Bob Jones University and the Bruins Foundation are hosting “An Evening with Tim Tebow”

It’s hard to argue with the facts, though I’m sure many here will do just that and call us judgmental for presenting them.

the rest is details.”

Saw that on a shirt once, and never forgot it. :-)

Still mourning the loss of MBU football—as one who can testify that football did far more for me than I did for football.

1 Cor. 9:24

At least a fundamentalist Bible college isn’t going to have Big Daddy Weave speak on campus. :-)!

I am not a BJU grad, but it is interesting that to “the world” Tebow is an unrepentant Bible thumper, pure and naive as the wind driven snow. If that weren’t the case, he is so despised that surely someone would have outed him.

So, is it Tebow being invited that is the problem, or is the “real problem” intercollegiate athletics.

I sorta find it funny that some of the same people picking apart Tebow for his indiscretions are the ones that adamantly defend the guy in the White House who has maybe .000001% of the character of Tebow. I know, there is a difference in the scenarios but I still find it amusing.

I do agree that the Christian celebrity culture is ridiculous. Who is Tim Tebow? A washed up NFL quarterback that never had a career and was fired from one team after another. As a baseball player, he batted .200 in single A ball last year. That is not the stuff that even gives him a shot at playing major league baseball much less being a star in it. So the question I would have is why BJU can’t find a real athlete if they want to promote athletics.

The “real problem” is the changes current BJU administration are making in order to broaden the appeal and enrollment. These changes slowly but surely are changing the Biblical Fundamentalist nature of the school into something broadly conservative Evangelical. Yes, with these changes, BJU will survive. But survive as what? Apparently the BJU Board doesn’t see any problem with the changes. I imagine BJU students, staff, and alumni are split 50/50 on these changes, and the Administration has decided to go with the “broad appeal” in order to survive, assuming that those opposed will go away.

As far as Saturday night church: Fine for evangelistic purposes or for those who cannot come on Sunday. But, more than some will admit, many of those who go to church on Saturday night do so in order that their Sunday is open for personal activities. Has nothing to do with work. Since more churches do not have a Sunday night service anymore, those who work on Sunday don’t have a Sunday night service to go to. Strange that we will have a Saturday night service, but not a Sunday night service. Some equated playing football on Sunday to police, firefighters, etc working on Sunday. Don’t think that’s the same kind of job.

[Jim]

GregH wrote:

As a baseball player, he batted .200 in single A ball last year.

How’s he not a “real athlete”? [he’s real … he’s an athlete]

I am not trashing him. It doesn’t mean anything to me that he does not have the talent to play professional sports successfully. I am sure he is a great guy.

Yes, .220 is marginally better than .200 but I am afraid that is still woefully bad for a single A player wanting to get to the majors.

Tim Tebow was 9-6 as a starter in his NFL career with 17 TDs and 9 interceptions, in addition to 12 rushing TDs. No, he’s not a Hall of Famer, and he’s probably not even good enough to regularly start in the NFL. But the fact that he could never get another job as a even a backup in the NFL is something that would make me start believing in Christian conspiracy theories. While his throwing mechanics weren’t great, he PROVED himself as a leader of men during his time as a starter. Again, he was 9-6. If you compare that to the records of dozens of 2nd and 3rd string QBs—and even starters!—in the NFL, it’s just head-scratching why no one would even sign him as a backup.

Anyone who would question Tim Tebow’s Christian character either hasn’t been paying attention or is willing to slander a brother. As others have pointed out, he is regularly mocked and ridiculed for his clear testimony and personal stand on purity (GQ covers notwithstanding, I’m talking about his commitment to virginity until marriage). Now, I will agree that some of his Christian associations at conferences have been questionable, but I think many evangelicals don’t look at conferences in the same way fundamentalists do. To a fundamentalist, speaking at a conference means “sharing the stage” with all the other speakers and endorsing everything they do and say—in other words, becoming “partners” with them in ministry. To evangelicals, speaking at a conference doesn’t mean I endorse everything about all the other speakers who might speak there.

Because they are promoting him as an athlete with a Christian testimony that they are using for fundraising for athletics, I have less of a problem with him speaking there than if it were a Bible conference or something like that.

Do the same people questioning Tebow speaking at BJU have the same questions regarding past political candidates who also spoke there?

For my part, the big concerns on Don’s list are TD Jakes and the Pope—I have some theological differences with many of the others, but as far as I can tell, none of those theological differences touch the Gospel. I think we need to remember that fundamentalism was about defending the Gospel and uniting believers, but today all too often we think we need to do tertiary and quaternary separation for things like music. No, thank you.

That said, Jakes and Francis are a concern for me, as that is a clear Gospel issue, and you have the question of why Piper, Chan, LeCrae, and Tebow would share a platform with the likes of Jakes and Francis. Part of the answer is simply that fundagelicals and pentamatics alike have been under the impression that big crowds get big things done for God, and that to get big crowds, you’ve got to have big names. Hence you go after whatever big name you can—and those watching closely will raise their eyebrows at times.

While sometimes good things get done in Scripture through big crowds—Acts 2, Hezekiah’s reading of the Torah, etc..—I think that we need to remember that the link to big names is tenuous.

Hence, while a Heisman trophy winner like Tebow is no doubt a real athlete, we ought to admit as well that people like him are not essential to getting things done to honor God.

Tebow’s associations are more than “questionable”. And of course Evangelicals consider some practices different than Fundamentalists. They always have. That’s one of the differences. Fundamentalists that I know of don’t assume that “sharing the stage” is an endorsement of everything the others do and say. That’s overstatement and a straw man argument. An important question for BJU Adminsitration: Was the Administration aware of Tebow’s speaking at the events Don outlined? If so, then an explanation of how & why BJU has changed its policies is due. If not, then that shows carelessness or unconcern. For those who support Tebow speaking: Is there any “Christian athlete” who would be unacceptable to speak at BJU and how do you make that decision? And contrary to some, music is not a minor issue.

Don, I graduated from BJU in 1987; I loved my time there and the changes in the sports program since my graduation do not keep me up at night. I appreciate your taking the time to see who our Brother fellowships with; I learned from the administration and faculty and chapel speakers as well as our visiting speakers in preacher boy’s class, that fellowship, having a common spiritual goal, is where God sets up guidelines as to whom we may and may not have fellowship with.

I like the fact that Tim played for the Broncos; my second cousin (once or twice removed) played for them in the 70’s; that was Rob Lytle. I like the fact that the masses googled John 3:16 after they saw his eye black with that written on it. I like the fact that Tim does not give up easily and encourages others to press on and not be defined by “failure” in one event or area of life.

As fas as I can recall, we did not have any service with a spiritual emphasis and goal with one who would appear in the places where Brother Tim has. That is the change that breaks my heart for it is a departure from the clear teaching of God’s Word. I watched the ecumenical Ken Ham be invited to speak at last year’s Bible Conference as well as Steve Green of the Hobby Lobby speaking this year.

I don’t mind change one bit; as the child of God I’m to transformed and conformed to the image of Christ; that is more change than we can now comprehend. I do mind ignoring the teaching of the Word for any reason.

Thank you again for your helping us.