The John 3:16 phenomenon - Part 3 Letter from the Bells

January 14, 2012 My head in her hands; her heart in God's hands! Meet Erin Yesterday Erin, a young wife and mother of two toddlers, cut my hair.  She is a God-seeker and I have been planting myself into the soil of her heart over the years through friendly "God-talk."     "Jay, that's so weird!" Hey Erin, have you been keeping up with the "Tebow talk?"  She said, "Yeah, kinda, but what's it all about?"  Well, Erin (as she is clipping), it's about a Bible verse, the number 3-16 and his journey as the quaterback of the Denver Broncos (as I am praying).  I then explained how he wore John 3:16 as eye reflectors during his years as QB at the U. of Florida.  She asked, "What does John 3:16 say?" Slowly, with a smile, I quoted the verse with passion. But, Erin (clip, clip), check this out.  During Monday nights play-off game against the favored Pittsburgh Steelers he threw for 316 yards.  She exclaimed, "No way!"  And, Erin (pray, pray), each pass averaged 31.6 yards.  "Get outta here!"  And the Broncos' time of possession of the ball was 31:06 minutes!  "Jay, are you making this up?"  And, Erin, the TV rating of the number of people watching the fourth quarter was 31.6.  "Jay, that's so weird!"  And the only interception of the game was thrown by the Steelers QB when the play was 3rd down and 16 yards to go.  "Jay, what does all this mean?" Erin, may I answer your question with a question?  And my question is just one word:  Coincidence? Erin, do you have a Bible at home?  "Um, let's see, yes."  Let me send you these 3-16 numbers in an e-mail and then lay the verse and the numbers on your husband.  My head is no longer in her hands, but her heart is still in God's hands! We love you! Jay and Jan Bell, Director, Internationals USA with Encompass World Partners

The John 3:16 phenomenon - Part 2 Video interview with Tebows

Here's their story! Pam Tebow and her Hubby, 2010 Re: their son Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, re: their appearance in the Focus on the Family commercial that aired Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 7, 2010) on CBS.

The John 3:16 phenomenon - Focus on the Family video

A short message ... an eternal impact

Bill Bumpas - OneNewsNow - 1/17/2012 2:35:00 PM

Focus on the Family does it again. After airing a pro-life spot during the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, the Christian ministry sponsored another commercial during the NFL playoffs last weekend.

The spot, which aired during the second quarter of Saturday night's game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots, was seen by an estimated 30-million viewers. This time around the commercial was all about John 3:16 -- and featured children reciting the well-known verse.

Gary Schneeberger, VP of communications for Focus on the Family, tells OneNewsNow the idea for the commercial came up after Tim Tebow -- the star quarterback for the Broncos and unashamed Christ-follower -- threw for 316 yards in his team's previous playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, setting off a flurry of Internet comments comparing it to John 3:16.

"What happened after that interestingly though was almost 100-million people, I understand, went to Google to look up what John 3:16 meant," explains Schneeberger. "We saw that as a great opportunity, given the interest, to save them the trouble if you will of having to go to the computer and look it up.

"So we just presented it right there on the screen -- out of the mouths of babes, as it were;  the cute kids in the commercial. We've really been astounded by the impact that that's had."

According to the ministry spokesman, comments coming in included one that validated the entire effort.

"[They included] one gentleman who on his Twitter page wrote that his two sons had seen the ad and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior," says Schneeberger.  "And that's it -- because John 3:16 is the essence of the gospel, the heart of the gospel."

All the ads for the Super Bowl are already sold out, so the spot will not show up there. But Schneeberger says there is a good chance it will air again somewhereelse."

From onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default