McCartney Returns to Head Promise Keepers
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Thu, September 18, 2008
- Viewed 311
- (14) comments so far
What do you think of the PK movement? Why has attendance hit rock bottom? And is there anything that can be done to revitalize it?
And… what has been the overall effect of PK in the lives of men in the country?
I’d love to hear your input.
Todd
PS—You can read more of the article here...
According to the Rocky Mountain News, Promise Keepers co-founder and former University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney has returned to the helm of Promise Keepers. The article says that Promise Keepers has had declining attendance since it peaked in the 1990s and and must now navigate a difficult national economy. In 1996, 22 PK events were held at stadiums with a total attendance of 1.1 million. In 2006, just ten years later, there were still 18 conferences running, but attendance had dropped to about 132,000. By last year, attendance dropped to only 50,0000 at seven conferences. McCartney says he has "explosively exciting plans" that will be announced in the next couple of weeks...
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bishopdave on Thu, September 18, 2008
Participated in PK back then, attended the big meeting in Texas Stadium in 1994; one of the greatest worship experiences in my life.
PK struck a nerve and a need back then. It woke churches up to the fact that we must gear some ministry energy towards men. Now we have male-oriented churches, Mark Driscoll, etc. Is is not entirely possible that it was something that was needed, blessed, and fulfilled its purpose? does a ministry have to always continue forever? Churches have life spans, certainly a parachurch would have one also. Sometimes churches and ministries die because they’ve fulfilled God’s will for them. Coach McCarthy needs to answer the question: does PK need to continue (using Kingdom resources) in order to fulfill God’ s will, or is this about “not letting it die”? Watch the ego here.
Mike Ellis on Thu, September 18, 2008
Organizing, coordinating, marketing men’s events has to be one of the toughest jobs a person can do. Getting men to show up for pancakes on Tuesday or an arena Event on Thursday can be an extremely harrowing task. Men’s ministry is not for the faint of heart. If you have someone in your ministry or church who has a heart to reach men, encourage and support them. PLEASE! I pray for God’s Will, God’s Favor and God’s Glory as PK moves forward.
phill on Thu, September 18, 2008
Learning a lesson all over again in the wake of Hurricane Ike…
Meet a need and people will come…they don’t care what color you are…denomination you are…or what your background is…
You find the need and meet that need and people will flock to you.
Jan on Thu, September 18, 2008
I don’t know, maybe Promise Keeper’s current conference theme has something to do with it
“Grab life by the truth”
Hmmmm… not my first thought when I read it.
I was kind of… stunned.
Glen on Thu, September 18, 2008
Attended PK conference in Charleston, WV last week. McCartney is going to announce that women are invited to next year’s 20th anniversary event.
RevJeff on Thu, September 18, 2008
EVENTS can be (and PK are usually) awesome and encouraging and empowering… the issue becomes the follow through.
What most of us who have attended a PK event (I’ve been to 7) in the past get from PK now is constant mailings asking for money…
I know it takes finances to run ministry (I AM A PASTOR) the follow through after a PK event falls into local MEN’s ministries that either(seemingly) don’t feel PK is hitting their needs anymore, or are ill equipped to sustain discipleship between conferences.
Either that or every man in America has already been reached and fully discipled, so PK has completed it’s calling…
Just thinking -
Randy Ehle on Thu, September 18, 2008
I attended PK in Denver in 95 and volunteered there in 96, then attended in San Diego a few years ago. With slightly different emphases and nuances, the messages were all the same - all focused on “The Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper.” Good stuff, and the message needs to be repeated often (one, so we start applying it; and two, so people who haven’t heard it before have a chance).
All that said, I think the days of the stadium-filling PK conferences are (probably ought to be) over. If PK will continue to have a meaningful existence, it probably needs to slide into more of a partnership with local churches’ men’s ministries to provide training and resources. I realize that could take even more PK staff at the local level around the country - possibly diverting resources from the churches. But I think we are moving toward greater (dare I say) ecumenical collaboration among churches, and PK could be a galvanizing factor in that. For example, why should several churches in a city each have a men’s retreat with a few dozen men involved? Why not get those churches to cross some of their denominational boundaries and join together for one retreat with a couple hundred men? Not only could there be the motivational sessions on being a good husband and dad, but also round tables helping us understand our various doctrinal positions from a perspective of openness and grace.
Promise Keepers could get down to brass tacks with men on many of the issues that divide us, and so bring us together in real ways that enable us to truly show the world that we are all Christ’s disciples, evidenced through our love for each other.
Jan on Thu, September 18, 2008
By the way, our men are going this November. And I think it’s worth it. But we did feel awkward hanging up the poster http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif
Wonder if more conservative churches were offended this year?
David on Mon, September 22, 2008
Attended a PK once 13 years ago, then one three years ago and MY! How it has changed. It was seriously a corporate, merchandising, pump-you-up event. It seemed like the leaders were just trying to keep a good thing going. It’s the same with nearly any new idea. People get all excited about it, but lose interest when the bottom line happens: 78 percent of the time, holding each other accountable, being a man, praying for each other, MAKING time to encourage each other to righteousness, etc….is boring, hard methodical work. People in the western world lose interest when it doesn’t sparkle or make you tap your toe.
BL on Mon, September 22, 2008
Instead of standing alone, would it be a good idea for PK to make connections with Men’s Ministries in the local church in order to further their agenda and gather new momentum?
DPRestrick on Tue, September 23, 2008
PK met a need, then successfully copied by Women of Faith, etc. With the expansion of female-focused efforts in the church, in politics, in the business world and in society, PK might do better if they partnered with such enterprises as BassPro, NASCAR, Home Depot / Lowes, Cabela’s ... and infused their energy in non-traditional ways that the church could still (comfortably) embrace.
Jan on Tue, September 23, 2008
I like the way you think!
TO on Tue, September 23, 2008
I think the problem with anything like this is missing the take away for the local church. How does this help the church sustain men’s ministry the other 364 days a year? There is energy and it is a good rally with good teaching (I really enjoyed it) but one event a year does not drive a movement. I think PK would be more successful if they worked with local church pastors and trained and equipped them to do men’s ministry in the church, the whole teach a man to fish concept or at least do the events in churches and help them to launch men’s small groups like Kenny Luck does with Everyman Ministries. Just a thought.
Casey Sabella on Wed, September 24, 2008
Anyone know what changed? I seem to remember Bill left the ministry to attend to his ailing wife. Any updates?
Casey
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