The Ecumenical Connection

 On April 29, 1995, at a Detroit Silver Dome Promise Keepers' meeting, Bill McCartney demanded that all pastors participate in the forthcoming 1996 Clergy Conference.

"Now, I think many of you are in touch with the fact that we're having a pastor's gathering in Atlanta in February. This gathering in Atlanta should exceed 100,000 clergymen. Why? Because we have many more than that, and every single one of them ought to be there. We can't have anybody pass up that meeting. If a guy [pastor] says that he doesn't want to go, he needs to be able to tell us why he doesn't want to go! Tell them, 'Why wouldn't you want to be a part of what God wants to do with His hand-picked leaders?'. .

"Now listen to me, men; that February meeting to me is not a coincidence that it comes over Valentine's Day. I think we're going to have another St. Valentine's Day massacre. I think Almighty God is going to rip open the hearts of our leaders. I think He's going to tear them open. And I think He's going to put them back together again as one. One leadership! We've got to have one leadership, one leadership only!"

The 1996 Clergy Conference for Men in Atlanta, Georgia, which convened on February 13-15 of that year, provides us with a typical example of a primary objective of Promise Keepers, which is, bring all the churches together into one vast, non-doctrinal, mega-church!

" This is a historic event never before matched anywhere in this nation' is the way Promise Keepers' leaders described the gathering of 39,024 clergy in Atlanta, Georgia's Dome Clergymen came from all 50 states, 11 Canadian Provinces, as well as 16 other nations. Texas was the state with the highest number registered-2,657. Participants ranged from retirement age to young men fresh out of seminary, but no women were permitted to attend -even though some have attempted to do so as members of the clergy." ACCC Challenge, April 1996 issue [published by the American Council of Christian Churches]. Ralph G. Colas, in his article, An Eyewitness Report on the 1996 Clergy Conference for Men, described the gathering this way:

"While the registration fee brought in $3-$4 million, it is the sale of Promise Keepers' products that is the money producer: polo shirts, $28; windbreakers, $35; sweatshirts, $45; caps, $10-$16; coffee mugs, $5. These are just a few of the items marketed by Promise Keepers. Tapes, videos, books, and other Promise Keepers' materials also provide substantial income for Promise Keepers. Their yearly income is reported as more than $110 million! . .

"Joseph Garlington. . asked the ministers to turn to one another and say, 'The Lord is calling.' The next 'chant' shared with one another was 'There is room for you in the body of Christ. ' This was the beginning tactic to work the crowd' and to break down any reservations a clergyman might have toward those of a different religious group. The clergy eagerly followed the leaders' suggestions. .

"The big beat, contemporary music brought the ministers to their feet, followed by giving a 'high five' to all those around them."

From the podium, Dale Schlafer cried out to the massive crowd of clergymen:

"Some churches represented have ten members while others have 20,000. There are priests, bishops, and ministers from every denomination in our country!"

He added that some had been fasting for 30-40 days, that God would "reunite us" at this gathering.

At the gathering, Bill McCartney told the crowd that denominational barriers had been removed, and every Protestant group, as well as Roman Catholics, were welcome to participate. He said one of the purposes of Promise Keepers was to break down denominational walls, and added:

"The church is in bondage to the giant of denominational restrictions and another giant of racial and ethnic boundaries. PK is dedicated to uniting men through vital relationships."

He also said:

"This is a dream come true. Our Father in Heaven has sent out the invitation for Biblical unity. Biblical unity is the only way we will survive in the days ahead. . Contention between denominations has gone on long enough. If the Church ever stood together, God would have His way!"

At the meeting, McCartney declared war on "denominationalism":

"The Church has never stood together to declare to the giant of denominationalism, 'We will no longer be in bondage to you!' "

Then he quoted Paul, "Who are you to judge another man's servant?"

At another session of the two-day gathering. Max Lucado continued on the same theme, beating, beating it into the minds of the ministers and priests in attendance. His sermon, entitled "From Bondage to Freedom, "was about breaking down the walls of the denominations which separate us from one another.

Lucado made the provocative statement, "In essentials unity, in non-essentials charity." Apparently the only "essentials" is unity itself. Such things as doctrines are non-essentials.

At this juncture, Lucado asked the men to call out, all at one time, their denominational name. The result was a babel of sounds. Then he told them to callout the name of Jesus, and that, of course, was more easily heard.

