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Compiled by: Michael Tao
In the Christian circle of today, even the suggestion of examining the Promise Keepers movement can arouse negative feelings. They may ask: what can be wrong with Christian men uniting to become more godly? However, there is a fundamental problem with the Promise Keepers' approach to the Gospel and to the way godliness is achieved. That is why we must examine the movement. However, we do not presume to judge the integrity or the motives of those in Promise Keepers, nor do we question the salvation of these men. We also do not doubt that many involved with Promise Keepers are sincere, godly men who love the Lord Jesus Christ.
As followers of Christ, we should be concerned with the doctrine of the movement and the ministry being promoted. Any group that claims to represent Jesus Christ must preach a pure Gospel, and address man's spiritual growth from an accurate interpretation of God's Word. As we will see, Promise Keepers fails on both counts. Examining such an issue is not easy, but God has called the church to be "the pillar and support of the truth" (I Timothy. 3:15), plus we are to "examine everything carefully" (I Thessalonians. 5:21). Our hope in writing this is that the reader would be better informed on what Promise Keepers is and be able to evaluate it more clearly in light of Scripture.
What Is Promise Keepers?
In the summer of 1990, while traveling in a car from Denver to Pueblo, Colorado, for a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting, University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney spoke with a friend, Dave Wardell, about the need for a men's ministry (David Halbrook, "Promise Keepers Looks Ahead," Ministries Today, March-April 1995, p. 61). After a brainstorming session in July with several invited friends, Promise Keepers was born.
This movement has seen explosive growth since its beginning. A crowd of 4,200 men attended the first convention at the Coors' Event Center in Boulder in 1991. In 1992, 22,000 men gathered together for a convention. A 1993 National Men's Conference at the University of Colorado's Folsom Stadium drew a capacity crowd of 50,000 ministers, priests, and laymen. Seven conventions held in 1994 had around 300,000 in attendance.
Much of the success, humanly speaking, seems to be attributed to a few prominent individuals such as Bill Bright (Campus Crusade for Christ), and psychologists Dr. Gary Smalley and Dr. James Dobson (Focus on the Family) who have given their whole-hearted endorsement. Those who actually take the Promise Keepers program into the churches are called Point Men and Ambassadors. Point Men are the primary contacts with the churches that inform the congregations of upcoming events, training seminars and resources, and organize the promotion of PK conferences. Ambassadors introduce Promise Keepers to the churches in the community and recruit Point Men (Albert Dager, Media Spotlight Special Report, "Promise Keepers: Is What You See What You Get?", p. 2).
Purpose of Promise Keepers
The following statements from a Promise Keepers' affiliated magazine, Men of Action, clearly show the purpose of Promise Keepers:
- Promise Keepers is a Christ-centered ministry dedicated to uniting men through vital relationships to become godly men who influence their world.[1]
- We believe that we have a God-given mission to unite men who are separated by race, geography, culture, denomination, and economics.[2]
Promise Keepers operates on the basis that God wants men to be responsible leaders in the church, home, and community. McCartney says that men must commit to what he describes as "the three non-negotiables of manhood: integrity, commitment and action" (Bill McCartney, What Makes A Man? Twelve Promises that Will Change Your Life, Colorado Springs: NavPress Publishing, 1992, p. 11). He goes on to state, "If you were to take the word integrity and reduce it to its simplest terms, you'd conclude that a man of integrity is a promise keeper. He's a guy who, when he says something, can be trusted. When he gives his word, you can take it to the bank" (Ibid., p. 12). The philosophy of PK can be found in the "Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper":
Promise one: A Man and His 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.
Promise two: A Man and His Mentors: 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 three: A Man and His Integrity: A Promise Keeper is committed to practicing spiritual, moral, ethical, and sexual purity.
Promise four: A Man and His Family: A Promise Keeper is committed to building strong marriages and families through love, protection, and biblical values.
Promise five: A Man and His 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.
Promise six : A Man and His Brothers: A Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.
Promise seven : A Man and His World: A Promise Keeper is committed to influencing his world, being obedient to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.
