ORLANDO (FBC)—Bob and Pam Tebow, perhaps now best known as the parents of Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, are among the keynote speakers at the itell365 Evangelism Conference, set for March 2-4 at First Baptist Church of Orlando.

Evangelist Bob Tebow, who founded the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association, will speak during the Tuesday evening session. His wife, Pam, will speak on "Being a Woman of Influence" during the Women's Luncheon and Conference on Monday.

As long-time Florida Baptists, the Tebows have planted their lives in Jacksonville where they are members of the First Baptist Church. Earlier in his ministry, Bob Tebow served as associate pastor at Southside Baptist Church, started the Campus Crusade for Christ at the University of Florida and was an area representative for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

In 1985, the Tebows felt called to serve as faith missionaries in the Philippines, where Bob Tebow began his evangelistic ministry with five major priorities: evangelism, church planting, pastor training, an orphanage, and to train the next generation of evangelists.

That mission resulted in an on-going ministry that currently employs 45 national staff, many whom serve as evangelists throughout the country, and runs an orphanage for 50 children. Pam is involved in her husband's ministry coordinating numerous projects and personnel.

Key in that ministry was the involvement of their five children—Robby, Tim, Peter, Christy and Katie—who now range in age from 20 to 31. All of the Tebow children are actively involved in ministries of their own and each often return to the Philippines to minister among the orphans. Now daughter Christie and her husband Joey Allen and daughter Claire serve as missionaries in Southeast Asia.

The Tebows decided 26 years ago to homeschool their children, before the practice was popular. All five of the children were homeschooled and received college scholarships. Three have graduated, one has two graduate degrees and the youngest two attend the University of Florida.

Teaching their children to "honor God" played a consuming role in Pam and Bob Tebow's decision to homeschool their five children.

"If I could get my kids to the age of 25 and they know God and serve God and had character qualities that pleased God, then I knew God would be happy and I would be happy," explained the senior Tebow.

"The only way I could do that was to do it myself, commit to God that this is my job," Bob Tebow allowed. "Traditional academics had to take a back seat to God's word and character building."

"You can be well educated in the world's eyes and still be a sorry person. You can graduate with degrees and have no character. Character defines who you are."

Pam Tebow often taught her homeschooled children through use of scripture memorization. And she believes that such memorization has kept her youngest son, Tim, the University of Florida quarterback well grounded in a world of athletics and adulation.

"We had to start when he was very young" said Pam Tebow, "emphasizing humility and character as a part of our schooling. We kept telling him that he could not praise himself, but wait for others to do it and that he couldn't talk about himself." They often recalled Proverbs 27:2—"Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth, a stranger and not thine own lips," she said.

In a profile aired on ESPN during the Heisman award ceremony, Tim Tebow, who is known worldwide for his Christian faith, said his priorities are: "number one, my faith in God; number two, my family and my relationships with my family; number three, academics; and number four is football."

To attend the women's conference, pre-register by contacting the Evangelism Division, 800-226-8584, ext. 3090; email itell365@flbaptist.org or go on-line to: www.iTell365.com. The luncheon costs $10 per person.