Angus Buchan and the Promise Keepers

Promise Keepers – “God is looking for men, and for women, for boys and girls, that will change the world!   THE WORLD!   Waiting!   All creation is waiting with expectation, on tip toes, FOR THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD!    That’s you and me.”  ^{— Angus Buchan Sermon, Hillcrest Christian Fellowship, 1 June 2008:  Starts from 1h:08m:06s}

Mighty Men, Promise Keepers, Men of Promise:

• Dominionism / Kingdom Now / Latter Rain Manifest Sons of God
• Roots based in Roman Catholicism – Emergent Church
• Joel’s army, creating a Christian Army (supposedly God’s army)
• Zion movement – Israel is the Church
  • Twisting of Joel 2  – Church needs to return to Israel to fight for Holy Land
• Ecumenical, Interfaith / Unity among all ‘Christian’ groups/churches no matter what they believe.
  • Involves people like Roman Catholics priests, 7th Day Adventists to Mormons and their clergy and laymen.
• Contemplative Spirituality (Mysticism, Meditation, Spiritual Awakenings, Centering Prayer, Breathing, Yoga, You are god, Illumination,etc.)
• Unite men in a great universal association
• Universal equality – socialism of some kind
• Brotherhood:  Freemasonry, Secretive, Vows, Promises
• Charity
• Gnosticism (Jewish mysticism)
• Accountability to men for support

About Promise Keepers [1]

Promise Keepers’ mission is to to ignite and unite men to become warriors who will change their world through living out the Seven Promises.  Promise Keepers’ vision is simply put in three words: “Men Transformed Worldwide.”

Based in Denver, Colorado, Promise Keepers has directly reached more than five and a half million men since its founding in 1990.

Multitudes more have been reached through books, music CDs, multi-media resources, the Internet, satellite and radio broadcasts.

In 1997, an estimated one million men gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for “Stand in the Gap,” marking arguably the largest gathering of Christian men in modern U.S. history.

“Stand in the Gap was held before the Washington Monument (an obelisk), which was built and dedicated by masons. That Monument is the United States’ most obvious Masonic, phallic symbol. The obelisk is the Masonic symbol of a male sex organ or phallus, and originates out of Baal worship, and sun and serpent worship”.   http://www.seekgod.ca/nonew.htm

  History of Promise Keepers  [2]

“Way back before Promise Keepers had a name, we looked up the word integrity in Webster’s Dictionary.  He gave six definitions: ‘utter sincerity, honesty, candor, not artificial, not shallow, no empty promises.'” — Bill McCartney

“We have a great army that we are assembling…”  — Bill McCartney, Clergy Conference at Atlanta, on April 29, 1995

The name “Promise Keepers” also derives 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.

March 20, 1990: The Birth of an Idea

Bill McCartney, then football coach for the University of Colorado, and Dave Wardell, Ph.D… envisioned a gathering of 50,000 men at the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field for training and teaching on what it means to be godly men.  He was imagining a revival among Christian men who were willing to take a stand for God in their marriages, families, churches, and communities.  Revival and discipleship are the two elements that became the foundation and focus of Promise Keepers.

Promise Keepers ’91: “Where are the Men?”

Two ministries were developed: the Point Man and Ambassador.  The Point Man ministry (later called “Key Man”) grew the first year to approximately 1,000 participating churches.  The Key Man served his local pastor as the main organizer.  The Ambassador volunteered to present the concept of Promise Keepers and men’s ministry to churches in a particular geographic or cultural area.

Promise Keepers ’92: “What Makes a Man?”

During this conference, the mandate was issued for men to pursue reconciliation across racial and denominational lines.

Dr. James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family” Radio Program, Promise Keepers first hardback book (and companion study guide), also named What Makes A Man? (NavPress)

Promise Keepers ’93: Face to Face

Men from every state in the nation and 16 foreign countries came to Boulder to honor Jesus Christ and to learn more about becoming godly men.  “God subsequently expanded our vision to gather men in stadiums throughout the nation.  More than events, we believe that God wants the ministry of Promise Keepers to be a spark in His hand, igniting a nationwide movement that calls men to reconciliation, discipleship, and godliness.”

