N.Y. Knicks’ Jeremy Lin seen as ‘Taiwanese Tebow’
New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin's underdog story and outspoken
evangelical faith have some sportswriters dubbing him the "Taiwanese
Tebow."
But while Lin and Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow
share similar Christian convictions, Lin's sudden stardom is even more
miraculous.
Several weeks ago, the Harvard University graduate was
buried on the bench and crashing on friends' couches. Stadium security
guards mistook Lin for a team trainer.
After injuries to
teammates, though, Lin was inserted into the starting lineup. The Knicks
promptly went on a winning streak and rose in the NBA standings, with
their new point guard leading the way. New Yorkers and Asian-Americans
across the country succumbed to a frenzy of "Linsanity."
Fans
splurged for replicas of Lin's jersey, the TV ratings of Knicks games
skyrocketed and shares of the Madison Square Garden Company, which owns
the basketball team, soared by mid-February.
Like any good point
guard, Lin knows the art of the pass—distributing the praise to his
teammates and to God. "I'm just thankful to God for everything," Lin
said in a postgame interview. "Like the Bible says, 'God works in all
things for the good of those who love him.'"
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Lin's passing
reference to Romans 8:28 was caught by his longtime pastor, Stephen Chen
of Redeemer Bible Fellowship, a ministry within the Chinese Church in
Christ in Mountain View, California.
Chen describes the church as
full of first- and second-generation immigrants, like Lin and his
parents, who are "conservative in nature" and evangelical in faith.
"Very
early in his life he decided to pay heed to the call of Christ to take
up the cross daily and follow after him," Chen said.
Even during
the basketball season, when games went deep into Saturday night, Lin's
family made sure he was in the pews on Sunday morning, Chen said.
Lin
also credits his parents with teaching him to play "godly basketball,"
which measures success by sportsmanship, not stats. That means putting
teammates first and showing respect for opponents and referees.
As
his star rose, first at Harvard and then with the San Francisco–based
Golden State Warriors, Lin shared his faith testimony with youth groups
and churches near his California home.
In a 2011 appearance at
River of Life Christian Church in Santa Clara, he quoted from the works
of John Piper, a prominent neo-Calvinist pastor in Minneapolis, and
spoke of trusting in "God's sovereign plan."
Chen, who said he
recently spoke to Lin, expects his sharp-shooting congregant to continue
his evangelism in the bright lights of the Big Apple. "He is really
looking forward to using the platform that he has to share the gospel
with others," Chen said.
Lin already uses his social media
platforms to spread the Word. His Twitter account's description is, "To
know Him is to want to know Him more." His account's avatar depicts
Jesus telling a young man, "No, I'm not just talking about Twitter. I
literally want you to follow me." His Facebook page quotes Colossians
3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for men."
Tom Krattenmaker, author of the book Onward Christian Athletes,
is among the many who see some similarities between Lin and Tebow. Like
Tebow, Lin has spoken of relying on faith to help carry him through
highs and lows of his sports career, and both men often praise God
during postgame interviews.
Lin himself has called Tebow "a
polarizing figure." But he has also said he draws inspiration from the
young quarterback's example. "I think the things he says in interviews,
his approach to the game, is just unbelievable, and I respect him so
much," Lin told a California radio station. —RNS