Lucado then cried out to the thousands of listening pastors and priests from across America:

"The sin of disunity causes people to go to hell! 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? This is a God-sized dream and no one in our generation has ever seen the Church united!"

As Lucado ordered the ministers to apologize to every minister representing a denomination they had ever spoken negatively of, Steve Green, the singer, strode forward and sang repeatedly the phrase, "Let the walls come down!" the 40,000 ministers shouted, whistled, clapped, and cheered.

By this time, they had been worked up into a high level of emotional feeling. Then a message was read from Billy Graham, who told the assembled clergy to "tear down the walls that separate us" This was immediately followed by a powerful act of symbolic unity: A communion service was held for everyone present. Obviously, there are so many variations of this service in the several denominations, that even holding one together was astounding! There is the Eucharist, Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, and the Sacrifice of the Mass. Yet, somehow, they managed to all get through it together.

At a press conference soon after, a leading church official (Henry Blackaby of the Southern Baptist Convention) replied:

"We don't try to evaluate that, and neither do we take a position regarding women serving as pastors."

At this juncture, Joseph Stowell, president of Moody Bible Institute, also spoke up in defense of the no-doctrine unity.

"Our God does not ever wear an angry face. He deals with compassion!".

Apparently, neither doctrinal purity nor heretical practices matter anymore. As the Atlanta stadium rally drew to a close, Randy Phillips, Promise Keepers' president, announced that the twenty-two Men's Conferences scheduled for 1996 would have as their theme, "Break Down the Walls." Phillips said, "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!"

Not only such men as Billy Graham and Joseph Stowell are backing the one-denomination objective of Promise Keepers, but also is Campus Crusade for Christ. This is one of the largest Christian collegiate organizations in America.

In its Alumni Newsletter of January 1995, ACCC printed an article which describes the purpose of "Strategic Alliance, " the name they have given to the Promise Keepers/Campus Crusade organizational link.

"Strategic Alliance-Have you attended Promise Keepers and want to receive further training? 'Man to Man' seminars are part of a Strategic Alliance between Campus Crusade for Christ and Promise Keepers to help men (1) personalize issues that concern men; (2) provide basic leadership training; and (3) give information on small-group Bible studies especially for men."

Speakers at Promise Keepers' rallies include the leading Protestant interdenominational speakers of our time:

Ron Blue, Bill Bright, Chuck Colson, Tony Egantgs, Bill Glass, Franklin Graham (Billy's son), Jack Hayford, Howard Hendricks, Bill Hybels, Bob Moorhead, Luis Palau, Randy Phillips, Raul IDes, James Ryle, Gary Smalley, Joe Stowell, Chuck Swindoll, John Trent, Glenn Wagner, John Wesley-White, Bruce Wilkinson, and Ravi Zacharias.

"McCartney has developed a team of male kindred spirits who round out the roster of speakers at PK stadium events, including Christian therapist Gary Smalley, popular author Max Lucado, media preacher Tony Evans, and Foursquare Gospel pastor Jack Hayford."-Christianity Today, November 17, 1997.

James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family, has given Promise Keepers extensive publicity on his radio program; has spoken at a 1993 Promise Keepers' rally in Boulder, Colorado; and has written a chapter in the group's guidebook. In addition, Dobson's organization has published Promises Keepers' books and materials.

"As early as 1992, when the group was without a constituency or a mailing list, it received $10,000 in critical assistance from James Dobson, a psychologist and Christian activist who produces the most widely heard Christian daily radio program."-Time, October 6, 1997.

Pat Robertson, former presidential candidate and Christian Coalition head, has long been a Promise Keepers' supporter.

By 1997, about 20,000 small, regularly held, PK fellowship groups around the country were meeting in local churches and homes.

In 1996, an average of 50,000 men gathered at each of 22 sites for a total of 1.1 million. "Promise Keepers' surveys show that 62% of stadium-goers struggle with sexual sin in their lives,"-Time, October 6, 1997.

Promise Keepers has announced that it wants to "get into every church" in America! On February 4, 1997, leaders of Promise Keepers held a press conference in Washington, D.C., in preparation for their million-man 1997 rally, "Stand in the Gap. "

"[Question:] You obviously have a vision for America, and I'd like to just get an idea of what that is.