Promise Keepers place strong emphasis on "vital relationship":
- We believe that vital relationships among men are the foundation for helping one another become promise keepers. We contend that this is best accomplished when a small group of men agree to pursue God - face to face, shoulder to shoulder, and back to back - and establish covenant relationships with one another . . to be accountable to each other.[4]
- In the context of covenant relationships, a man willingly grants other men the right to inquire about his relationship to God, his commitment to his family, his sexuality, and his financial dealings.[5]
From their literature, one sees clearly that the purpose of Promise Keepers is to produce godliness in men. That godliness is accomplished by uniting men of various backgrounds, by keeping seven promises, and by being accountable to other men.
Promise Keepers and Ecumenism
Upon studying the doctrine of the Promise Keepers, there are three fundamental problems with the movement:
1. Promise Keepers is part of an ecumenical trend that puts aside essential theological issues in order to promote a unity which is not biblical unity.
2. The Promise Keepers' plan for producing godliness is not in accord with God's plan as set forth in His Word.
3. Promise Keepers is founded and driven by men associated with the Vineyard movement, a movement characterized by unsound theology.
Foundation of Ecumenism
There is great emphasis in the church today on uniting professing Christians of all denominations and beliefs. That effort is commonly referred to as "ecumenism," which is defined as "the organized attempt to bring about the cooperation and unity of all believers in Christ."[6] With ecumenism is an emphasis on setting aside theological differences between denominations while focusing on areas of agreement. The areas of agreement are predominantly social, moral, and political.
The foundation for this ecumenical trend has been laid and built upon over many years. The 1960s saw the beginning of institutional ecumenism with the rise of the World Council of Churches. Members of WCC were mostly liberal Protestant denominations who denied the essential doctrines, such as the inerrancy of Scripture and a literal, bodily resurrection of Christ.
For years, Evangelicals distanced themselves from this institutional ecumenism because of the unsound theology of the groups involved. Today, however, that spirit of compromise has invaded Evangelicalism. The recent Catholic-Evangelical accord is an example of such compromise. In this accord, Evangelicals compromised essential doctrines such as justification by faith alone and the sufficiency of Scripture in order to unite with Roman Catholics on issues such as abortion and school prayer. Doctrines that divided Evangelicals and Catholics for centuries are now being put aside in the name of unity.
Another ecumenical influence has been the Charismatic movement which has been effective in uniting those who claim to have a common experience in the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues. Because of common experiences, doctrinal differences that once separated denominations have often been set aside. One can now be an Episcopalian, Methodist, Lutheran, or even Roman Catholic and still be united because of common experience.
The infiltration of psychology into the church has also strengthened this trend. Most Christian radio stations are saturated with Christian psychology programs, yet the vast majority of listeners to these
programs know very little about the doctrine background or church affiliation of these men they listen to. These men are accepted as authorities on Christian living because they claim they are Christians and believe the Bible. These men unify Christians, not on the basis of Scripture but on their psychological influence which is "trans-doctrinal".
So with the influence of institutional ecumenism, the Charismatic movement, and Christian psychology, there is wave after wave of pressure that says, "Let's not emphasize doctrine. Let's not emphasize the specifics of the Word. It is enough to say that we believe in Christ, therefore, we should not quarrel over areas of disagreement". Believers are enticed to turn their eyes from our Lord Jesus Christ to the worldly recognition, the security, and the increase of power and strength.
There is, however, great danger when the church compromises essential doctrines to unite on social, moral, and political issues. Those involved in ecumenism often quote Jesus' prayer in John 17:21, where He prayed, "that they (Christians) may all be one" to show that believers should be unified. Certainly, believers should earnestly desire the unity Jesus referred to. However, in that same prayer, Jesus prayed,
"Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). True unity must be based on the truth of Scripture or else it is a false unity. The Bible nowhere calls for unity at the expense of truth.
The Promise Keepers' movement is also part of this ecumenical trend of down-playing doctrine for unity. In one Promise Keeper publication this is clearly evident:
- We believe that we have a God-given mission to unite men who are separated by race, geography, culture, denomination, and economics[7]
- A Promise Keeper is committed to reach beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity[8] .
