Throughout warmups earlier than final January's BCS Nationwide Championship recreation between the College of Florida and the College of Oklahoma, tv cameras zoomed in tight on Gators quarterback Tim Tebow's face, giving viewers the primary of many pictures of what was written in white letters on his eye black: Jan 3:16 a.m.
For ardent Christians like Tebow, a verse from the Bible's Gospel of John – “For God so cherished the world, that he gave his solely begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him mustn’t perish, however have eternal life” is the inspiration of religion.
For sports activities followers of a sure age (learn: over 35 years previous), wanting on the textual content may deliver again reminiscences of the times of parachute pants, Synthpop and laissez-faire economics.
Throughout the Eighties, seeing a John 3:16 banner or signal held up within the stands throughout a significant televised sporting occasion was as inevitable as Arnold Gary Coleman's character saying “Whatchu Talkin' 'bout, Willis?” on the Eighties sitcom Totally different strikes. The one query was when it will occur.
In Depth: John 3:16: The place is he now?
The indicators had been primarily the work of a person named Rollen Stewart, who was often known as the “Rainbow Man” for the multicolored wigs he wore when holding up the signal of John 3:16. Stewart had a particular knack for being within the excellent spot for the TV cameras — and the eyes of the viewers.
In NFL playoff video games, he stood between the goalposts and held up an indication simply because the kick went by the goalposts. He appeared behind house plate at baseball video games. On the Masters, he held up an indication over Jack Nicklaus' proper shoulder because the Golden Bear teed off.
Rollen was lively from the late Seventies till 1992, when his journey got here to a disgusting – and really un-Christian – finish involving a hostage scenario and a Los Angeles SWAT crew. (To see what occurred to Rainbow Man, click on right here). Together with his departure from the scene, the custom of holding John 3:16 indicators at main sporting occasions was put to hibernation for almost twenty years.
Solely this yr.
Resurrection
Tim Tebow, one of the distinguished athletes in American sports activities, might have pioneered the transfer himself. In 2009, the indicators appeared on the NCAA basketball event, a distinguished PGA Tour occasion, and have become so distinguished at a Georgia highschool that they had been just lately banned. Are the 4 occasions a pattern? Possibly perhaps not. However both method, 2009 was a banner yr for Jan 3:16.
Throughout the 2008 school soccer season, Tebow, the 2007 Heisman winner, wore a black stencil of “Phil 4:13,” a verse from Paul's letter to the Philippians: “I can do all issues by Christ who strengthens me.” In keeping with NCAA guidelines: “Something on the uniform besides participant numbers; participant names; NCAA soccer emblem; memorial recognition; American flag; or figuring out the establishment, convention, or recreation. No different phrases, numbers or symbols are on the participant's individual or tape.”
It looks as if it will ban black eye messages. NCAA spokesman Christopher Radford admits the rule is unclear, however says “particular person establishments see match.” Christian messages appear to be making the lower. One wonders if the message from the Koran can be as warmly obtained.
Earlier than the nationwide championship recreation on January 8, 2009, Tebow introduced that he would change his black eye message to John 3:16, a lot to the chagrin of his superstitious teammates. When requested in regards to the change, Tebow advised the media, “I knew lots of people would take a look at it, and that verse represents Christianity in an excellent method. . . . Hopefully some folks will take a look at it.”
They did. In droves. Tebow and the Gators gained the sport and the nationwide championship. And “John 3:16” was probably the most searched time period on Google that day.
The verse resurfaced in March through the NCAA basketball event. On the finish of regulation in a tie between Siena School and Ohio State College in Dayton, Ohio, a fan standing behind the Siena bench held up a yellow John 3:16 signal as cameras panned to the Siena gamers. The speedy bouncer ripped the signal from the fan's grasp after which nonchalantly rolled it up. What's OK for Tebow, not OK for followers within the stands: NCAA guidelines prohibit indicators within the stands at NCAA tournaments.
In June on the Jack Nicklaus Memorial Event in Dublin, Ohio, a fan with a yellow John 3:16 signal watched golfer Jonathan Byrd, an outspoken Christian, through the closing spherical. (The 2 John 3:16 occasions in Ohio? Might they’ve been the work of the identical individual? Possibly. Sadly neither the screenshot nor the Youtube video offers a transparent image of the signal holder.)
And final month in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., the native faculty district banned the show of Christian verses on cheerleading banners at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe Excessive College soccer video games. Among the many verses used: John 3:16.
(Forbes even bought in on the motion in March when he used the signal as a prop in his golf “mockumentary” – see right here.)
Spreading the Phrase
Joseph Value, a professor of faith at Whittier School, says that holding spiritual banners at televised sporting occasions is a wholly trendy phenomenon.
“Even in Rome, most followers within the Colosseum weren’t literate,” he says, so indicators with any phrases would make no sense. (This will likely clarify why archaeologists haven't discovered the “Energy in Jupiter's Thunder” stone tablets.) Tv made the trendy apply what it’s: a strategy to get a message to a large and captive viewers. Sporting occasions, as a consequence of their immediacy and the truth that they’re broadcast stay – so the indicators can’t be edited – function the right platform.
However Value factors out that sports activities and faith have at all times gone hand in hand.
“Sports activities is aggressive. You try to win the sport,” he says. “In faith you search victory in life or victory in Jesus.” He notes that metaphors utilized in each sports activities and Christianity akin to “operating a race” and “preventing for the religion” intersect.
However why this yr's revival of the signal? Value thinks the proliferation of sports activities channels on tv is one purpose, and the lengthy afterlife that may have an impression (just like the Siena signal) on YouTube and video web sites is one other.
Everlasting life, certainly.
In Depth: John 3:16: The place is he now?
