"My advice for Tim Tebow…Take a vow…Avoid SBC churches. Grow your hair long. The pagans in America need your message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified more than we Southern Baptists need you in our temples."
Wade Burleson – Southern Baptist pastor
As most of you know, there has been quite a brouhaha involving Tim Tebow, who canceled his speaking engagement at First Baptist Church Dallas. You remember FBC Dallas, don't you? The mega mega church that poured over $130 million into its expansion project at the behest of its pastor Robert Jeffress. When the project was first announced back in 2009, we wrote a post called If We Build It, They Will Come… and quoted Jeffress as saying:
"I think if Jerry Jones can build a $1.3 billion temple to the god of sports out there in Arlington, we can spend a 10th of that, which is what we're doing, $130 million, to build a facility for the glory of the one and only God," Jeffress quipped on KBCI. (This gives new meaning to keeping up with the Joneses)!!!
Well, Tebow ain't comin' and because of that he has been lambasted by high and mighty Christian leaders who claim he 'wimped out'. Al Mohler, loyal friend of 'don't waste your sports' Mahaney had this to say in Tebow's Big Fumble featured over at Christianity Today. Mohler wrote:
"The controversy threatened to dominate Tebow's life, so the 25-year-old athlete withdrew, attempting to escape his predicament. Stating that he has wished to "share a message of hope and Christ's unconditional love" with the historic congregation, Tebow said that "due to new information that was brought to my attention" he has decided to cancel the event. He then pledged to use "the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope, and Love to all those needing a brighter day"….
If Tebow meant to mollify his critics, it is not likely to work for long. Tebow has identified himself as a vocal evangelical believer. His church roots go deep, and it is safe to say that he has never had a pastor who, though speaking in a different tone, would have disagreed with Jeffress on the exclusivity of Christ and the sinfulness of homosexuality. He has given no indication that he has moved from those convictions, and his closest friends assure that he has not.
…evangelicals should not miss this opportunity to rethink our focus on evangelical celebrities in popular culture, including sports heroes. For now, the controversy is over Tebow's withdrawal from an invitation extended by an historic church. The pastor's statements have been the center of the controversy. Inevitably, the controversy will shift to Tebow's own statement, which he will eventually have to make. There will be no escape.
Before long, the ball will be thrown back to Tebow. I hope and pray he does not fumble it. I pray the same for myself and for every Christian in the midst of this tumultuous cultural landscape. Sooner than later, the ball will be thrown to each of us."
Has Tim Tebow caved as the 'culture warriors' claim? It is interesting how Christians who read the same Scriptures can have diametrically opposed viewpoints. We want to share with you a different perspective presented by a Southern Baptist pastor whom we greatly respect – Wade Burleson. Thanks Wade for allowing us to feature your post here at TWW.
Guest Post by Wade Burleson (link)
A couple of years ago I wrote a post about my wife's and my 2009 encounter with Tim Tebow and my growing esteem for Tim as a faithful Christian witness. The post was probably something that many mainstream pastors could have written at the time. Southern Baptist evangelical leaders were driving the Tebow bandwagon in 2009. Not any more. Last week Tebow cancelled a speaking engagement at the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas for this coming April. Tim is keeping other speaking engagements in the Dallas area that same week, but he is not going to be speaking at First Baptist. The Internet, Twitter and the blogs have been abuzz about Tim Tebow's withdrawal from his commitment to speak. Though not specifically stating the reason for his decision, Tebow issued the following statement:
"While I was looking forward to sharing a message of hope and Christ's unconditional love with the faithful members of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in April, due to new information that has been brought to my attention, I have decided to cancel my upcoming appearance."