McCartney receives great support from Roman Catholics, and 600 Roman Catholic priests attended the Promise Keeper Clergy Conference held in Atlanta in February 1996. In the conference, great emphasis placed on unity with no criticism of any heresy. In the conference, facing 40,000 ministers, one of the speakers Max Lucado said," The sin of disunity causes people to hell!" (No chapter and verse was given). He also said, "The step to unity is acceptance and no longer to speak evil of one another. Would it not be wonderful not to be known as either Protestant or Catholic? Mr. Lucado obviously forgot what the word "protestant" meant and came from. In the same meeting, McCartney also said,, "No such meeting was held in the past 400 years, and it is exciting to see the denominational barriers come down as we have Protestants and Roman Catholics here together. The purpose of this meeting is to have the unity of the church." [15]
At this clergy conference, Holy Communion was offered to a very diverse crowd of people. This is an act of facilitating the unity, ignoring God's warning of observing the Lord's Supper unworthily in 1 Corinthians 11:27.
The 22 Men's Conferences that are scheduled for 1996 have as the theme,
"Break Down the Walls." Randy Phillips' ¡¦ message to the laymen is, "Isolation is the breeding ground for walls--walls of separation. Men, we are coming together in 22 stadiums in 1996 to BREAK DOWN THE WALLS!""
From above, we can conclude that the motivation of Promise Keepers is ecumenical, which is to unite with all religions, so that we can serve God, when God's commandment is to "wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate (2 Corinthians 6:17).
Promise Keepers is now leading the van of the New evangelical compromisers, it is enraging in joining with Roman Catholics and is totally ecumenical. The passengers include "Christians" and ministers from a variety of church--United Methodist, Wesleyan, Regular Baptist, Bible churches, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Charismatics, Church of God, Missionary Baptist, Baptist General Conference, Evangelical Friends, Christian reformed, and independent groups. Among these churches, some believe that salvation is by works, and others believe it is by grace alone. It is tragic to see professing Fundamentalists, gathering together with the liberal and Roman Catholic clergy who teach false salvation.
One pastor, who attended a Promise Keepers' meeting said,
- I . . . experienced the true oneness among brethren of different faiths, races, and colors, and I also experienced an appreciation of diversity[9]. Notice that the "oneness" described had nothing to do with biblical truth but rather with feelings and emotions. True "oneness," however, must be based on biblical truth. There is a difference between experiential and spiritual oneness. We can watch a movie with other people and laugh and cry together because we share the same experience. We may have experiential oneness but that is not Holy Spirit produced unity. The ecumenical nature of Promise Keepers can also be seen in the following quotation:
- We are dedicated, then, to addressing the division that has separated the body of Christ for too long. We are committed to call men to reconcile in Christ, to live as one[10] .
That statement sounds virtuous. After all, who does not want unity? Who does not want division put aside? But skipping over doctrinal issues is not the way to biblical unity. To say that denominational division is sin is to say that doctrine is not important, because doctrine is one of the key things which divides denominations and churches! Some churches teach sound doctrine about Jesus Christ and some teach false doctrine. Some teach sound doctrine about salvation; some, false doctrine. Some teach sound doctrine about baptism; some, false doctrine. Some teach sound doctrine about the Holy Spirit; some, false doctrine. Some teach sound doctrine about the New Testament church; some, false doctrine. Timothy's job in Ephesus was "that thou mightest charge some that they TEACH NO OTHER DOCTRINE" (1 Timothy 1:3). When a church stands upon the whole counsel of New Testament doctrine, it automatically becomes divided from churches which stand for different doctrine. This cannot be avoided, and it is not wrong. In fact, God forbids sound churches from associating with those who hold different doctrine (Romans 16:17). The walls which Promise Keepers is attempting to break down are doctrinal walls, and this is unscriptural and wrong.
The Evangelical Church has traditionally taken a stand against the doctrines of the liberal Protestant denominations and the Catholic Church. Many liberal Protestant denominations deny the deity of Christ, the infallibility of Scripture, and the literal reality of the resurrection. One cannot be saved and hold to such errors. The Catholic Church denies salvation by faith alone and adds sacraments and obedience to the Church as necessary for salvation. So when Promise Keepers say they are "addressing the division that has separated the body of Christ," are they addressing key issues? Are false doctrines being addressed? Are the people in these churches challenged to flee their false religious systems?
