New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow has backed out of an appearance at Dallas’ First Baptist Church, a mega institution run by a pastor who has created controversy with his remarks about gays and other faiths.
Tebow tweeted Thursday that he canceled a scheduled April 28 appearance at First Baptist Church due to “new information that has been brought to my attention.”The Rev. Robert Jeffress, First Baptist’s pastor, said Tebow told him he would like to speak at First Baptist at some point, but “he needed to avoid controversy right now for personal and professional reasons.”Jeffress has preached that gay sex is sinful, Mormonism is a cult and Islam promotes violence and pedophilia. He said Thursday that First Baptist was being mischaracterized as a “hate church,” and that the church’s teachings were consistent with historic Christian beliefs.Tebow wasn’t going to speak about anything controversial, Jeffress said.“We had planned for him to speak very positively about the difference Jesus Christ had made in his life,” Jeffress said.School’s inMore than 40 current and former players - including Shawne Merriman, Will Witherspoon, Marques Colston, Antwaan Randle El, Samari Rolle, Stephen Bowen and Derrick Dockery - are trying to earn a full MBA from George Washington University by taking a series of two-week courses over two off-seasons. Graduation is May 17.Stalled testingNFL senior vice president Adolpho Birch said the league and players union need to reach agreement soon on HGH testing.Both sides agreed in principle to HGH testing when a new 10-year labor agreement was finalized in August 2011. But protocols must be approved by both sides and the players have questioned the science in the testing procedures, delaying implementation. “This is enough,” Birch said at the scouting combine. “We’ve been talking about this for two years.” The union said Tuesday it favors HGH testing, but only with a strong appeal process.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