"[McCartney:] Well, what we envision happening over the next four years is we want to develop a relationship with every church in the United States that names the name of Jesus

Christ as Lord and Saviour. And make sure that the church has every opportunity to develop a vibrant men's ministry, where the men of God in that church would stand up and be called upon and. be counted upon. . And so we envision getting into every church and partnering with them in ministry and in prayer."

On October 23, 1997, Promise Keepers held a massive "Stand in the Gap Sacred Assembly" in Washington, D.C.

At that rally over a million were assembled, and told to stand in the gap for their families and their churches-and break down the walls of division between denominations.

One individual who attended took notes on what the speakers told the assembled men: "The Promise Keepers at the sacred assembly were asked to repent of denominationalism, They were invited to shout out the names of their denomination. When they did, obviously it was just a confused roar. This was in sharp contrast to when they were asked to shout that they were Christians or that Jesus is the only way to heaven. The men were asked to pray for a 'United Church, the miracle of the Millennium: The unity for which Christ prayed in His high priestly prayer in John 17 was stressed. The watching world should see that the Christians are all one. The 'sin of sectarianism' was deplored. Those who think they know all the truth and that their denomination is more faithful to God's Word than another are guilty of sin. 'The world has never seen a united church. May it now see it: We have seen a divided small church in communities from which we have come. Today we see a united 'Great Church: 'We are men of integrity. We are Promise Keepers,' those at the sacred assembly were told. 'We are brothers of Jesus Christ from every denomination. . We are people of Jesus Christ.'

" 'Let the walls' of denominationalism 'come down' was constantly emphasized. The body of Christ was being weakened by division and by brother fighting against brother. It was time to end this foolishness. McCartney emphasized that God is a God of oneness. He mentioned the unity stressed in Ephesians 4: 16 and Colossians I: 1, 2, that every church should be connected to each other..

"McCartney urged each Promise Keeper to submit to his pastor. 'Obey your leaders. Submit to their authority.' Go back to your church and give away your time, talents and treasures. Promise Keepers were urged to tell their pastors that 'I put my faith in you as leader.' Nothing was said about the fact that many pastors are religious liberals who deny the fundamental truths of historic Christianity or that many major denominations have women pastors and have officially gone on record as supporting the murder of unborn infants and allow practicing homosexuals and lesbians to serve as pastors." Christian News, October 13, 1997.

What then is the position of Promise Keepers on homosexuals? "Some homosexual activists charge that PK is exclusive and promotes homophobia. But in television interviews, McCartney clearly said homosexuals would be welcome in the movement."-Christianity Today, November 17, 1997.

In God's Word we are told to "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). That faith is found in the Written Word, as given to us by Divine inspiration. We are not to trade it for fellowship with all the liberal and apostate religious organizations in the land.

How far does Promise Keepers go in uniting with apostate teachings? Step by step, it continues in the downward track.

According to an article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch for July 13, 1996, Promise Keepers has announced it has reversed its former position-and now welcomes women pastors to its meetings!

Here is the news clip:

"Kiel Center will be rocking with the sound of men singing hymns and renewing promises of fidelity to their families on a Saturday afternoon in August. Promise Keepers, a male Christian fellowship group, is planning its first large St. Louis Assembly August 24. They hope to sell 10,000 to 12,000 seats at $15 each. .

"Promise Keepers is a nondenominational group. Initially most participants were members of evangelical churches or had no churches. Now it attracts mainline Protestants and Catholics. .

"Promise Keepers welcomes female pastors and leading male members, [Louis] Monroe said." -"Promise Keepers to Rally at Kiel, " St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 13, 1996 [Monroe is a Promise Keepers' rally director].

In spite of these doctrinal problems, it seems as if every leading Protestant speaker is jumping on the PK bandwagon.

Jerry Falwell, who claims to be a fundamental Baptist, hosted a Promise Keepers' rally at Ws Liberty University in Virginia in 1996. A sizeable number of leading Baptist leaders participated in that event.

Then there is the National Religious Broadcasters Association. It now numbers some 800 broadcasters throughout America and overseas, and represents a wide array of diverse theological positions. The NRB is a subsidiary of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) which, since its founding in 1942, has tried to hold to a compromised position between conservatives and liberals, fundamentals and ecumenicals.

Fifty years ago, the NAE took the position that Roman Catholicism was a false religious system. But it has since changed its stance, and now advocates cooperation with Roman Catholicism, as though it could be considered a part of the body of Christ.

Are we now to unite with Rome? Read on!