The answer is "No." Key foundational issues have been dropped, all for the sake of so-called unity. There is so much theological diversity among those involved with Promise Keepers, that a clarification of what it means to be a Christian among these groups, can easily tear the movement apart. The ecumenical nature of Promise Keepers is a serious matter. If one followed the doctrines of some of the groups involved in this movement, one could not even be a Christian. And if one is not a Christian, nothing that person does will enable him or her to be godly.
Promise Keepers and Godliness
There are articles in the local newspaper that stressed the importance of church, family, friends, and values. as Christians, we would agree with much of the article. The only problem was that the program was sponsored by the Mormon church. Now, we do agree with Mormons that church, family, friends, and values are important, but is that enough for us to unite with them? Of course not. In spite of all these areas of agreement, there are essential doctrinal differences that will never allow us to unify with Mormons in spiritual matters. Their program is not in line with God's Word for salvation or godliness. The disagreements between true Christianity and the Mormons are what really matter, not the agreements. Likewise, with Promise Keepers, though we agree with some of their teachings, there are doctrinal differences that will not allow us to support them
Promise Keepers say they are interested in producing godly men. But this is not enough, the way of achieving godliness carries the same weight. True godliness can only be produced in the way God prescribed in His Word. With toys and with godliness, one must follow the instructions of the maker. Good intentions do not assemble a toy or produce godliness. We may learn the hard way since ignoring the instructions easily leads to failure. Obviously, with the achieving of godliness, it is far, far more critical that we must follow the instructions of the Maker.
Paul said of his fellow Jews, "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge" (Romans 10:2). I appreciate that Promise Keepers want to help men become godly but good intentions are not enough. I am afraid their zeal is not according to knowledge.
As Christians, we agree that the male Christians must assume leadership in their homes and church fellowships, in accord with the Word of God. However the Promise Keepers conferences go far beyond this. The promoters of Promise Keepers movement insist to have the desired effect on Christians, the objective of the their conferences is to recruit the Ambassadors, or Point Men to bring the agenda into the churches. This practice is very questionable. There is no teaching nor examples in the Bible support this kind of practice, and each local church should have its autonomy and governing power. We need to examine the motivation, and scrutinize how the Promise Keepers put this promises into application. We are going to take a deeper look in these promises.
Analysis of Seven Promises
One error of Promise Keepers is its emphasis on extra-biblical or man-made rules. As indicated earlier, being a Promise Keeper includes committing to seven promises. But nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to be saved and then follow seven promises so that we can grow spiritually. The Bible is clear that godliness does not come from man-made rules, no matter how good those rules may seem:
Promise 1: A man and His 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."
Analysis of Promise 1 :
Technically, and if these words are understood in their very own scriptural and historical meaning, then any true believer would gladly support it. However, we live in days when wonderful words like these are being abused and misused.
For example, in the first chapter of the book, Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper, Charismatic leader Dr. Jack Hayford writes about "Redeeming Worship" on page 19. He teaches serious error. Hayford writes: "Redeeming worship centers on the Lord's Table. Whether your tradition celebrates it as Communion, Eucharist, the Mass, or the Lord's Supper, we are all called to this "centerpiece of Christian worship."
Is there any difference between the Eucharist and the Mass (celebrated by Roman Catholics and Orthodox), and the Lord's Table, Lord's Supper and Communion observed by true believers? Of course there is!
Historically the mass has been seen by Bible believers as blatant blasphemy. Yet Hayford, like other Charismatic- leaders, is teaching Promise Keepers and others that this blasphemy is accepted by God.
It is essential for us to find out which God, or Christ that the Promise Keepers refers to, since obviously that Promise Keepers accepts Roman Catholics and even Mormons are Christians. Which God we are talking about in these statements? Is this god the God in the Bible? Or is he the god in RC, whom is not the savior? or is he god of Mormon, who is an angel?
