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Twelve Men from
McKenzie’s First Baptist Church came home from a Promise
Keeper’s convention in Louisville, Kentucky with their
lives transformed. Ten of those men are: First row, l-r:
Dale Mathis, Oscar Owen, Scott Cox, Dr. Al Spivey, and
Mark Downing. Second row, l-r: Brother Dennis Trull,
Bill Bloodworth, Gene Warren, Greg Jones, and Wayford
Washburn, Jr. Not pictured are Kenny Carrell and Dr.
Rolando Toyos.
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When Mark Downing
decided to join eleven other men on an adventure
to a Promise |
Consider Yourself Called
to Unity, Excellence, Fatherhood, Leadership,
Service |
Keepers convention at Louisville, Kentucky's FreedomHall last month, he said,
"I went with some anticipation, but I didn't really know
what to expect."
What he found when the 12 joined 12,000 more male voices
in praise and worship at the Friday night opening was
"totally awesome."
"If you can imagine hearing some 12,000 men praising God
in an atmosphere where the men want to be there in His
presence, singing praises to their God - Wow! The voices
of these men were echoing throughout the arena, arms
waving and hands clapping; what an incredible sight to
behold! It is really hard for me to describe the
presence of God I felt in that place."
For Gene Warren, a retired grandfather and husband to
Barbara, it was "refreshing to be with thousands of men
singing and praising Christ at the top of their voices
in a time when our lawmakers are trying to take away our
freedom to worship Christ."
"It is really unusual to hear 12,000 male voices singing
praises to God at one time," said Kenney Carrell, a
semi-retired grandfather who is married to wife Jane.
"For me it was a spine tingling effect."
For almost 1,000 more men - on the first night alone -
it was a new beginning as they streamed forward to
welcome salvation or to rededicate their lives to
Christ.
What is Promise Keepers?
Promise Keepers was conceived in March 1990 when then
University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney and
Dr. Dave Wardell attended a Fellowship of Christian
Athletes banquet.
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The Seven Promises
GOD: A Promise Keeper is
committed to honoring Jesus Christ through
worship, prayer and obedience to God’s Word in the
power of the Holy Spirit.
FRIENDS: A Promise Keeper
is committed to pursuing vital relationships with
a few other men, understanding that he needs
brothers to help him keep his promises.
PURITY: A Promise Keeper is
committed to practicing spiritual, moral, ethical,
and sexual purity.
FAMILY: A Promise Keeper is
committed to building strong marriages and
families through love, protection and biblical
values.
CHURCH: A Promise Keeper is
committed to supporting the mission of his church
by honoring and praying for his pastor, and by
actively giving his time and resources.
COMMUNITY: A Promise Keeper
is committed to reaching beyond any racial and
denominational barriers to demonstrate the power
of biblical unity.
WORLD: A Promise Keeper is committed to
influencing his world, being obedient to the Great
Commandment (see Mark 12:30-31) and the Great
Commission (see Matthew 28:19-20 ).
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There, Dave stated his belief that discipleship was
the most important factor in changing a man spiritually,
from immaturity to maturity. McCartney agreed, sharing
his vision of 50,000 men coming together for training
and teaching on what it means to be godly men. He
envisioned a revival among Christian men who were
willing to take a stand for God in their marriages,
families, churches, and communities.
From that initial conversation, revival and discipleship
became the foundation and focus of Promise Keepers.
The name of the organization was gleaned from the word
"integrity" which, the men found, was defined in
Webster's Dictionary as "utter sincerity, honesty,
candor, not artificial, not shallow, no empty promises"
and from the covenant that God fulfilled through Jesus
Christ.
"In Christ, God kept all the promises that he made to
mankind and we rely upon God as the original Promise
Keeper to keep our promises," the founders state.
But, the Promise Keepers Website explains, "Promise
Keepers is not a membership organization. Men and women
of God... are only promise keepers to the degree that
they individually live out their testimonies among those
who know them."
By 2000, in the first ten years of Promise Keepers, five
million men had been reached through more than 100
conferences with countless others reached through radio,
television and Internet broadcasts and printed
materials, according to the Website.
Promise Keepers Today
This year, the Louisville gathering was the eighth of 18
conferences taking place across the country with more
than 200,000 men expected to participate by the last
session that takes place in October.