Tim Tebow did not share what "new information" he received, but the secular media had been hounding Tebow for agreeing to speak at FBC Dallas, a church that some in the media wrongly accused of being "hateful" and "intolerant" for their views on homosexuality and Islam. Before Tebow cancelled, CBS sports journalist Gregg Doyel wrote an ugly piece entitled Agreeing to Speak at Intolerant Church Is Tim Tebow's Greatest Sin. Doyel slandered FBC Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress when he compared Jeffress to the radical and uncouth Fred Phelps, the pastor of Westboro Baptist, Topeka, Kansas. Sportswriter Gregg Doyel is not writing for a Christian audience, so his words of attack against Robert Jeffress and FBC Dallas should not come as a surprise to Christians.
However, what some SBC evangelicals have said about Tim Tebow since word filtered out that he cancelled his speaking engagment at FBC Dallas is very suprising. According to Tom Rich, one pastor named Jerry Vines tweeted, "The devil laughs when Christians compromise truth." Southern Baptist pastor Jack Graham wrote, "It is very, very sad when Tim Tebow bows to political correctness and cultural decay." Another pastor, Kevin Parnella, tweeted "Being a coward, breaking his word, and turning his back on biblical truth does not make Tim Tebow credible." For his part, pastor Robert Jeffress implied Tim Tebow "…wimped out." I find it flabbergasting that evangelical leaders who once drove the Tebow bandwagon are now verbally crucifying him. I'm not sure I could write anything to change the viewpoints of these pastors towards Tim Tebow, but maybe there is something I could write that might encourage Tebow as he moves forward in his desire to share the love of Christ. I am calling it the Cenchrea Solution.
Cenchrea is a sea port on the eastern side of the Isthmus of Corinth, just south of Athens, Greece. Cenchrea's natural harbor (pictured here) flows into the Aegean Sea. It is the harbor where Paul and Priscillia and Aquila, after spending eighteen months in Corinth, boarded a ship to head to Ephesus and then Syria as Paul finished his second missionary journey (Acts 18:18). Cenchrea is mentioned only twice in the Bible. The second occasion is in Romans when the Apostle Paul commends Phoebe, a woman deacon from the church at Cenchrea, to the assembly in Rome (Romans 16:1-2). Phoebe boarded a ship in the port of Cenchrea in A.D. 57 and set sail for Rome in order to deliver Paul's letter to the Romans. Renan wrote, "Phoebe carried under the folds of her robe the whole future of Christian theology."
But Cenchrea is also a signficant seaport because of a statement made in Acts 18:18 regarding Paul: "Paul had his hair cut at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken." Notice that the verb is in the past tense. Paul "had taken" a vow.
The Jews did not like Paul or his message."The Jews resisted … so Paul shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will only go to the Gentiles." (Acts 18:6) This last sentence reveals the vow that Paul made. He vowed to stop going to the Jewish synagogue in Corinth. For the rest of his time in Corinth Paul vowed he would only share the message of Christ with the pagan Greeks. By the way, the culture of the Corinthian Greeks was corrupt to the nth degree. The society in which they lived really bothered the religious Jews of Corinth. But Paul's mission was to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ and nothing else. He vowed he would no longer waste his time in the religious synagogue of the Jews. As was customary for Jews when making a vow, Paul began to let his hair grow long. He stopped living with the Jews in Corinth and went to live with a Gentile man named Titius Justus, as told us in Acts 18:7:
"Then Paul left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue."
Paul stayed with Titius Justus next to the synagogue, but he never again went into the Jewish synagogue in Corinth. He walked the streets of Corinth for at least another year sharing Christ with the pagan Greeks, and he spent Sundays teaching a small but growing Christian assembly. Toward the end of his stay in Corinth, the religious and pious Jews slandered Paul. They tried to press charges against Paul, angry that he was not interested in Jewish customs and traditions and their Jewish laws. How dare this trained Jewish scholar from Tarsus spend his time with the pagan Corinthians! The Jews let Paul know they no longer appreciated him.
It's interesting to note that Paul would later write a letter to the people he had led to Christ in Corinth, and in this letter (I Corinthians), he described what he did during those months he spent among the pagan Greeks in Corinth:
"For I resolved to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (I Cor. 2:2).