Promise One has the right words but the wrong application. There are many other examples of errors concerning prayer and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, which are taught by Charismatic leaders. We have to ask, "How could anyone possibly promise to obey God's Word and in the same breath disobey that Word?" What a deception.
Promise 2: A man and His Mentors: "A promise keeper is committed to pursing vital relationships with a few other men, understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises."
Analysis of Promise 2:
What a dangerous premise which is based upon psychological theories. Of course Godly men can help each other. However to encourage the false notion that a godly man cannot purify his life style without depending on other Promise Keepers is another trick of Satan to belittle the power of God and negate His "...great and precious promises" (2 Peter 1:3, 4).
God's Word repeatedly warns about the danger of putting trust in men. Isaiah 2:22, "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?" Jeremiah 17:5, "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord." By contrast, note Jeremiah 17:7, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is." God's Word clearly commands us to "...have no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians. 3:3). God specifically warns in 1 Corinthians 10:12, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." Those who disregard God's warnings are surely headed for a fall.
Promise 3: A Man and His Integrity: "A promise Keeper is committed to practiscng spiritual, moral, ethical, and sexual purity."
Analysis of Promise 3:
Once again, here is a statement that all Christians should strive to achieve, not just the male but the female also. In fact, the spiritual, moral, ethical and sexual purity needed by every believer is not to be found in making boastful promises nor in dependence upon other believers but can only be obtained by heeding the Word of God Second Peter 1:4 says, "Whereby are given unto us [all of us!] exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust". It is the promises of God that are all-important and they assure divine power to accomplish His purpose of godliness in an ungodly day, not the promises of even the finest, most sincere men who attempt to formulate what they believe is needed to change men and then the world.
Putting promise 2 and 3 together, then men must give other men the right to inquire about his own privacy, which includes family, sexual, and financial matters. There is nothing in the Bible that gives other men the right to inquire into his fellows' private family and sexual life.
Promise 4 -- A man and his family: A Promise Keeper is committed to building strong marriages and families through love, protection, and biblical values.
Analysis of Promise 4:
Here is another promise which is certainly desirable as stated. However, the question which must be asked and answered concerns just what are these "biblical values?" A careful study of Promise Keepers literature reveals that their programs are based upon some Biblical values given by God, but are also mixed with some very dangerous psychological principles and practices which rest upon the theories of men. This unsound material will continue to flow into churches long after the initial excitement of the program wanes.
Promise 5 -- A man and his church: A Promise Keeper is committed to supporting the mission of the church by honoring and praying for his pastor, and by actively giving of his time and resources.
Analysis of Promise 5:
Whether such a promise is scriptural or unscriptural depends entirely upon which church is involved. Is it a church which proclaims a false gospel (such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and liberal Protestant churches)? Is it a church which is disobedient to God's Word by its fellowship with false teachers and those who "love the world"? (1 John 2:15-17). If so, to "support the mission of such a church, honoring
and praying for its pastor, and actively giving of his time and resources" is helping to build the one-world harlot church of the antichrist. Promise Keepers all along ignore the plain commands of God's Word concerning separation from those who teach error, and fail to "reprove" such (Ephesians. 5:11). As a result, the men in the Promise Keepers movement are totally unprepared, and unwilling to stand against all the "wiles of the devil" (Ephesians. 6:11).
Promise 6 -- A man and his brothers: A Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.
Analysis of Promise 6:
This promise once again mixes truth and error and provides another example of how the word "biblical" is misused. Reaching the lost beyond racial barriers with gospel is Scriptural, but reaching beyond denominational barriers is a rebellion against God's plain commands. It is not "biblical unity" which Promise Keepers think they are demonstrating, but an unbiblical unity which will bring God's eventual judgment. 2 Peter 2:1-3.
