Tim Tebow: God's Quarterback

[Meg]

Tim Tebow: God's Quarterback - WSJ.com

On a brisk Thursday evening in mid-November, I sat high in the stands at a Denver Broncos home game, covering the ears of my 4-year-old son as the fans around us launched f-bombs at Tim Tebow, the Broncos' struggling second-year quarterback. Mr. Tebow was ineffective and off-target for most of the game, and one of his more voluble and obnoxious critics was standing right in front of us.

But the heckler's friend wasn't joining in. "Just wait until the end of the fourth quarter," he said. "That's Tebow time." And so it was. In the waning moments against the New York Jets, Mr. Tebow manufactured a 95-yard game-winning drive, punctuated by his own 20-yard touchdown dash. He brought the Broncos back from imminent defeat, just as he had done in previous weeks against the Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs.

This combination of candid piety and improbable success on the field has made Mr. Tebow the most-discussed phenomenon of the National Football League season. Most expert analysts still consider him poor material for a pro quarterback. An inexperienced passer with awkward throwing mechanics and the build of a fullback, he likes to run over defensive players, which is a no-no in the NFL, whose starting quarterbacks are expensive and hard to come by.

These claims by athletes—"God helped me do that" or "I thank God that I was able to do that"—are so commonplace that they usually draw little notice. Most sports fans seem to think that such religious talk doesn't really affect how the games are played or credit it with a powerful placebo effect. So what if Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox has a Bible verse inscribed on his bat? Fine—whatever helps him to hit the long ball.

But Mr. Tebow has never been content to leave his evangelical faith on the field. Well before he became the starting quarterback for Denver, he was a lightning rod in America's intermittent culture war of believers vs. secularists.

In the case of Mr. Tebow, what seems to fuel many of his fans—and to drive many of his critics crazy—is not so much his evangelical faith itself but the equanimity and generosity that his faith inspires in him. Can he really mean it when he says that football isn't that important to him, that he cares more about transcendent things?

While at Florida, Mr. Tebow became well known for spending his summers helping the poor and needy in the Philippines. He also spoke in prisons and appeared to accept every opportunity to volunteer. He encouraged his teammates and classmates to follow his lead.

This young man is being used mightily by the Lord as a high profile public witness. Thank God for him!

[SonSeeker]

RIGHT ON MEG!

My former favorite QB was Kurt Warner, now it's Tim Tebow.

[Meg]

Tebow is really getting to the atheists!

1 Peter 2:12

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Tim Tebow’s Gospel of Optimism

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/op...mism.html?_r=1

CAN God take credit for the victories of a thick-set N.F.L. quarterback who scrambles in a weirdly jittery fashion, throws one of the ugliest balls in the game, completes fewer than half of his passes and has somehow won six of his team’s last seven games?

That’s a question that actually hovers over the miraculous success of the Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, and at this blessed juncture it’s a silly one, because the answer is unequivocal: Yes. Tebow is powered by conviction and operating on faith, and so are the teammates he’s leading. And you needn’t be an evangelical Christian (as he is), a seriously religious person or even a football fan to be transfixed and enlightened by his example. I speak as a football fan only when I say the following, which I never expected to: The mile-high messiah has a gospel for us all.

Which brings us back to religion. With Tebow there’s no getting away from it. He uses the microphones thrust in front of him to mention his personal savior, Jesus Christ, and has said that heaven is reserved for devout Christians. He genuflects so publicly and frequently that to drop to one knee in the precise way he does has been given its own word, along with its own Web site, where you can see photographs of people Tebowing inside St. Peter’s, in front of the Taj Mahal, on sand, on ice and even underwater.

That zeal doesn’t go over so well with many football enthusiasts, me included. Tebow performs a sort of self-righteous bait-and-switch — you come for scrimmages and he subjects you to scriptures — and the displeasure with that is also writ colorfully on the Web, in Tebow-ridiculing Twitter feeds and Facebook pages, one devoted entirely to snapshots through time of Tebow in tears. An emotional man, he has traveled a weepy path to this point.

But the intensity of the derision strikes me as unwarranted, in that it outdoes anything directed at, say, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, accused repeatedly of sexual assault, or other players actually convicted of burglary, gun possession and other crimes. In a league full of blithe felons, Tebow and his oppressive piety don’t seem like such horrendous affronts at all.

Go Tebow!!!

[FaithInChrist]

Tebow is really getting to the atheists!

1 Peter 2:12



Tim Tebow’s Gospel of Optimism

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/op...mism.html?_r=1





Go Tebow!!!