Two Bible studies for men: What God Does When Men Pray by William Carr Peel, and Daily Disciplines for the Godly Man by Bob Beltz (both by NavPress).   The Masculine Journey by Robert Hicks (NavPress).

Promise Keepers ’94: Seize The Moment

In 1994, Promise Keepers’ manifesto was published by Focus on the Family Publishing of Colorado Springs.  The book, Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper, outlined the message of Promise Keepers, seven commitments to God, friends, purity, family, church, community, and world that frame a life of Christian integrity.

Promise Keepers published a Bible study book for married men called Strategies for a Successful Marriage by E. Glenn Wagner and Dietrich Gruen (NavPress).  Promise Keepers launched New Man Magazine with Strang Publishing of Lake Mary, Florida.

Promise Keepers ’95: Raise The Standard

At five breakout sessions for youth, 3,500 young men and boys responded to the altar call invitations to the Christian faith.  The practical expression of the mission of Promise Keepers is to encourage, equip, and motivate the men of all nations to raise the standard of Jesus Christ in their own lives, families, churches, and communities.

The Power of a Promise Kept by Gregg Lewis was published by Focus on the Family

Promise Keepers ’96: Break Down the Walls and Fan the Flame

In February 1996, Promise Keepers hosted more than 39,000 Christian clergy for a worship and teaching conference in Atlanta.  “Fan into Flame” was reported to be the largest gathering of Christian clergy in modern history.  The summer conference theme was “Break Down the Walls,” focusing men’s attention on God’s heart for reconciliation.

Go the Distance by John Trent (published by Focus on the Family)

Promise Keepers ’97: The Making of a Godly Man

The issues addressed included servant leadership in the home, moral purity, small group involvement, character and competency in the workplace, reconciliation and for the first time, financial integrity. In addition to the gospel, men were confronted with the daily disciplines of the Christian life and called to practice confession and repentance throughout the year.

Promise Keepers and Moody Press published a workbook, Break Down the Walls: Experiencing Biblical Reconciliation and Unity in the Body of Christ by Raleigh Washington and Glen Kehrein, and Claude V. King, John Trent authored the Making of a Godly Man workbook, published by Focus on the Family, Promise Keepers and Zondervan collaborated on the publication of the Promise Keepers Men’s Study Bible

’97 STAND IN THE GAP: A SACRED ASSEMBLY OF MEN

The day opened as Jewish shofars sounded to commence the program.  An estimated one million men participated in “Stand in the Gap”, a day of personal repentance and prayer.  The event gathered men from every race, nationality, and most Christian denominations as well as from many countries around the world.  The program was six hours of standing and kneeling in prayer, worship, confession, repentance, and declarations.

Promise Keepers ’98: Live a Legacy: Make a difference in your lifetime

More than 30,000 priests, pastors and ministers attended nine regional clergy conferences around the U.S.  Board Bishop Porter said, “there should be nothing to hinder men from coming to hear the real-life applications of the gospel of Jesus Christ from some of the most dynamic speakers in America.”

Graham Kendrick – Knowing You (All I Once Held Dear),  A daily devotional Magazine called Men of Integrity by Christianity Today

Promise Keepers ’99: Choose This Day

Bill McCartney, founder and president, said, “Given the crisis conditions facing the church of Jesus Christ in the United States and around the world, godly men are essential to accomplishing this mission of love, unity and righteousness called Christianity.”

Promise Keepers 2000: Go the Distance

Promise Keepers celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2000.  Since 1990, PK has reached five million men through more than 100 conferences.  Countless others have been reached through our radio, television and Internet broadcasts and printed materials

Promise Keepers published Face to Face: An Encounter with Christ (Nelson – Word Multimedia),  Print/audio/video kit designed for church-based men’s retreats – presentations by Tony Evans, Jack Hayford, Crawford Loritts, Max Lucado and Joe Stowell.