Should anyone doubt the fact that the Promise Keepers movement seeks an unbiblical unity, just read the words of its founder, Coach Bill McCartney, as found on pages 160, 161 of Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper: "Now, I don't mean to suggest that all cultural differences and denominational distinctives are going to disappear. But what I know is that Almighty God wants to bring Christian men together regardless of their ethnic origin, denominational background, or style of worship. There's only one criterion for this kind of unity: to love Jesus and be born of the Spirit of God. Can we look one another in the eye -- black, white, red, brown, yellow, Baptist, Presbyterian, Assemblies of God, Catholic, and so on -- and get together on this common ground: 'We believe in salvation through Christ alone, and we have made Him the Lord of or lives? Is that not the central, uifying reality of our existence? And if it is, can we not focus on that and call each other brothers instead of always emphasizing our differences? Men, we have to get together on this!"
Here McCartney's contradictory words should be noted concerning the necessity of believing in salvation through Christ alone, yet including Roman Catholics as "brothers" in spite of the fact that they do not believe in salvation through Christ alone, but adding sacraments and good works as requirements for salvation.
Racism is indeed a sin, it originates from one's pride and selfishness. When Bible has identified many specific sins, but never separate racism as a specific sin. Many churches are formed, for the sake of convenience and practicality, with a specific language or culture group; it is quite acceptable. To remove the barriers between races seems to be a good motivation, yet the motivation of Promise Keepers' racial unity is clearly to for putting Christians together, it is an act of ecumenical movement.
Promise 7 -- A man and his 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).
Analysis of Promise 7:
Mark 12:30, 31 records the words of Jesus Christ, in which love to God and love to one's neighbour are commanded. However, Promise Keepers presents a faulty understanding of Christian love in which reconciliation with a disobedient brother is insisted upon, whereas, in truth, separation from disobedient brethren is commanded by God (2 Thessalonians. 3:6, 14, 15). In these days of increasing compromise, Satan has blinded the eyes of many believers to the fact that church discipline is by large ignored, it is no longer seen as a mean for the end of preservation of a pure church, and for the disobedient brother's spiritual welfare. Promise Keepers' mistaken premise that genuine Christian love necessitates fellowship with, rather than separation from disobedient brethren, will do harm to all God's churches.
Matthew 28:19, 20 involves not only the preaching of the Gospel, but also teaching those who believe "...to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Giving the impression that it does not matter what church is attended or what doctrinal creed is embraced by any true believer. This is foolish. By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Apostle Paul wrote in Acts 20:17-32, reminded the Ephesian elders that he had not shunned to declare "all the counsel of God" (v. 27), warning "every one night and day with tears" for three years (v. 3l). What were these warnings about? The grievous wolves (false teachers) who would enter in, "not sparing the flock" (v. 29), and those from within the church who would arise, "speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (v. 30). Separation from, not reconciliation with such false teachers, is God's way of preserving the purity and power of the church.
Much of the strong appeal of the Promise Keepers movement is based upon humanistic psychological principles and techniques. Many of its leaders also have become very proficient in using such dangerous theories. In another of Satan's "dangerous mixture" deceptions, the term "Christian Psychologist" has mesmerized its proponents into believing that it is possible to take the "good things" from humanistic psychology and combine them with Biblical teachings. Dr. James Dobson, who is one of the Promise Keepers leaders, and other well-known "Christian Psychologists" such as Gary Smalley, John Trent, and Robert Hicks are leading many astray.
God's Plan For Godliness
We have highlighted that the Promise Keeper method is not in line with Scripture. Now we will look at God's plan as given in His Word. God's plan for godliness begins with the local church. Of the 114 references to "church" in the New Testament, over 90 refer to the local assembly of believers. We must not skip over the fact that God's plan for godliness is closely linked to the local church.
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians. 4:11-13)
According to Paul, God has given the church gifted men to instruct the body of Christ - through the Word of God - on the way to be godly. Through their teaching, pastors, teachers, and evangelists equip us, or make us ready, to do the work of the ministry. That is done, "to the building up of the body of Christ. . . to a mature man." As believers function in the context of their local church, they are built up and become mature. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ. . . (Ephesians. 4:14-16).
Nothing can replace the strong, systematic, Spirit-directed Biblical preaching and teaching of the Word of God in the local church. The Bible is created by God and is profitable for "doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." The work of the Spirit of God through the Word of God is the only "enduring transformational impact" that the believer will ever experience.