My husband and I just had a "discussion" in the car about Tebow that ended with "we'll agree to disagree".

My husband stands by his opinion that Tebow needs to be less about God and more about football on the field. He also thinks Tebow needs to thank his teammates for their efforts to win the game and quit putting all the thanks on God.

I think Tebow is brave to take the critism for continuing to praise his God, even when it isn't the popular thing to do and I think Tebow's teammates need to quit being so vain and realize that their accomplishments come from God.

It is so obvious that we humans have to have something to worship. We are constantly looking for things bigger than us to give our praise to. If only people would realize that we have an awesome God, that loves us more than we can imagine and in worship to Him they will learn that these things of the world really do not matter.

[dave-o]

It's great that Tebow is not ashamed of the gospel.

However the notion that God cares about who wins a sporting event or selectively gives extra help to some athletes so they and their team win more is absurd.

**Edit**

LOL!! Moments after writing the above I'm watching Tim lead his team to yet another (dare I say) miraculous 4th quarter comeback down 10-zip to win in overtime.

In the post game interview Tebow says "First off I want to acknowledge my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ..."
He really is a great Christian by example

[Meg]

Final: Broncos 13, Bears 10, OT

Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow did it again.

Down 10-0 with a little more than four minutes to go against the Bears, Tebow helped the Broncos tie the game on a 59-yard field goal in regulation, and then win it 13-10 on a 51-yarder in overtime.

It was the Broncos’ sixth consecutive win and their seventh victory since Tebow took over at quarterback eight game ago.

Tebow had a hard time working his magic early on Sunday as the Bears defense bottled him up in the first quarter, and forced him into throwing his first interception in six games. Bears’ cornerback Peanut Tillman made a circus catch along the sidelined to pick off a Tebow pass and stop a Broncos’ drive.

[FaithInChrist]

It's great that Tebow is not ashamed of the gospel.

However the notion that God cares about who wins a sporting event or selectively gives extra help to some athletes so they and their team win more is absurd.

I believe that Tebow is a light in the world of sports, an entity that is full of, pride, greed, lust, love of self...God see's the lights of the world and He listen's to His children's prayers. I certainly don't think we have insight as to which prayer's God listen's to or why. His plan is much more intricate than any of our thoughts about His plan.

[dave-o]

I believe that Tebow is a light in the world of sports, an entity that is full of, pride, greed, lust, love of self...God see's the lights of the world and He listen's to His children's prayers. I certainly don't think we have insight as to which prayer's God listen's to or why. His plan is much more intricate than any of our thoughts about His plan.

I still don't think God cares who wins a game but He is more than capable of putting and keeping those with courage to testify boldly of His Son in the spotlight for His own glory.

[readyforhome]

Maybe the secular media and the atheists, pagans and so forth would be happier if Tebow was a drugged up womanizer with a criminal record. It really is sad when someone who is a devote Christian and who lives by a moral and ethical code; that many within and without football, gets as much flack as he does for his faith. The fact that so many "celebrities" are better known for what they do wrong, then what they do right. I say praise Jesus! We need far more people like Tebow, than not. I won't even go into what "Rolling Stone" magazine printed in regards to the man as the majority of it is NOT fit for print on this or any other forum. Of course this is the magazine that extols atheism as a virtue, so I guess it really shouldn't come as a suprise to anyone.

[dave-o]

Maybe the secular media and the atheists, pagans and so forth would be happier if Tebow was a drugged up womanizer with a criminal record. It really is sad when someone who is a devote Christian and who lives by a moral and ethical code; that many within and without football, gets as much flack as he does for his faith. The fact that so many "celebrities" are better known for what they do wrong, then what they do right. I say praise Jesus! We need far more people like Tebow, than not. I won't even go into what "Rolling Stone" magazine printed in regards to the man as the majority of it is NOT fit for print on this or any other forum. Of course this is the magazine that extols atheism as a virtue, so I guess it really shouldn't come as a suprise to anyone.

I think it's more the fact that Tebow speaks out against abortion and gay marriage that they hate.

[oceanminded]

Yesterday's game was amazing. Way to go Tebow!! All I know is that there were some plays that happened in the 4th Quarter that seemed supernatural. How could the Bear's running back go out of bounds to stop the clock with only seconds left to play. That same player who rarely fumbles gave up the ball during a O.T. drive that could have won the game for the Bears. I think God has a sense of humor and is loving every minute of this. If an all-powerful God that knows every single hair on our head and cares about every living creature on this earth then I'm sure he can use Tim Tebow and the Broncos to spread the Gospel.