His fellow Jews wanted Paul to be interested in much more than Christ and Him crucified. They wanted him to press home the Law. They wanted him to keep the customs and traditions of the Jews. They wanted him to identify with them — but he was only interested in taking the message of Christ to the world. He was uninterested in promoting anything else. When Paul left Corinth, he went to Cenchrea to catch a ship to go to Ephesus and then on to Syria, but before he boarded:
"Paul had his hair cut at Cenchrea because of the vow he had taken" (Acts 18:18).
The cutting off of his hair (see Numbers 6:5) signified the end of the Paul's vow not to speak in the Jewish synagogue. Now notice the next verse:
"They (Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla) came to Ephesus…. Now Paul himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews" (Acts 18:19).
Paul's vow was over. He cut his hair. He could now go into the Jewish synagogue.
My Advice for Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ who identifies with us Southern Baptists. Your membership is at a Southern Baptist church in Jacksonville, Florida. It seems some of your own people (a few Southern Baptist leaders) want you to focus (with them) on secondary and tertiary issues. They want you to affirm their beliefs in matters that have nothing to do with Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The fact that this is not your calling or your mission makes them no difference. They are upset with you.
I suggest you follow the example of the Apostle Paul.
Take a vow, Tim.
Avoid SBC churches.
Grow your hair long.
The pagans in America need your message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified more than we Southern Baptists need you in our temples.
Lydia's Corner: Joshua 11:1-12:24 Luke 17:11-37 Psalm 84:1-12 Proverbs 13:5-6
Not sure how Tebow has “turned his back on Biblical truth” by canceling an appearance…and as for “breaking his word,” I’d love to see them apply that standard to the next mega-pastor who cancels a speaking engagement for whatever reason.
I have never seen a matter where everyone commenting has something worthwhile to say.
Burleson does. Don’t let the message of Christ get drowned out by other messages.
Mohler does. Tebow is going to have to explain at some point. Tebow will also have to justify or defend future appearances at various venues. Burleson himself is a convictional person. He looks moderate compared to Jeffress. But let’s face it. Any of us who hold to biblical conviction are going to be criticized and lampooned. I would hate to see Tebow being criticized for going to Burleson’s church in the future and having to explain it.
Some of the complaining pastors do. In true SBC fashion, they are over the top and should be still at this point. But what they are saying is not altogether untrue.
What would Jesus do here? I don’t presume to know. I think that he would speak the truth in love. To the world and to the church.
Maybe First Baptist Dallas deserves to be snubbed. For those who don’t like that church or Jeffress, they can take some satisfaction in the entire affair.
My hope is that no one will let this thing get away from them.
Going forward First Baptist can learn to speak about issues in a direct, but less strident way.
Tim Keller in NYC is apparently successful in this. He speaks on issues relating to homosexuality in a city that is 100 times more hostile to Christians than Dallas. Does everyone like him? No. But doe he present issues in a wise way so that the issues get the best hearing possible? Yes.
When did we ever conclude that the best and only way of presenting an issue was to be as loud and inflammatory as possible?
This reminds me a lot of the “I will not speak at Bob Jones University” discussion in a Presidential election a few years ago.
The idea is that if one goes and speaks somewhere, that means an endorsement of everything that group or place stands for.
Poppycock!
I think that our society would be a whole lot better of listening to what people say than judging on the identity of the place where they said it.
If anyone wants me to go give a speech – anywhere – I am there. Just know that doesn’t mean I endorse every whacked out thing that might have been said from the podium or lecturn. Heck, if that’s the test, I can’t speak before Congress one day.
Tebow, and all of us, need to simply say that we will speak and spread the message of Christ’s love wherever.
That’s not hard. It preserves Tebow’s independence such that he doesn’t look like he is slavishly beholden to media mavens and other critics.
And it speaks to the host. Fact is, Tebow could have said something that might have been very helpful to Jeffress and his congregation about how to be gentleman, how to fight with humility etc.
And it softly says that a speaker will be the master of his own calendar and engagements. Not someone else.
That’s what I am hoping for.
