Celebration of Faithful Leadership

Honoring:

Dr. Marv Wilson 
Harold J. Ockenga Professor of Biblical & Theological Studies, Gordon College

Marv Wilson has taught Old Testament, Hebrew and Jewish Studies at Gordon since 1971. Previously, he taught eight years at Barrington College. Dr. Wilson has published two widely used textbooks: Our Father Abraham: Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith (Eerdmans) and its sequel, Exploring Our Hebraic Heritage: A Christian Theology of Roots and Renewal (Eerdmans). He is co-author (with Edwin Yamauchi) of the new four-volume reference work Dictionary of Daily Life in Biblical and Post-biblical Antiquity (Hendrickson, 2014-2016).

For a number of years, Marv worked as an Old Testament translator and editor of the New International Version of the Bible. Marv served as primary scholar of a two-hour national TV documentary, “Christians and Jews: A Journey of Faith,” a program that has now played on more than 200 PBS stations. At Gordon College, Marv’s field trip course, Modern Jewish Culture, has been cited as a model for interfaith education. Marv has led many study tours to the land of Israel and filmed many scenes in his television documentary there. Locally and nationally, he has worked extensively to build bridges of understanding between the Evangelical Christian and Jewish communities. In the process, he has co-edited four different books with Jewish scholars.

Marv is married to Polly, a Gordon graduate and accomplished pianist. When the Wilsons have leisure time to spend together they especially enjoy watching sports, listening to music and travel.

Keynote Speaker:

Tim Tebow
Professional Baseball Outfielder of the New York Mets Organization 

Tim Tebow is a two-time national champion, first-round NFL draft pick, and Heisman trophy winner. Tebow recently signed with the New York Mets and is attempting to join an elite class of athletes that have succeeded at the highest level in two professional sports. He also currently serves as a college football analyst for the SEC Network. Prior to joining the SEC Network, Tebow played three years in the NFL for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and New England Patriots.

In 2011, Tebow was the first quarterback featured in ESPN’s “Year of the Quarterback” series. He later released “Through My Eyes,” which was named the #1 sports book of 2011 and the bestselling religion book of 2011. In 2016, Tim also released, “Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms.” Tebow also contributes to a variety of ESPN platforms including SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, and the network’s Heisman Trophy coverage. He is active in a variety of philanthropic activities through the Tim Tebow Foundation.

Faith and Mission Work

Tim Tebow grew up the son of missionaries, and even after moving to Florida as a child, he returned to the Philippines as a teenager–to spread God’s word, and do the Lord’s work, by serving the needy. He carried that calling with him to the University of Florida, where in addition to leading the Gators to two national championships, and winning the Heisman Trophy in 2007, he also devoted himself to charity–raising money for pediatric cancer patients and disadvantaged children.

Tim Tebow Foundation

In 2010, his vision took shape in the Tim Tebow Foundation. The Tim Tebow Foundation exists to bring Faith, Hope and Love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. The foundation fulfills this mission every day by making dreams come true for children with life-threatening illnesses, building Timmy’s Playrooms in children’s hospitals, providing life-changing surgeries to children of the Philippines through the Tebow CURE Hospital, sponsoring Night to Shine, a worldwide prom for people with special needs, providing care for orphans in four countries and adoption aid grants for families who choose to adopt an international child with special needs.