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Cincinnati Promise Keepers Scores with 9000 Men

Local food drive raises 9000 pounds, worldwide impact on the agenda

Cincinnati, Aug. 18, 2007 – More than 9,000 men rallied for faith and family at U.S. Bank Arena in the first Promise Keepers event in Cincinnati since 1997. On the banks of the Ohio, next to two great American ballparks, the fathers, sons, brothers and friends cheered and huddled around the message and lifestyle of Jesus Christ.

President and CEO of Promise Keepers Dr. Tom Fortson urged the men to leave the arena transformed. “Our mission is for you to be passionate followers of Jesus Christ,” he said. He summed up the success of the Cincinnati conference: “the challenges in this city are great, and the Holy Spirit needs to meet us in a great way.”

Community Impact

Local promise keepers donated an estimated 9,000 pounds of food to Northern Kentucky Harvest, hauling bags and cases of food through the streets of downtown Cincinnati.

Among other community service opportunities, Dabbs introduced the work of Compassion International. After telling the story of a young Nicaraguan girl facing hunger, 11-year-old Brad Hadden immediately brought an offering to the stage and placed it in Dabbs’ hand. Attending his second PK conference with his dad, the young Hadden said simply, “It was a way to spread God’s love in a practical way”.

What they said

Motivational speaker Rick Rigsby made a passionate plea for men to walk shoulder to shoulder with another man that will help bring them to a higher level. Quoting Emerson, he said, “Show me with whom you are found, and I will show you who you are.” He concluded his message by emphasizing the need to develop an intimate friendship with another godly man. Thousands of men raised their hands when Dr. Rigsby asked who was looking for that intimate friend.

Combining humor with conviction, comedian Brad Stine delivered his hardcore message: “The truth is supposed to offend you, that’s how you know you don’t have it.”

Bishop Wellington Boone tackled the topic “Engaging the Heart of a Woman.” “Your prayers can set the tone for your woman’s day. Let her see you get up early in the day to pray for your family.”

Friday at U.S. Bank Arena

Master of Ceremonies Reggie Dabbs brought the house down with his straightforward humor. He took the crowd through a brief orientation of the urban language, and then asked, “Do you want to roll?” They answered emphatically, “Let’s roll!” Dabbs retires from Promise Keepers conferences after the Cincinnati event.

Known affectionately as a “modern day Indiana Jones,” adventurer Bob Cornuke described his search for the Ark of the Covenant, Noah’s Ark, and evidence of Paul’s shipwreck. “It doesn’t matter if we find Noah’s Ark; you don’t want to miss the real ark of Jesus”.

Speaker and author James Ryle recounted the oft-overlooked story of Philemon and left the audience with the decision to be reborn with the strength and power of God. “If you die to yourself and say yes to God, He will take you places that you’ve never been before”. More than 150 decisions were recorded, 77 of them making first-time commitments to Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior.

Last stop: Fresno, Calif.

The 2007 Promise Keepers conference season concludes on Aug. 24-25 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. Reports from the entire 2007 men’s conference schedule are posted at www.promisekeepers.org.

(Volunteers Pastor Kevin Aldridge, Patrice Barnes, and Ron Mosby contributed to this report.)

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