“Burleson does. Don’t let the message of Christ get drowned out by other messages.
Mohler does
”
Mohler does what?
Mohler is making no sense so not sure we should listen to him at all except to point out his glaring hypocrisy over Penn State/SGM.
The whole Tebow thing is outrageous from another standpoint. Our need for celebrity Christians.
“The idea is that if one goes and speaks somewhere, that means an endorsement of everything that group or place stands for.
Poppycock!
”
this presupposes that every Christian stage/venue allows differing views on doctrine, culture, etc. And we know that is not true of most of them.
I see a Mohlerhill out of a mountain when it comes to Al’s cronie Mahaney’s coverup scandal but
I see a mountain out of a mohlerhill when it comes to tedious minuta with respect to Tebow.
FBCD still has Tebow’s photo on their calendar page.
http://www.firstdallas.org/event/406645-2013-04-28-915am-worship-service/
Sometimes tedious minutiae humor is the only thing standing between me and the express train to Crazytown.
And so what if Tebow avoided speaking because it was bad for business? Maybe he thinks associating with certain groups makes him worth less. So what? I could not care less the reasons. His business. Christians can just mind their own. We don’t own him, and we are entitled to nothing.
“And so what if Tebow avoided speaking because it was bad for business? Maybe he thinks associating with certain groups makes him worth less. So what? I could not care less the reasons. His business. Christians can just mind their own. We don’t own him, and we are entitled to nothing.”
Thank you! Just another reason why I cannot stand celebrity Christianity. It always degenerates into something like this. Hannah Montana, anyone? Just another way to get the focus off Christ.
@ Anon 1:
Thanks Anon1.
Why don’t we all just assume that a grown man we don’t know understands what’s best for him and his faith? I think our witness would be improved if we just let people decide for themselves what they should do. Aside from speaking up when lives are in the line and/or people are being abused, unless we are invited to make suggestions, let’s not.
Ugh, Tebow.
I personally can’t stand Christian culture’s going all slackjawed and goo goo over Tim Tebow.
Mostly it’s because I love my NFL and got exhausted at the thought of the fundagelical culture warriors interrupting my precious games with their bloviating.
So really, I’d just love if Tebow focused on working on his weird throwing arm and wonky balance – and maybe finding a team that will offer him a contract. Maybe.
Also, are the musings of a 25 year old professional jock so compelling that they must be given in the church during the worship service?
Finally – love Pastor Wade’s application of Paul’s experience with the religious authorities in Corinth to this situation.
I’m still struggling to get my head around a church spending $130 million on themselves in the form of a building. Tebow cancelling a visit isn’t a scandal. But in my opinion, a church showering obscene amounts of money on themselves is.
@ Pam:
Pam, when I read about the $130 million glitz temple, it literally made my stomach hurt and my heart ache.
Pam
Surely you aren’t saying that $12 million fountain isn’t going to cause mass conversions in downtown Dallas? Die heretic!
Dee wrote:
“Poke her with the comfy pillow! No one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition!”
Not the comfy chair!!
Pam wrote:
I so agree! The phrase “straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel” comes to mind.
Cake or Death…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNjcuZ-LiSY
The $130 million on the church is bad, the $12 million dollar fountain that shoots 3 stories with computerized nozzles in front of the monstrosity is what bothers me. I wonder if they’ll be calling the Dallas PD to drag winos out of the fountain cooling off on 104F July days?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4IWRZN0GdA
Anonymous, good post.
And a late-night smile from the Spanish Inquisition references!
I think we do have to be careful with Christian celebrity. Obviously it’s encouraging when people in the public eye, especially in professions not always known for, er, humility and godliness, profess Christ. But I think the Church then expects too much of them and is disappointed when they fail at some point (not that I’m suggesting Tim Tebow has). The fact is that Christians in most walks of life, famous or anonymous, are faced with the same temptations and trials, but most we never hear about.
God’s purpose for Tim Tebow maybe different than what these pastor’s want from him.
