Friday, February 22, 2013

Tim Tebow Cancels First Baptist Church

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Associated Press is reporting that Tim Tebow called Pastor Jeffress and told him he needed to avoid controversy right now "for personal and professional reasons."

Tebow posted this on Facebook and Twitter: "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. I will continue to use the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope and Love to all those needing a brighter day. Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless!"

Prior to the cancellation, homosexual activist bloggers and some mainstream reporters and sports writers were publicly challenging Tebow's decision to appear at the 11,000 member Dallas First Baptist Church, labeling Pastor Jeffress as a "controversial evangelical Christian."

Why are they calling Pastor Jeffress controversial?

He told "The Fan" radio program 106.7, "We have been mischaracterized and misquoted as being a hate-spewing church. For us to simply say that Jesus Christ offers salvation to anyone who believes in him, and that sex should be between a man and woman in marriage, that that should be considered hate speech, I don't understand that. It really shows you not that the Word of God has changed, but society has changed."

So, did Tebow cave to the homosexual activists pressure?

How does Pastor Jeffress and the church feel about his decision?

What message does this send from the evangelical community to those who seek to redefine morality, replace biblical truth with relativism, secularize America and re-make the culture?

And what should biblical Christians take from this episode?


Tebow is receiving high praise from the homosexual community for making the right decision.

Pastor Jeffress told FOX News that Tim "felt pressured" and "people are going to have to make up their own mind about whether he caved to pressure from homosexual activists."

One source told Fox, "His decision basically validates the unfair attacks being made on First Baptist Church Dallas."

Ultimately, this is an issue that can only be fully known and reconciled between Tim Tebow and God.

Perhaps the church should not rely so heavily upon celebrities to deliver the message.

However, this speaks to the bigger national controversy this issue has generated. And that's why I bring it up today.

The event has clarified that fundamental biblical teaching such as; faith in Jesus Christ alone will save an individual; there is no other way in which people can come to God except through Jesus Christ; and that sex should only be between a man and a woman in a marriage relationship. This is now becoming "hate speech" and will not be tolerated by the secular progressives. And legislation is being incrementally put in place to enforce that view and punish those who do not hold that view.

These and other similar beliefs are historical Christian beliefs held for more than 2000 years.

Those who hold these beliefs are becoming increasingly labeled as haters, bigots, anti-Semitic, and in the case of abortion, anti-women.

So, what does it all mean?

Denny Burk, a cultural commentator and professor at Boyce College in Louisville, Ken., said Tebow’s decision is a significant event for the nation’s Christian community and could serve as a troubling bellwether.

“This moment will appear to many as another marker of Christianity’s cultural marginalization,” he wrote on his website. “In the broad tolerance of views in our public discourse, who’s in and who’s out? What voices are allowed in the cacophony that is American democracy? Which voices should be excluded? Christian voices have long been a part of the din but moments like these make it seem like those days are coming to an end.”

Do you agree?

It is certain the pressure is mounting to silence the biblical Christian's public voice.

Remember when the owner of Chick-fil-A said he believed marriage is between one man and one woman? The fury of Hell came against him and his business.

Remember when Brad Pitt's mother said she believed marriage was between one man and one woman? She instantly became national news because of her personal Christian beliefs. Brad Pitt was threatened by homosexual Hollywood insiders who told him his mother needed to keep her beliefs to herself because they had given Brad his career.

Remember the Sweet Cakes by Melissa (Gresham, OR) story a couple of weeks ago? They declined to cater a cake to a homosexual "wedding" because of their Christian beliefs. They are still being picketed and harassed.

Hobby Lobby is immersed in ongoing litigation because they are pro-life and refuse to comply with the Obamacare mandate.

The Stormans family in Olympia.

This morning, the Washington State House of Representatives are voting on a bill that will force insurance policies that cover birth costs to also cover abortion costs.

Those who seek to secularize America while silencing Christians are proceeding in 3 ways:

  • Silencing Christians through "Intimidation."
  • Silencing Christians through "Litigation."
  • Silencing Christians through "Legislation."

In the Old Testament book of Jeremiah (2: 11-13), the question is asked, "Has a nation changed its gods?" Desolation is predicted because the people have committed two evils:

1. They have forsaken God--the fountain of living waters.

2. They have hewn cisterns---broken cisterns that can hold no water.

God help us.