Promise Keepers 2001: Turn the Tide – Living Out An Extreme Faith

Promise Keepers founder and president Bill McCartney said the current culture is pulling men away from faith in God.  Instead, McCartney said, an extreme faith is required to represent Christ to families and communities.

At 15 of the 16 two-day conferences, Missouri-based Christian camp director Joe White portrayed a Roman cross-builder, constructing a 12-foot cross on stage.  Thousands responded by tacking handwritten confessions to the cross.

Music  by Cross Movement, Jars of Clay, John Reuben and Michael W. Smith.  Speakers included Reggie Dabbs, Erwin McManus, Josh McDowell, and Bill McCartney.  [Emphasis added]

Promise Keepers 2002: Storm the Gates

Promise Keepers’ youth event, Passage, took place in Anaheim on Nov. 1-2 to an estimated 10,000 teens, dads, mentors, and youth pastors.

The Vision, Passion, Discipline & Risk of a Noble Man by James Ryle.  Promise Keepers also published a companion volume, A Pastor’s Guide to Leading Men by Pete Richardson

Rick Joyner (from MorningStar Ministries (current mentor to Todd Bentley ex- Lakeland Revival preacher) Apostle in New Apostolic Reformation NAR) associated with James Ryle (Pastor to Bill McCartney),  Jack Deere,  Francis Frangipane, Dudley Hall, Andrew Strom, Mike Bickle, and many more from the Kansas City Prophets, the Vineyard, and the Charismatic movement.

Rick Joyner confessed initiate of Knights of Malta

Charisma Magazine wrote an April 2001 article about Rick Joyner titled, God’s Lightning Rod, and said this:

“…Joyner has also distanced himself from those who have criticized him for his association with the Knights of Malta, a charitable organization that allegedly has its roots in medieval chivalry. Some who learned of Joyner’s connection to the group began spreading rumors that he had become a Mason or that the Knights of Malta was a secret society with occult origins.

“We do not let paranoid people dictate what we do,” Joyner wrote in the May/June 1999 issue of the Morning Star Prophetic Bulletin, adding: “I have never been a member of the Masons.” He explained that he had been knighted by a “European order of chivalry” in the early 1990s and that the Knights are widely recognized as “a registry of nobility.”   (Was published at this url:  – no longer available)

According to Joyner, the Knights of Malta–also known as the Order of St. John–has Christian roots and can be linked to the Hospitallers, who were credited with starting hospitals during the Middle Ages. The order conducts no secret ceremonies as does a Masonic lodge and actually has undergone a spiritual revival, Joyner says.

Joyner has even written a book about the Knights of Malta, “Courage That Changed the World”, which features a photograph of the robed “grand master” of the order. In the book, Joyner compares the Knights to end-time Christians who will overcome the world’s evils through faith in Christ  [4]

Rick Joyner stated this about the Knights of Malta,

“…Malta is still recognized as a sovereign order having its diplomatic center in Malta. It is considered by some to be the only true international registry of nobility still in existence. It has remained intact as a Christian order for over 900 years and its vows center on serving the Lord Jesus Christ, defending Christian unity, and serving “our lords, the poor and the oppressed.” It is considered by many to be the only true chivalrous order remaining…”

Promise Keepers 2003: The Challenge: A Call to Action

The 2003 theme was “The Challenge: A Call to Action,” and reclaiming the culture and servant leadership were regular topics throughout each two-day event.