So what do they do? They slam him and refuse their own ‘biblical’ teachings on how approach another believer you believe is in sin, and also seem to feel free in passing around their own form of gossip on what he is ‘really doing’.
What they seem to miss is Tim is reaching some with God’s word those loudmouth pastor’s only wish they could.
What a bunch of bullies. Remind us please how your response is any different than those of the world you preach against? I know must be missing something…point it out for me please! (Yes, sarcasm…sigh)
You know what else is strange?
Their silence and support for SGM, and their loud rebuke of Tim.
The lifes of families are shattered and they have nothing to say. Tim decides he doesn’t want to speak there for whatever reason which he never did mention, and yet he is accused of all kinds of filthy things.
Where are your priorities you cowards!
K.D. wrote:
Playing in fountains on those really hot days is one of the best things ever. I’d be in that fountain like a shot.
@ Rafiki:
“I personally can’t stand Christian culture’s going all slackjawed and goo goo over Tim Tebow.”
Good, I’m not the only one. I do agree that the hullabaloo over him skipping this speaking engagement seems to be a little out of proportion, though I’m not really surprised as it could be interpreted as dissing an “important” pastor and his “important” Southern megachurch (and not just Southern – Texas, the HEART of Christianity and all other goods in America!). Which therefore must = impending doctrinal failures/weaknesses on THE ISSUES on Tebow’s part.
And for the record…I’d never actually heard of Robert Jeffress or FBC Dallas before this article so I really don’t get the big ruckus here.
Hannah,
We are definitely ‘watching’ all of this play out. No doubt we will be bringing it up again in the future.
Hester
Did you miss all the press coverage Jeffress got while he was backing Rick Perry? He said some inflammatory things during the primary process.
@ Deb:
I paid basically zero attention to Rick Perry during the primaries (since I already knew he was deep in bed with the NAR) except to hope that his popularity was short-lived. So yes, I suppose I did miss that press coverage, or at least the name Robert Jeffress. What did he say?
Hester,
Dee wrote a post you might want to read. If you Google Robert Jeffress and Rick Perry you will see a ridiculous number of links.
http://thewartburgwatch.com/2011/10/10/memo-to-robert-jeffress-this-evangelical-plans-to-vote-for-mitt-romney/
@ Deb:
Yet another Christian who flipped out because a Mormon was running for the Republican ticket (and was eventually nominated)…sigh. Nothing to see here. I also had theoretical discussions with some of my FB friends during election season about whether gay people should be elected to public office. (Their answer: no, they’re too flagrant of sinners to be allowed to lead.)
Hannah Thomas wrote:
I was just sitting here thinking, Why is it OK to loudly and publicly rebuke Tim Tebow by name but absolute charlatans such as Driscoll and Mahaney get a free pass forevermore? Megachurch pastors gotta stick together?
@ lilyrosemary:
“Why is it OK to loudly and publicly rebuke Tim Tebow by name but absolute charlatans such as Driscoll and Mahaney get a free pass forevermore?”
Tim Tebow isn’t a pastor or a theologian, ergo he can still be criticized.
lilyrosemary said:
Their hypocrisy is absolutely incredible. How sad that their sycophants can't even see what the rest of the world is seeing. And this crowd is discerning about spiritual things?!
Debra Baker wrote:
Yeah. Straining out gnats and swallowing camels.
Shannon H. wrote:
Hmm. Seems to be a lot of that going on. 🙂
@ Hester:
Kings feel quite at home ordering their serfs around. Afterall, Christian kings believe they are the only ones with spiritual discernment. Maybe they need to read their NT a few times.
@ Bridget:
Agreed. Totally.
Albert Mohler ought to take a good look at some of the things he’s said before pointing a finger at Tim Tebow.
Bridget wrote:
Divine Right of Kings and all that.
Deb wrote:
Last time I encountered Spiritual Discernment(TM) was in Spring of 2010. Said Spiritual Discernment was that a recently-acquired piece of fantasy art (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1256203/) on my wall was DEMON-possessed and responsible for my bout of Depression at the time.
