FALL 2024 23 Three beliefs about leaders Three qualities are fundamental to Tebow’s beliefs about the kind of leadership that leads others to Christ—the first of which has to do with one’s relationship with money. “Be an extravagant giver,” Tebow encouraged his audience. He then shared how at a young age his family lived in the Philippines while serving as missionaries. At a time when the family often struggled to make ends meet, his parents often gave their last few dollars to those who needed it more. Each time his parents gave of their resources, God compelled other people around them to care for the Tebows. His parents’ reliance and trust in God left a lasting impact on him. “If I am so passionate about this game, how much more passionate should I be about spreading the love of Christ?” he continued. “I started my career for my love for the game but ended it for the cause of Christ.” The second quality of authentic leadership, according to Tebow, is extravagant love—especially to those whom the world refuses to love. He explained that the most powerful type of love is a choice, not an emotion. We must choose to die to ourselves and love one another each day as Christ decides to love us. He told a story about his father who attended an underground church conference in a country where worshiping the Lord is against the law. During the conference, he saw other people operating an underground auction in the sex trade industry. Tebow’s father refused to turn a blind eye and emptied everything in his wallet to purchase freedom for four girls who would be sold to the highest bidding. When he asked his father how the other pastors responded, his father said they all had good excuses for essentially doing nothing. How often do we likewise boast of good excuses when the Lord confronts us with an opportunity to love extravagantly? We don’t have time. Someone else will do it. The list is endless, but Tebow’s encouragement was to take action regardless. The third and final quality of leadership that points others to Christ is a sense of urgency. We should rush to spread the Gospel as far as possible, Tebow shared, because we don’t know if these opportunities will arise again. He added one of his favorite sayings: “The Gospel is the greatest love story rescue mission of all time.”Tebow then echoed some of the convicting questions we may face when we find ourselves hesitating instead of taking action in Jesus’ name. How many times have I stayed quiet instead of speaking up? Is it because I don’t really believe God? Or that I don’t love people enough? If I truly believed that God could work through me, why wouldn’t I tell them about Jesus? The key to Tebow’s leadership and life is the ferocious pursuit of opportunities to further the Kingdom. “Remember that the Gospel is good news with great joy that should be for all people,” Tebow exhorted the audience. “May we be so bold as to give love to those in need and do it with a sense of urgency. There is a world starving for hope, and we can be hope-carriers, if we are willing.” Seamless living in the will of God Godly leaders like Tim Tebow who are changing the world may not all be household names, but all have one thing in common. They are humble practitioners of avodah, whose work is worshipful and whose service infuses their everyday work for the cause of Christ. They don’t seek a name for themselves but only desire for God to use them as His servant leaders, faithfully following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and accomplishing all that He calls them to do. Dr. Wright and Christopher Holloway presented Tim Tebow with a custom pair of DBU-themed cowboy boots as a reminder of his visit to University Hill
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