Tim’s message.

It’s not just that this University of Florida quarterback wears Bible verses
etched into his “eye-black” on game days. Tim Tebow has been making headlines
for more than simply his Heisman Trophy win as a sophomore and his two national
championships. This summer the New York Times, GQ, and Sports Illustrated, all
covered the quarterback’s strong Christian faith.

Last year, when the Florida Gators won the national championship, the
pre-game show followed Tim into a local Florida prison where he can regularly be
found sharing his testimony and preaching the Gospel.

And this top-notch athlete, who spends his spring breaks and summers
ministering to orphans in the Philippines has actually helped change the culture
of the University of Florida . According to Sports Illustrated , “Since Tebow’s
arrival on campus, and in large part because of him, the University has launched
a series of community-service initiatives.” Even coach Urban Meyer has taken his
family on a “Tebow-inspired mission trip to the Dominican Republic .”

The press seems to be fascinated with outspoken Christian quarterbacks like
Tim Tebow; Sam Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner; and now USC’s Matt Barkley.
Only a few decades ago, it would have been taken for granted that these would be
the kinds of fellows any father would want his daughter to marry. Now they are
put under the microscope as some kind of curious anomaly-well-known athletes who
actually exhibit character.

In our doped-up, mug-shot celebrity culture, sadly these young men do look a
little out of step. And that’s to our culture’s shame. Perhaps that is why last
year when the press asked Tim Tebow a rather impertinent question-they were more
embarrassed by the response than he was. It was at a Southeastern Conference
news media event where one reporter asked in front of the crowded room, “Are you
a virgin?” Tim answered with an unequivocal yes and had yet another platform to
explain how his faith impacts every area of his life.

That platform for sharing the Gospel is exactly what Tim’s parents prayed
for before he was born. Tim’s father, Bob, a missionary in the Philippines, had
been weeping over the millions of babies aborted in America . It was then that
he prayed, “God, if you give me a son, if you give me Timmy, I’ll raise him to
be a preacher.”

Soon after, when Pam Tebow learned she was expecting, the parents’ faith was
put to the test. After a series of grave complications, doctors encouraged them
to abort the child. They refused. Born small and weak, Timmy struggled from the
beginning. But his dad continued to tell him, “God’s got a purpose for you, and
at some point, He’s going to call you to preach.”

Dad was right. God’s message would come through the roar of the crowd,
beamed to millions via satellite. But little did they know, Tim would don a
jersey, not robes, and use a stadium for his pulpit.

Tim’s a great example of an opportunity every believer has-to put our faith
to work on the field of play where God has gifted us and called us. =