(Actually, the picture WAS responsible for the depresso attack, but there was nothing supernatural about it. Some of the circumstances around my acquisition of it paralleled some events in my past, triggering a flashback of my breakup with my only girlfriend at full emotional intensity.)
Help-I am looking for a link to the John Piper “apastle to the world” video.
@ dee:
Dee –
Anon 1 linked to the video on the Piper thread I believe.
http://pilgrimagetogeneva.com/2013/02/13/sinners-and-saints-radio-on-john-piper-and-dgm/
Here it is.
The original post:
In a way, yes, it seems at first glance a little strange, but, I’m not surprised totally.
Tebow (who is still under the age of 30 or is early 30s?) went on record as being a virgin a few years ago,and expressed his desire to wait for marriage.
Some Christians used him as a positive example of celibacy or sexual purity, mostly for teenagers.
The problem is, once Tebow reaches age 35 or higher and if he is still not married, and still abstaining from sex at that age, the same Christians who lauded him for being a virgin last year, will be the same Christians and same churches, that will either ignore him, or treat him as an oddity later.
The conservative church, which strongly hits teenage Christians over the head with the “be sexually pure until marriage” message, will shun those same sexually pure teens when they arrive to their mid 30s and older and are still virgins, or blame them for not being married and having kids.
I believe that the Bible forbids sex outside of marriage, but for Christians who get past age 35 who are still refraining from sex (because they are not married), they get ostracized by some factions of Christians for following this belief and for living it out.
Some Christians, like Mohler of the SBC, and even more extreme groups such as Christian Reconstructionists, teach that singleness past one’s 20s is sin.
Then there’s the old joke about two Baptists who meet on a bridge.
Here’s one variation of it:
Baptists on a bridge joke
I’m not totally surprised to see that one who was formerly esteemed is now being hounded, for one reason or another, by Christians who applauded the guy. If not for this, it would be over his celibacy later, or something else.
@ Daisy:
Tebow is not much older than 23 or 24, tops. He won the Heisman in 2009 in his senior year at the University of Florida. This past season with the Jets was only his second season in the NFL.
lilyrosemary wrote:
Mr Tebow is, evidently, only famous for sport; therefore, he has to pass a lot more doctrinal tests in order to be acceptable. It’s a little like having to renew his licence every year.
Megachurch pastors are famous for their stated commitment to a small number of Ingsoc principles, however. Thus, no matter how many love tests they fail, they cannot be touched. A little like former President-for-life Jean-Claude Duvalier of Haiti.
First Baptist did not ask Tim Tebow to come and speak against anyone. They have built a new church and merely asked him to come and speak. He certainly could have come and given a word of faith, hope, and love but has refused. When did newsmen and sportswriters become experts on what the Bible says when they called Pastor Jeffress hateful. Tim is certainly within his right to cancel as he has done but to say it was because of other information that had come to his attention left a black mark out there on First Baptist. First Baptist Church and Pastor Jeffress deserve better and as a Christian he should come forth with a sound Biblical answer.
Nick Bulbeck wrote:
Nick, I’d say that as a missionary kid who wore Bible verses as eye black in college and then made a pro-life commercial sponsored by Focus on the Family and shown at the Super Bowl, Tebow passed the acceptability test with flying colors.
Evangelicals went bonkers over him because of his doctrinally correct evangelicalism, regardless of the fact that there were questions as to whether he was the total package to be successful in the NFL.
That is why they are screaming like wounded animals at his apparent “betrayal” by cancelling.
James wrote:
I think First Baptist did a fine job of giving themselves a giant black mark all on their own with their obscene $130 million USD building. No help from Tebow needed!
@ singleman:
Or actually do some long-term missionary work in a developing country, like Tebow’s family did, in lieu of giving lectures in air conditioned 100 million dollar buildings for a living.
Seriously, does Mohler even do photo ops at homeless shelters or make any pretense at interacting with people outside his elite circle of friends? Do any of the guys criticizing Tebow?