During the 2003 conferences - entitled "The Challenge: A
Call To Action" - men are encouraged to commitment
themselves to the Bible, to spiritual growth and
friendship, and to meeting community needs through
"passionate living and significant service."
Director of PK U.S. Ministries True Nguyen stated
recently, "As Christians, passivity is not an option. It
has never been more important than now for men to take a
stand - a stand for serving God, our families, our
churches and our communities. Promise Keepers challenges
men to take a stand and to become difference-makers in
our culture."
It was that desire to make a difference that inspired
Greg Jones - a nursing home food director who is married
to Kay and is the father of two children - to join the
12. "I wanted to go to PK for several reasons," he said,
"To be a better husband and father to my children; to be
a better spiritual leader; to be a better servant and to
see that many men praising and worshipping the Lord
without any hesitation and to be proud to do so. It was
a great experience and I hope and pray that I will
continue to grow in my relationship to the Lord."
Greg learned through a presentation by Dan Seaborn,
founder of Winning At Home, Inc. (see
www.winningathome.com) the impossibility of ever
reaching the maximum amount of growth in a dynamic
prayer life.
"We were asked to make a graph showing where we were
today, then he asked us to show where we wanted to be
next year. Most of us showed the maximum amount of
growth," Greg said, "Then he explained how we could not
ever reach maximum. The thing we needed to do was to
grow a little each year.
"I was challenged by all six speakers to not be a 50%,
70% or 90% Christian in my dedication to Christ, but to
be 100%," Greg declared.
Dale Mathis was similarly inspired. "What I realized
most from Promise Keepers had to do with the grace of
God," he said, "The weekend gave me a broader view of
God carrying me through trials, mistakes and the hustle
and bustle of everyday life. I have gained a newfound
joy and peace that can only be found in the presence of
God! For the first time in a long time I am excited
about being a Christian," said the Bethel College
student who helps with the youth ministry at First
Baptist Church in McKenzie.
Scott Cox understands the dilemma faced by Christians
who, like Dale, sometimes become discouraged. Scott moved to McKenzie
about three years ago to be near his sister who, like
him, is afflicted with Huntingdon's Disease.
"Promise Keepers was very challenging spiritually for
me," he said, "Before I went there, I had become in a
spiritual stalemate, as we all do from time to time. The
presence of the Lord was there for me, as well as for
all the others who participated. Once again my spiritual
fires are lit - thanks to the Lord. Glory to the Lord on
highest!"
Mark Downing's initial impression of the conference
continued throughout the event. "The speakers that were
there were all wonderful and challenged us in our walk
with God," shared the CPA who is father of three
children and husband to Angie. "Their testimonies were
very powerful and on several occasions, I don't think
there was a dry eye in Freedom Hall. I know that I was
personally challenged to be a better husband and father.
Nothing is more important than my relationship with
(Jesus Christ). And the only way I am going to be in a
right relationship with my wife and children is to be in
a right relationship with my Lord. I challenge all men
who read this to ask me about going next year. It could
change your life."
Commitment
Dr. Al Spivey came away from the event ready to share
the many blessings he received. In an impromptu
presentation at a Lions Club meeting, he quoted the
following statistics gleaned from PK Program Director
Harold Velasquez, "If a teenager comes to Christ there
is an 18 percent chance of the whole family coming to
faith, which rises to 31 percent when the woman of the
house makes a similar commitment. But when a man comes
to Christ, there is a 93 percent likelihood the entire
family will follow."
While Promise Keepers focuses on men's relationships
with God, family and friends, Dr. Spivey said the
organization is a supporter of women and families. In
fact, he declared, the event "makes you aware of where
we as men have failed in the home place.
"Women are put on a pedestal," continued Dr. Spivey, an
optometrist who along with wife Vee is the parent of two
children and four grandchildren. "They are really
honored by the men associated with Promise Keepers."
He also touted the diversity of the organization and its
followers. "This is the first organization I've ever
been involved in where there are no race barriers and
blacks and whites stand side by side praising their Lord
and Savior."
He shared a story from one of the PK sessions that
illustrates the depth of commitment of one father to his
family.
When Rick Hoyt was 15, he told his father he wanted to
enter a five-kilometer race to benefit an athlete
paralyzed in an accident, Dr. Spivey related.
His father agreed, committing himself to the race as
well, for Rick was wheelchair bound, a victim of
cerebral palsy since birth. So severe was his affliction
that his request to join the race was not spoken but was
typed out with his nose on his computer.