That is God's plan for godliness. We do not have the right to decide that we have a better plan. We cannot just say, "We want to be godly; therefore, we are going to get men together who will commit to seven promises so they can be real men." Men cannot function apart from the local body of believers and "tossed" around by bad doctrine. There may be an appearance of godliness, but it is not biblical godliness.
Two Plans For Godliness?
Promise Keepers is exclusively a men's movement. But does God distinguish His plan for godliness based on gender? Is there one plan for men and another plan for women? The Bible is clear that this is not the case:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:28)
There are different roles and responsibilities indicated in the Bible for men and women, but as far as God's plan for growth in the church, there are no separate categories for men and women. The Bible never instructs men to get together to be godly. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with men meeting with other men or women meeting with other women but such meetings should be within the framework of the local church. Programs specifically for men find no precedent in Scripture.
One cannot mix sound biblical doctrine with false doctrine and expect it to produce godly men. Godliness is not the result of following a set of rules. It is true that godly men do not mistreat their wives and children, but godliness is not created by getting men to commit to certain promises. Godly men are produced by believing the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ and submitting themselves to the Word in the context of the local church so that they may grow to maturity. Consequently, he will treat his wife and children properly, he will also demonstrate his godliness in many other areas.
Promise Keepers and the Vineyard Movement
So far we have noted the ecumenical nature of Promise Keepers, its unbiblical plan for godliness and the unsound theology of many of its leaders, especially with regards to the Charismatic movement. Historically, the Evangelical Church has consistently declared that the miraculous gifts of the Apostolic Era such as speaking in tongues, gifts of healings, and prophecies were limited to that era. God used such signs and wonders to confirm the authenticity of the Apostles and the message of the Gospel they were proclaiming (see Hebrews 2:4; 2 Corinthians 12:12). When the Apostolic Era ended, the miraculous gifts of that era ceased.
However, many in the Charismatic movement hold that the miraculous signs of the Apostolic Era are for today. Vineyard movement, too, believe that the miraculous signs of the early church should be normative for today, and God is still giving new revelation today. These beliefs have led to much confusion and error.
The founder and main spokesman of Promise Keepers, Bill McCartney, is a former Catholic who converted to the Vineyard movement. Consistent with Vineyard doctrine, McCartney, when addressing Promise Keeper rallies, often gives what he claims are direct revelations from God. Thousands of men subject themselves to the teachings of a man claiming to speak on behalf of God, when Scripture is clear God is not giving new revelation in this age (Revelation 22;18,19). Since the emphasis of Promise Keepers is on unity and not doctrine, McCartney is not held accountable for what he says.
McCartney's pastor, James Ryle, is on the Board of Directors of Promise Keepers and has close connections with the self-proclaimed prophet, and co-founder of the Vineyard movement, John Wimber. Ryle, like Wimber, also claims to be a modern-day prophet, receiving revelations from God. In November of 1990 at a Vineyard Harvest Conference in Denver, Ryle made the following statement:
- The Lord has appointed me as a lookout and shown me some things that I want to show you. . . The Lord spoke to me and said, "What you saw in the Beatles - the gifting and the sound that they had - was from me. . . It was my purpose to bring forth through music a worldwide revival that would usher in the move of my Spirit in bringing men and women to Christ. . ." [12]
Ryle, at another time, also claimed he had a vision of a Beatles concert where the people were "screaming the Name - Jesus."[13]
Here is a leader, and main speaker of Promise Keepers who claims God told him the Beatles were originally God's instrument for bringing "worldwide revival." Christians need to be concerned about a man of considerable influence in the Christian community who claims to receive direct revelation from God concerning the Beatles.
Along with McCartney and Ryle, there are many other Charismatic speakers who regularly speak at the conferences. One well-known pastor in the Vineyard movement explained at a Promise Keepers' rally what he believed to be the three reasons for circumcision based on Genesis 17. He said:
- 1) God wants to touch your very identity as a man; 2) God wants to reach out and touch your secret and private parts; 3) God wants to touch man's creative parts. Therefore, since God touched men's creative parts, men as God's people need to be creative in witnessing to others.[14]
But Genesis 17 tells us that circumcision was a sign of the covenant God made with Israel. It had nothing to do with being creative in witnessing, yet thousands of men gathered together to hear such foolish talking, and this speaker was not accountable for blaspheming the Word of God.