Daisy wrote:
Or point the fingers and scream (or whisper behind his back) “FAG! FAAAG!! FAAAAAG!!!”
“think First Baptist did a fine job of giving themselves a giant black mark all on their own with their obscene $130 million USD building. No help from Tebow needed”
totally agree. It is embarassing as one who was SBC for years.
@ James:
He doesn’t need to give anyone a “Biblical” answer. He contacted the church well ahead of time and excused himself. He doesn’t need to do more than that unless he was under legal contract. Tebow is not responsible for the public’s assumptions nor for the behavior of sportwriters and newsmen.
Good grief, you’d think he was owned by leaders who want to him to speak.
@ Rafiki & Nick:
“Evangelicals went bonkers over him because of his doctrinally correct evangelicalism, regardless of the fact that there were questions as to whether he was the total package to be successful in the NFL.”
That and he was homeschooled, which only completes the perfect picture. All he had to do was say “I’m a Christian” and take the knee in the endzone and they were coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs.
Personally I never got what all the fuss was about. I watched once when he was with Denver and I think he threw the ball twice in the entire game…just ran it the rest of the time. Which is fine…but not if you’re a quarterback.
James
Welcome to TWW. The people of FBC Dallas have no need for his good word.They’ve got lots of money and spent it to build a really nice place to seat their bottoms on Sunday. This place is a testament to Dallas wealth, not to Jesus. This was not a church buidling. It iwas a $130 million dollar ADDITION!
You know what FBC Dallas needs? A homeless guy to get up and give them a good lesson on how best to use ones money to the glory of God. Here’s one for you all-How about someone to come in and talk about the serial divorces in churches in Dallas?
Tebow doesn’t owe the people of Dallas anything. I lived there for 10 years andI I know that rich Dallasites feel owed when they build temples.They aren’t. Jesus is owed.But this is really about Jesus, is it?
I think a big problem is famous athletes or other well known celebrities are not allowed to quietly live their Christian lives where God has planted them. They are pressured into public speaking gigs, when perhaps they are not gifted or even comfortable in that realm.
The first time I thought about this was around 15 years ago when I saw Norma McCorvey (of Roe vs. Wade) speak at a church in SC. After Norma became a Christian, some pastor (I can’t remember his name) dragged her around on a pro life speaking circuit. The whole charade made me wince because Norma was clearly uncomfortable with public speaking and this pastor was overtly relishing in the recognition HE was getting by being the one who was bringing her conversion to the public eye. I just wanted to hug her and tell her God loved her and that she didn’t have to follow that pastor around.
Perhaps Tebow is comfortable on a speaking circuit. If so, thats fine. But if not, the greatest command is not to placate mega church pastors by filling their pews and bringing attention to their little Christian fiefdoms. It is to love God and your neighbor, and if Tebow and other famous Christians are doing that in their day to day dealings, I suspect God is pleased.
Bravo Wade Burleson.
I tried posting a comment about this over at Denny Burk’s blog a while ago, but he deleted it. Surprise surprise.
I just don’t understand the fuss over this whole situation in particular and Tebow in general. Are American Christians so implicated in celebrity culture that they are clamouring for a legitimate celebrity of their own? Is this why Tebow is being courted to speak here and there? Who cares what Tim Tebow has to say about anything other than football plays? He’s an average football player! Don’t people know the stats about head injuries in the NFL? Steroids? Anyone who goes to American universities with major football programs can attest to the, uh, rigor, of academic expectations for football stars. There are plenty of extremely intelligent, well-read, and eloquent people out there already speaking on cultural and theological issues. Why is Tim Tebow’s opinion or endorsement valued by anyone other than Nike? I’m sure Tim is a nice guy, but I don’t care what he thinks about any theological or social issue. His celebrity status is evidence to me that Christians are deeply tied to the cult of celebrity (but we already knew that).
