On October 4, Tim Tebow and Ravi Zacharias sat down together, sharing life challenges and lessons learned in a live, online event. Hosted by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, the two shared personal insights on how to live as a Christian in today’s culture.
Tebow said he was lucky being born into an amazing family.
“I got to see the gospel before I got to hear the gospel…Every morning the Bible was open and my dad was reading it before I got up for breakfast,” the former NFL quarterback shared.
Tim Tebow watched his parents live and apply the principles of the Bible through their service every day, helping people who couldn’t do anything for them in return.
“I got to see these two examples every day.”
Tebow went on to detail his family’s active church life. They went to church on “Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night…there might be something in-between. A revival meeting or whatever…I mean, we were going to church…But honestly, that didn’t have that big of an effect on me.”
Tebow continued, “What made an effect on me was watching my dad everyday. It was in hearing the gospel and my parents at night would bring me over to my dad’s big chair…We would read the Bible and he’d say, ‘Hey Timmie, is this something you want now?’ And over and over again I’d say, ‘Oh no, no, no dad. I’m not going to make this choice just yet. And one of those nights I was in my bed and I couldn’t sleep and I was so scared because I finally, truly realized the gravity of my own sin. As a boy. And it hit me. I’m a sinner and I need a Savior because I have done a lot of wrong.”
“That next morning I got up early,” Tebow continued, “and I ran to go see my mom, because my dad was out dealing with the chickens and the cows with my two older brothers. And I grabbed my mom and said, ‘I’ve got to ask Jesus to come into my heart right now.’ And she’s like, ‘Can I go get your dad?’ And I said, ‘No, I don’t have time.'”
“And so we went to the couch and I got on my knees and I asked Jesus to come into my heart—and I totally believe in that moment I went from darkness into light. I was adopted into the family of God. My eternity was sealed. I am a child of God and have a home in Heaven…And then we got to go bring my dad in, and we were celebrating and he was crying, everyone was so excited. And then we went to EPCOT to go celebrate!”
You can watch Tim’s testimony from 29:00-33:00 minute mark or watch the full conversation: