Promise Keepers
By George C. Stewart
On October 4, 1997, another large assembly of Promise Keepers gathered in Washington, D.C. It was estimated that men from at least 60 Lexington (KY) churches would attend. This included a number of Christian churches.
On August 23 (1997) I received a mailing inviting me to a Woodford County (KY) “Christian Men’s Rally” as a “preparation for the Promise Keepers” October meeting. Many men were excited about this movement.
In the past I have been criticized by some for not supporting Promise Keepers. Allow me to share with you some of my reservations about this men’s group. I believe it is essential that Christians be actively discerning of truth and error.
Bill McCartney, former football coach at the University of Colorado, founded Promise Keepers in 1990. He is a former Roman Catholic who now belongs to the Charismatic Vineyard church. His present minister is on the Promise Keepers board of directors.
Promise Keepers claims to be a movement to help Christian men become better Christians and fathers. On the surface this seems commendable. Addressing those who have concerns about Promise Keepers, one minister wrote sarcastically, “We would hate for our men to be committed to being good fathers, husbands, and disciples of Christ, wouldn’t we?" But the discerning Christian looks beyond the book’s cover.
Even the Seven Promises of the Promise Keepers may not raise a concern with many.
1. Promise one: 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.
2. Promise two: A Promise Keeper is committed to pursuing vital relationships with a few men, understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises.
3. Promise three: A Promise Keeper is committed to practicing spiritual, moral, ethical, and sexual purity.
4. Promise four: A Promise Keeper is committed to building strong marriages and families through love, protection, and biblical values.
5. Promise five: A Promise Keeper is committed to supporting the mission of the church by honoring and praying for his pastor, and by actively giving his time and resources.
6. Promise six: A Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.
7. Promise seven: A Promise Keeper is committed to influencing his world, being obedient to the Great Commission.
The “cover” may look good, but let’s investigate the contents before reaching a conclusion.
History
The first Promise Keepers meeting was attended by 4,200 men in 1991. It grew to 22,000 in 1992 and 50,000 in 1993. The seven conventions in 1994 drew nearly 300,000 men. The 1995 and 1996 attendance figures were 727,340 and 1,098,580 respectively. The Washington, D. C. Meeting was expected to attract around 2 million. Income for 1996 was nearly $90 million.
While founded by Bill McCartney, Promise Keepers is now led by a board of directors. It has also received endorsement from James Dobson of Focus on the Family. Dobson has effectively promoted Promise Keepers through his nationwide radio broadcasts.
Promise Keepers books are published by Focus on the Family and NayPress.
Their magazine (New Man) is published by publishers of Charisma magazine. This Charismatic influence is evident in Promise Keepers literature.
Concern # 1: The Gospel Message
Some people say, “Don't criticize as long as they are preaching Jesus.” The
question is, “Which Jesus are they preaching?” Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to preach Jesus. Just ask them.
The Seventh promise of Promise Keepers is a commitment to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). This would be good if they meant it. But their writings and preaching leave out the significance of Christian baptism. Randy Phillips, president of Promise Keepers, says one must do five things to become a Christian: 1) Admit your need, 2) Repent, 3) Believe, 4) Receive Jesus through prayer, and 5) Tell someone about your commitment. This does not fit the Great Commission in my Bible. Nor does it fit the accounts of conversion in the Book of Acts. Nor does it fit the message of any other New Testament teaching.
Bill McCartney says it doesn’t matter who you are, you are a Christian if you love Jesus and are born of the Spirit of God. Yet McCartney (and Promise Keepers) seem to ignore the truth that loving Jesus means keeping His commandments (John 14:15), and that being born of the Spirit of God requires that one be immersed into Christ (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:27).
Promise Keepers preaches a different gospel (See Galatians 1:8).
At the 1996 Promise Keepers “Clergy Conference” in Atlanta, Georgia, Max Lucado spoke of PK's commitment to truth and unity. Then he said the two “are equal.” Deception abounds.
Concern # 2: Ecumenical Appeal
A few years ago a Christian Church newsletter (near Chicago, IL) included this statement: “Promise Keepers is a movement of God in the same sense our church is part of a movement: the Restoration Movement.” Anyone who knows anything about these two movements knows that that statement is false. The Promise Keepers promotes unity apart from truth. The Restoration Movement appeals for unity based on the truth (God’s Word). There is a world of difference!
We all know that Jesus prayed that His followers be one, as He and the Father are one (John 17). Christ’s appeal is for unity based on truth John 17:17). On the other hand, Promise Keepers appeals for unity while ignoring truth.
The Sixth promise is a commitment to reach “beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.” Without looking closely one might think this statement agrees with the Lord’s will. The first deception in this statement is the linking together of racial and denominational barriers. These are not the same. Every Christian knows that racial division is wrong. The Bible makes this very clear. That settles that. However, denominational division is caused by different views of Scripture.
The second deception in the Sixth promise is the phrase; “the power of biblical unity.” If Promise Keepers were truly seeking biblical unity we could agree with them. They are not! The PK idea of biblical unity is “come as you are, regardless of what you believe”; whether Baptist, Episcopalian, Methodist, Assembly of God, Roman Catholic, or Mormon.
The appeal of the Restoration Movement has been (until recently?) unity based on the truth of God’s word. How can we join PK and ignore the biblical teachings on baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the nature of Christ, the means of salvation, church polity, and spiritual gifts (to name only a few)?
One writer calls PK’s appeal to unity the “Rodney King type of theology—‘can’t we all just get along’” (Thomas Tybeck, “The Promise that Won’t Keep," The Restoration Herald, February, 1997).
Concern #3: Charismatic Influence
Much of the leadership of Promise Keepers is Charismatic. Consequently, the speakers primarily come from that background and the assemblies are highly emotion-charged. This seems to encourage attendees to ignore biblical truth. When one’s emotions overcome rational thinking, doctrine is overlooked.
James Ryle is the minister of the Vineyard church where Bill McCartney is a member. True to the Vineyard theology, Ryle claims extra-biblical revelations. During 1989 Ryle claims to have had three dreams, which God interpreted as God’s musical “anointing” of the Beatles to usher in a worldwide revival. But, Ryle said, when the Beatles broke up, God removed the “anointing.”
Do we need to be taught by these people when we have the word of God before us?
Concern # 4: Psychobabble
Those attending Promise Keepers rallies have received free copies of The Masculine Journey: Understanding the Six Stages of Manhood, by psychologist Robert Hicks. The book includes “insights” from various psychiatrists, inner-healing therapists, spiritualists and New Age mystics. Hicks claims that since Christ was tempted as we, then He experienced homosexual temptations. He thinks that should be helpful to gay men. Does that mean they should be encouraged in their homosexuality?
In the Promise Keepers’ book, Daily Guidelines for the Christian Man, Dr. Bob Beltz praises the 12-Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Even though AA leads men to accept “God as you perceive Him,” Beltz says, “Every principle of the twelve-step program is biblical.” Of course many of our churches would have no problem with Beltz’s assessment. They use the same “steps” in their own programs. They copy the 12-Steps and add a few Scriptures, which (they think) make them “Christian.”
Concern # 5: Mentoring
Promise Keepers encourages all men to mentor a younger man as well as be accountable to an older mentor. Yet, their idea is complete acceptance, without any “judgment.” One PK said, “I’m not out to change you and you’re not out to change me.” That sounds more like a secular model than a Scriptural model of accountability.
If all denominations—as well as Roman Catholics and Mormons—are equal partners in Promise Keepers, then it would follow that my mentor could be a Catholic priest or a Mormon elder.
My accountability is first to Christ, and second to the elders of my local congregation. Not to a para-church group like Promise Keepers. Nor is my accountability to a non-spiritual person included in Promise Keepers.
Conclusion
A former Charismatic preacher, who has since become a preacher in a Christian church, wrote: “In the Charismatic movement we used to tell people ‘forget doctrine, all you need is Jesus.’ Listen carefully and you will hear the same message being repeated today in athletic stadiums across America” (Thomas Tybeck, ibid.).
Many endorse Promise Keepers based on a philosophy of pragmatism—whatever works. But the discerning Christian must be willing to ask some “insensitive” questions. Are large crowds evidence of God’s presence and power? Is the enthusiasm among these crowds evidence of God’s presence and work? If the answer is “yes,” then God is certainly present at University of Kentucky basketball games!
There is and old saying, “When there are too many flies in the soup, you don’t eat the soup.” In my opinion the Promise Keepers “soup” is beyond even tasting.
Someone has said, either “you will have a limited fellowship, or you will have a limited message.” Promise Keepers has chosen the limited message. I choose the limited fellowship.