Having said that, as many here have already pointed out, the guy decided not to speak at a church. A church that seems to have a jerk as a pastor. Enough said. Who cares? Why does the ‘secular’ media care and why do Christians care? There are so many more important things going on in the world.
Doncha just love how there is as yet very little evidence of why Tebow cancelled the speaking engagement, but everyone just ASSUMES that it must have SOMETHING to do with “the gay debate” and Jeffress’ reputation in the secular media?
I’d prefer all these high-profile pastors to refrain from speaking out about Tim’s reasoning before they actually know what Tim’s reasoning is. If it turns out that Tebow had reasons unrelated to Jefress’ reputation in the media, then all those people who said Tebow must be “caving” to pop media pressure are going to look awfully silly. Let’s wait for all the facts before we send the jury off for a verdict, please.
The fact that people are so eager and anxious to make the gay debate be at the center of any controversy is really starting to make me sick.
dee wrote:
Isn’t “Good Christian Bitches” set in the Dallas Megachurch Whirl?
M. Joy wrote:
How long before she crashed & burned from Christianese Celebrity Burnout?
And often after a burnout they go 1000% in the other direction, “Take Your God And Shove It!”, lashing back at the God and Christ who used them up and threw them under the bus.
Caleb W wrote:
Because He’s an NFL Football Star(TM). Nothing else.
Christianese Celebrity Testimony Uber Alles. Just like High School, where the Football Jocks were the Master Race and all the rest of us were Subhumans.
And isn’t Football Fanboy the classic American archetype of Real Manhood?
HUG
It is, and I am afraid that it was closer to reality than most peoplke would like. I ran on the outskirts of that crowd. Needless to say, I did not fit.
@ Caleb W:
“There are plenty of extremely intelligent, well-read, and eloquent people out there already speaking on cultural and theological issues. Why is Tim Tebow’s opinion or endorsement valued by anyone other than Nike? I’m sure Tim is a nice guy, but I don’t care what he thinks about any theological or social issue.”
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Actually, I don’t think I actually care about what any of the extremely intelligent, well-read, and eloquent people out there on the speaking circuit think about theological or social issues.
Complete honesty here: It’s been years — YEARS — since i have heard one thing that seemed inspired, fresh, invigorating, motivating, or enlightening from a christian speaker / pastor with a mic.
I am tending to think there simply isn’t that much more to say.
Of course that is not true. So, therefore, my possible conclusion #1 is that speakers / pastors are simply reading each other, and everything that’s been preached on & written about in the last many years, and what is delivered is simply constant regurgitation.
My possible conclusion #2 is that there is something new that is wanting to happen. A new perspective. A new something. Everything is stale. It’s all in a holding pattern. I can feel that something new wants to happen. Like when it’s about to rain and you can feel the air getting heavy…
@ elastigirl: Fair enough, though I wasn't really thinking just about Christian speakers and I'm certainly not interested in those who are on the speaking circuit (as Tebow seems to be, too). Nevertheless, I don't think anything new will come from the mouth of Tim Tebow.
Mar30Carrie I have gone to some mega huge churches, Some had very very famuos pastors and christian musicians going there. The artists usually arrived late with a body guard and left early. Unfortunately the need of security was very real. The pastor was a single gentleman and we had all sorts of misguided folks show up of both genders to give him a word that he was to marry them It was a mess. 90% of the time there was no big deal. You knew the artist was there and that was it. Im sure there were some autograph hounds that followed, but if they were not there for Jesus they left. A different church I belonged to also had all sorts of folks come through from football players to goth people in full dress and satanists. All were welcome, but we were there to worship Jesus. The pastor made an announcement every week of if you have a view different from what Im teaching, see me after and we will discuss. We are here for Jesus and Him only. We all just went about our worship experience.All that to say that for me I dont care who comes to my church. I know God can reach even the hardest of hearts. He can lift up those who feel they are the lowest of lows. I mean come on JESUS shows up, and who is more important than He?????Im also thankful we have an awesome security team to keep things running smoothly so if someone came in, I doubt they would be harassed much at all. Just my musings.