His father, Dick Hoyt, recognized his son's need and his
own responsibility before the race, but it was only
after they crossed the finish line together, with Dick
pushing his son's wheelchair, that he understood the
full impact of their joint effort.
"Dad," Rick typed laboriously, triumphantly, "I felt
like I wasn't handicapped."
Twenty-one years later, "Team Hoyt" has expanded their
athletic horizons to compete in 940 athletic challenges
that have included 22 Boston Marathons and 185
triathlons, including six Ironman Triathlon events. When
running, Dick pushes Rick in a race chair; while
swimming, he pulls him on a rubber raft attached to his
wetsuit, and while biking, Rick sits in a chair attached
to the front of Dick's bicycle. (Read more about this
amazing duo at www.teamhoyt.com).
"This is the commitment Promise Keepers is trying to
promote," Dr. Spivey said earnestly. "We as godly men
are supposed to be responsible for our families and we
have a responsibility to share our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ with our friends."
Leadership
Concerning his Promise Keepers experience, Bill
Bloodworth said, "The sight of thousands of men
worshiping God unashamed was very inspiring and moving.
Being a part of that is not describable."
Bill and his wife Janet have three children.
He lauded the antics of Christian Comedian Brad Stine,
who he said, "was funny while still filling his routine
with God's truths" - truths like: "If there is a God -
and there is - He doesn't change just because society
does; we're trying to exchange God for self-esteem.
Don't be a door mat Christian, stand up for absolute
truth."
That's a statement Dr. Rolando Toyos, an eye surgeon
from Jackson who joined the McKenzie group, can relate
to.
"Men are constantly bombarded with negative images of
manhood on T.V., work, news and through acquaintances,"
he said, "It was wonderful to see and hear examples of
how Christian men are showing their love of Christ by
the way they are living. I am fired up to utilize what I
learned in Promise Keepers in my everyday life. I can't
wait until next year when I will be dragging my friends
to the next Promise Keepers."
Wayford Washburn Jr., a post office worker who is
married to Ann and has three grown children, said the
experience was "tremendous".
"God's spirit was felt in all the services," he said,
"There was no count after the first night but many went
down for prayer and salvation the next day, besides the
seeds of the Gospel that were planted and the fire that
was ignited in all our hearts.
"Most of the men wept openly," he admitted, "including
me. I make no apology for tears because the Bible said
Jesus wept for us and our sins and he is our greatest
role model."
Oscar Owen summed up the event by saying, "The challenge
was for us to be men of God, spiritual leaders first in
our homes, at work, at play and in our church. We were
admonished for not being the spiritual leaders in our
homes to the ones who know us best. We must put Him
first in our lives and all other things will prosper or
we will be blessed.
"God created us to worship him, testify to others by
word, deed and Christian life style," says the Gleason
Bank officer who is husband to Sara and father of two
sons with several grandchildren. As Brother Dennis tells
us often, testify, testify, testify about Jesus and what
he has done for us. Tell the world that good deeds, good
lives, church memberships are not enough; only salvation
can save us from Hell and secure an eternal home with
Jesus in Heaven.
"There is a constant battle between good and evil in the
world today but my Bible tells me that Jesus has won the
victory already. A speaker asked us if anyone had the
cure for cancer would we not share it, and we have a
cure far greater than one for cancer. We have the keys
to life eternal with Jesus, so let's share the good news
wherever we go."
First Baptist Pastor Dennis Trull, a four-time Promise
Keeper attendee, said, "The PK event in Louisville was
an awesome experience. It was a joy to go with eleven
other men, then join about 12,000 others in the worship
of Jesus Christ. I was challenged, not as a pastor, but
as a follower of Christ, and especially as a husband and
dad, to live according to God's word. It was a quick
trip, but well worth it," continues the man who along
with wife Suzanne just shuttled the oldest of their
three children off to college. "We laughed together,
cried together, and most of all worshipped together. We
are committed to holding each other accountable in our
walk with Jesus here in McKenzie. Yes, it was well worth
it! We are planning to go again next year."
The name 'Promise
Keepers' and the PK logo (which includes the name
'Promise Keepers,' the phrase 'Men of Integrity' and the
PK crest) are registered trademarks of Promise Keepers,
a Colorado nonprofit corporation, and are reproduced
with permission. |
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