New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow is canceling an appearance at a Baptist mega-church in Dallas after gay activists and some in the media pressured him to back out.

They accuse Pastor Robert Jeffress at First Baptist Church in Dallas of leading a hate-filled ministry. The Christian Post reported that Jeffress recently defended himself.

"To simply say that Jesus Christ offers salvation to anyone who believes in him and that sex should be between a man and a woman and marriage--that that should be considered hate speech?" he asked. "i don't understand."

Tebow tweeted Thursday that he was canceling the appearance due to "new information that has been brought to my attention."

Jeffress said Tebow wasn't going to speak about anything controversial.

"We had planned for him to speak very positively about the difference Jesus Christ had made in his life," Jeffress said.