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Promise Keepers '07 Launches in Mobile

Blood, food, and understanding women on the agenda

Mobile, Ala., June 30, 2007 – Promise Keepers (PK), the international ministry to men, opened its 17th year of conference ministry at the Mobile Civic Center on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. More than 4,100 men and boys gathered for spiritual encouragement and practical tools to put their integrity into practice.

“It’s time for men to move to action,” said Dr. Tom Fortson, president and CEO of Promise Keepers, announcing the ministries foray into developing more on line resources at www.promisekeepers.org.

Community Impact

Helping men put their integrity into action, Promise Keepers collected 71 productive units of blood. “We exceeded our goal by 45%,” said Molly Young with the Mobile chapter of the American Red Cross. “The timing was perfect going into the 4th of July holiday,” said Ms. Young.

On Saturday morning, Mobile men donated more than 2000 pounds of non-perishable food items to benefit the Bay Area Food Bank.

Mobile-based Integrity Music is providing the “house band” for Promise Keepers events again in 2007. PK7 kicked off the event with a 30-minute worship concert, drawing men and boys to the front of the stage for a masculine form of praise and worship.

The Message

Bishop Joseph Garlington (www.ccop.org) spoke on “Brotherhood: The Essential Ingredient.” “You need brothers to help you in life. How do you find someone who you can confide in that can help you grow closer to God and become whole? You need authentic relationships and biblical accountability.”

“In the South, you don’t even pretend to be animal rights activists,” noted comedian Brad Stine (www.bradstine.com). “You see the bunny, shoot it and make a hat!” Always on the attack, Stine pledged, “to see the death of political correctness in my lifetime.”

Dan Seaborn (www.winningathome.com) helped the diverse gathering of men appreciate the differences between men and women, with one grand goal in mind. “I don’t care if you’re a teenager or you’re 47 and on your third marriage. Stay married for life. It’s God’s idea.”

A few good men

A group of 35 men from First Baptist Kenner and Greenwell Springs Church near Baton Rouge, La. showed up wearing matching purple shirts that said “Got Life.” Troy Brignac, an eight-time PK attendee, said, “The speakers are talking to us on a man level. I found out this week that I had four bulging discs in my back and I woke up fine Friday morning. I am thankful to God. It’s been a humbling week.”

Paul Wohn of Spanish Fort, Ala. has attended five Promise Keepers since 1995. Serving as a volunteer this year, he called the event “impactful.”

First time Promise Keepers attendee and University of South Alabama graduate student Basil Farah said, “This has been a very challenging time. I liked how the first speaker said that Jesus is the ark and he has his door open for anyone to come in.”

Friday at Mobile Civic Center

The first speaker was Bible adventurer Bob Cornuke (www.baseinstitute.org), who opened his session with tales from the field as a Los Angeles police officer and international explorer searching for clues to Noah’s Ark and the real Mt. Sinai. “Evidence isn’t proof. The proper interpretation of evidence is proof,” said Cornuke.

The hit movie “Evan Almighty” not withstanding, Cornuke paints a historical picture of the biblical, global flood. “It’s depicted as a cute, cuddly children’s story. A caricature. People don’t realize what a violent, horrible disaster the flood was. Ultimately though, it doesn’t matter if the ark is found in Turkey, as much as it matters whether you discover the ‘ark’ of Jesus Christ.”

Evangelist Adrian Despres (6’-6”, 200-something) brought college football stories and boundless enthusiasm to his message “Challenge to Die.” “I can tell how you really feel about Jesus Christ by the way you treat your wife, and how students treat their parents. But I can’t tell you why there are so many hypocrites in church.” More than 200 men responded by committing their lives to Jesus Christ.

Texas “flood” – Next conference in San Antonio

The Promise Keepers ’07 tour moves to AT & T Center in San Antonio, Texas on July 13-14. Other Promise Keepers events in the Southeast are in Nashville, Tenn. (July 20-21), Orlando, Fla. (July 27-28), and Columbia, S.C. (Aug. 3-4).

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