[mattfivefour]

God may not care who wins a game, but He does honor and bless those who honor Him and His Word. We should not be surprised if that blessing occasionally comes in the form of success at one's worldly pursuit. Certainly success there can redound to the glory of God.

[Robert]

My husband and I just had a "discussion" in the car about Tebow that ended with "we'll agree to disagree".

My husband stands by his opinion that Tebow needs to be less about God and more about football on the field. He also thinks Tebow needs to thank his teammates for their efforts to win the game and quit putting all the thanks on God.

I think Tebow is brave to take the critism for continuing to praise his God, even when it isn't the popular thing to do and I think Tebow's teammates need to quit being so vain and realize that their accomplishments come from God.

It is so obvious that we humans have to have something to worship. We are constantly looking for things bigger than us to give our praise to. If only people would realize that we have an awesome God, that loves us more than we can imagine and in worship to Him they will learn that these things of the world really do not matter.

Yeah, I have to disagree with your hubby as well; it needs to be more about God, not less, and Tebow's teammates need to be more grateful to the Lord.

Football may be "the name of the game", but God is the God over all. When we try to make it less about Him, we end up trying to lessen Him.

[GlennO]

Aaron Rodgers on Tim Tebow religion controversy: ‘I believe in letting my actions speak about the kind of character I have’ | Off the Bench

[Meg]

Great article, Glenn. I also really like the comments too.

[GlennO]

By Simon Evans
Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:34pm EST

(Reuters) - Tim Tebow, the most-talked about quarterback in the National Football League, goes up against one of the most successful of the past decade when the Denver Broncos host Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Sunday's marquee game.
The game is one of many this week with playoff implications as the NFL enters the final three weeks of regular season play, but no matchup is more keenly anticipated than the clash of two AFC divisional leaders.
The AFC East's Patriots need a win to clinch their place in the post-season while the AFC West's Broncos are desperate for a victory to keep their momentum towards the playoffs going after winning seven of eight games since Tebow was named starter.
Tebow, the unorthodox, college-style quarterback whose very public displays of religiosity have polarized opinion and whose technique led many critics to write him off as a pro, has simply been the story of the 2011 NFL season so far.
The 24-year-old signal caller is well aware his counterpart in Sunday's game represents, in many ways, the gold standard in the NFL. After all, Brady has won three Super Bowls, was named the most valuable player in two of the championship games and has earned six Pro Bowl selections.
"He's a master of so many things at the quarterback position," said Tebow. "He's been one of the best in the league for a long time."
Denver have adapted their offense to embrace Tebow's ability to run with the ball while compensating for his limited throwing ability, and their defense has ensured the quarterback has been in a position to launch a series of late-game comebacks.
Denver have won their previous six games, three of them in overtime, including last week's win over the Chicago Bears that marked the second time Tebow led the Broncos to victory after trailing by 10 or more points in the final three minutes.
The phrase 'Tebow Time' has been coined to capture the fact that five times this year his Broncos have won games in which they trailed in the fourth quarter.
But the latest test for Tebow will be Bill Belichick's experienced and astute New England team, tipped by many to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
Belichick knows to expect much more than just the Tebow factor from coach John Fox's Broncos team.
"They do a lot of things well. They run the ball well, they have a little bit of an option game, they throw it well, play-action, thrown the ball down the field to some big receiver who can go up and get it. It's no one man band - we'll get tested across the board," he told reporters.
The Patriots head coach, a three-time Super Bowl winner, also does not buy into the popular notion that Tebow's throwing 'mechanics' are not suited to the NFL.
"His passing is good," said Belichick. "It was good in college, he was a very productive passer in college and he's thrown the ball well in this league. He's got some very good throws, as good as anybody that you want to put in there."
Two other AFC playoff spots could be determined with the Baltimore Ravens needing a win at San Diego to be sure and the Pittsburgh Steelers knowing a win on Monday against the already playoff bound San Francisco 49ers would be enough.
The unbeaten Green Bay Packers already have a bye in the first round of the playoffs and can secure home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a win at the Kansas City Chiefs or a 49ers loss.
(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; Editing by Frank Pingue)

[GlennO]

I hope brother Tim prospers...

[readyforhome]

Me too.

[oceanminded]

I had to post this. Tim Tebow and the Broncos win an amazing game in the playoffs against the Steelers. God has a sense of humor. Tebow threw for 316 yards...John 3:16, coincidence?