Though the leaders in Promise Keepers may have good intentions, that is irrelevant. Paul did not say he appreciated the Judaizers because they had good intentions, instead he rebuked their erroneous teaching. When anyone tampers with the Gospel and the way godliness is produced, believers need to take a strong stand. God sometimes works good in spite of men's efforts and not because of them. Some good may come from Promise Keepers, but I cannot recommend that men subject themselves to unsound doctrine.
I am wary of Promise Keepers Movement also because it seems to be such a broad, inclusive way, Catholics, Mormons, and even homosexuals are encouraged to be "included and welcomed in all our events." But when the true God's ordained organization, the Church, upholds the Word of God, it divides people either onto the broad way that leads to destruction or the narrow way that leads to life. A telltale sigh that there is something wrong is the press being given to Promise Keepers by the worldly media. Why is the world promoting your organization when Jesus said the world would hate us as it hated Him? God has an organization already, the Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of the truth, and the world rejects it. God's work is not based on being male or female, Jew nor Greek nor bond or free, but whosoever will, may come.
Pastors are called to shepherd the flock and watch over their souls (see Acts 20:28). That means warning them of false doctrine that may harm them. For those that are Ministers of Christ, understanding the errors of Promise Keepers, we cannot with good conscience tell our congregations that it is all right for them to expose themselves to the teachings and the ecumenical intention of the Promise Keepers. We praise God for anyone who gets saved at Promise Keepers, but the Promise Keepers' way is not God's way for producing godliness. Christians should not substitute man-made programs for God's glorious plan.
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END NOTES
This article has used material from :
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277. The Way of Life web site is http://wayoflife.org/~dcloud.
Bill Hugh : Promise Keepers and the Rising Tide of Ecumenism (sermon), Indian Hills Community Church, Lincoln, NE, USA.
M.H. Reynolds, "The Promise Keepers Movement is dangerous--Watch Out For It!" Foundation Magazine, Vol XVI (1) P.O. Box 6278 Los Osos, CA 93412.
Dave Hunt, The Berean Call, PO Box 7019 Bend, Oregon 97708 USA
Miguel Betancourt II, Compiler,"Promise Keepers: Should Fundamentalists Get Involved?" Ferndale Baptist Church, 4830 Piedmont Ave., N. Charleston, South Carolina 29418.
Trod Brainard "Do Fundamentalist churches need a Biblical Alternative to Promise Keepers?" The Fundamentalist Digest, January/February 1996.
Shelton Smith, the Sword, May 1996.
Pastor Bill Randles, "Broad is the road that leads to destruction." Believers in Grace Fellowship Church, 3336 Praire Drive NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402, USA
References: (given by Pastor Rugh)
1 Ken Canfield, "What is Promise Keepers?" Men of Action, Fall 1993, p.4.
2 "What Is Promise Keepers?" Men of Action, Fall 1993, p. 4.
3 "12,148 Committed Promise Keepers and Counting," Men of Action, Fall,
1993, p. 15.
4 "What Is Promise Keepers?" Men of Action, Fall, 1993, p. 5.
5 Ibid.
6 Walter A. Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, p. 340.
7 "What Is Promise Keepers?" Men of Action, Fall, 1993, p.4.
8 "12,148 Committed Promise Keepers and Counting," Men of Action, Fall
1993, p. 15.
9 Pastor Oscar J. Anthony, "You Had To Be There," Men of Action, Fall 1993, p. 3.
10 "What Is Promise Keepers?" Men of Action, Fall 1993, p. 5.
11 "12,148 Committed Promise Keepers and Counting," Men of Action, Fall 1993, p. 15.
12 "Promise Keepers," Biblical Discernment Ministries, Vol. 3 "2, March/April 1994.
13 Ibid.
14 This was taken from Jack Hayford's message at the Anaheim, California
Promise Keeper rally in 1994.
15 ACCC Challenge, P.O. Box 19, Wallingford, PA 19086-0019 16. USA