Bill McCartney published his fourth book, Blind Spots: What You Don’t See May Be Keeping Your Church From Greatness (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 2003). Worship anthems and previously released songs from Plus One, Salvador, Take 6 and Chris Tomlin.  Thomas S. Fortson Jr., Ph.D., was named Promise Keepers’ third president and CEO on October 1

Promise Keepers 2004: “Uprising – The Revolution of a Man’s Soul”

Based on the book by Erwin McManus, Uprising – A Revolution of the Soul, Promise Keepers’ 15th season drew more than 179,000 men and boys to 18 conferences

“My goal is to destroy Christianity as a world religion and be a recatalyst for the movement of Jesus Christ,” McManus, author of a new book called “The Barbarian Way”, said in a telephone interview. “Some people are upset with me because it sounds like I’m anti-Christian. I think they might be right.”  –  Erwin McManus  “The Barbarian Way”

“Somehow Christianity has become a nonmystical religion. It’s about a reasonable faith. If we believe the right things, then we are orthodox. Frankly whether we ever actually connect to God or experience His undeniable presence has become incidental, if not irrelevant. We have become believers rather than experiencers. To know God in Scriptures always went beyond information to intimacy. We may find ourselves uncomfortable with this reality, but the faith of the Scriptures is a mystical faith. It leads us beyond the material world into an invisible reality. We become connected to the God of eternity. Who you are at the core is spirit. God is Spirit. To walk with God is to journey in the spiritual realm.”  –  Erwin McManus  “The Barbarian Way”

Promise Keepers 2005: “The Awakening – An Unpredictable Adventure”

It was a crowning achievement to an incredible year as over 3,300 gave their hearts to Jesus for the first time, while thousands of others came forward to rededicate their lives.  On November 6-12, PK traveled into international waters as we took the “The Awakening” event to Nassau, Bahamas.  Prime Minister Perry G. Christie invited PK to join our Bahamian brothers for a week of strategic ministry initiatives and a Day of Prayer to awaken the men in the region.

Promise Keepers 2006: “Unleashed – Releasing the Raw Power of Your Heart”

More than 132,000 men were reached at conferences in 18 U.S. cities.   Motorcyclists increased their involvement at 2006 Unleashed events, with 750 bikers participating in special rallies in five cities.  PK’s first-ever custom bike “Unleashed”

Guest musicians at 2006 conferences included Dove-award winning Israel and New Breed, jam band Big Daddy Weave, Samoan soulsters The Katinas, Mark Harris (of 4Him), storyteller Mark Schultz, guitar whiz Lincoln Brewster and composer Paul Baloche, Minister who gave testemony – Richard Wilkins from Awakening Him Ministry

** Israel and the New Breed appeared at Rhema Church, 2 Days of Hope Celebration with Joel and Victoria Osteen.  New Breed = Joel’s Army, Over-comers, Manifest Sons of God.

Promise Keepers 2007: Flood – Energizing Men of Integrity

Promise Keepers (PK) marked its 18th year of ministry with events aimed at community service, and a range of Internet-based tools to help men grow spiritually.

PK7 conference band, and Reggie Dabbs, Pro football coach and author Tony Dungy, Burkhalter’s volume Risking It All (Xulon Press)

Promise Keepers 2008: “Manhood ’08 – Let the Truth Be Told”

A national Saturday church/community outreach event called “PKAdventure” was distributed in the spring and fall through theater and church satellite networks.  Related community service projects in 13 communities from coast to coast included building a youth camp, a barn-raising, park clean up, community barbecues and block parties, house painting and building renovation, food drives, blood drives, and clothing drives.

Tom Fortson’s second book Manhood – Let the Truth Be Told (Moody Publishers),  The Rev. Raleigh Washington, D.D. was named President/CEO.

Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper [3]

PROMISE 1   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.

PROMISE 2   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.

PROMISE 3   A Promise Keeper is committed to practicing spiritual, moral, ethical, and sexual purity.

PROMISE 4   A Promise Keeper is committed to building strong marriages and families through love, protection and biblical values.

PROMISE 5   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.

PROMISE 6   A Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.

PROMISE 7   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).

Dr. Bruce Wilkinson developed the widely used video curriculum, Personal Holiness in Times of Temptation, as a part of “The Biblical Manhood” series for Promise Keepers.

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[1] http://www.promisekeepers.org/about

[2] http://www.promisekeepers.org/about/pkhistory

[3] http://www.promisekeepers.org/about/7promises

[4] http://www.seekgod.ca/nonew.htm