Viewpoint Brief Bible Study #72 |
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The Christian religion is the worship and service of Jesus Christ. It’s not Mary we worship, but her Son. We worship neither saints, angels, a law code, nor even God’s Spirit. It’s JESUS who is to be honored. The Bible is our guide. |
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Proper Responses to Promise Keepers
Brief Bible Study #72 from Ray Downen Including Thoughts of Buff Scott (9/28/97).
Are women men? Note the question raised in Study #72-B.
Additional comments are made in Study #72-A, and below.A Brother Asks the Question --
Is Promise Keepers Good?
Is It Bad? Should We Support It?Date: Tuesday, 19 Aug 1997 07:54
Mr. Downen: Do you have any information, or thoughts, concerning the Promise Keepers movement?This is an issue that concerns me. Many of the men in the Christian Churches/Church of Christ are actively involved and bringing home many of the concepts being taught here. At the risk of labelling, there seems to be a strong tie in this organization to Pentecostal teachings and faith-only concepts (sinner's prayer). Just wondered what your thoughts were on this subject -- is it something for church leadership to be concerned about, take a stand on, or to be actively involved in the organization? I ... am genuinely concerned about this issue and where my thinking should be, because it can be so controversial, and may have the potential of causing serious problems in the church.
Thanks,
Having been asked, I replied --
Date sent: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 13:46:47My friend, You’re sure right (in my opinion) that this is a matter that deserves considerable consideration by us all. I’m at least 90% sold on the desirability of us all supporting it enthusiastically. The good in it surely vastly outweighs the bad.
It’s a fact that it is based on godly principles. It calls for each participant to be honest with self and with all to whom he has or should have made promises, including God, wife, children, and church (or synagogue or mosque). It upholds good morals and good citizenship. These things are very much in its favor. If it can have a good influence on men from your congregation and my congregation, then of course we want to encourage those who might be helped by it to attend and then continue in fellowship with those who attended with them.
You well point out obvious drawbacks. The founder has been taught that converts should pray a prayer for salvation and then later, perhaps, be baptized into fellowship with a local church. He doesn’t know that particular practice is based on doctrine that is unscriptural and incorrect. He thinks it’s scriptural and entirely correct. So of course that’s the way the meetings are conducted -- which is pleasing to most contemporary Christians (since they know no better).
And much of the music shared there is "contemporary Christian" choruses. But that’s true also in most of the churches to which the men will return after the meetings. Most PK speakers will be ones who believe in salvation by "faith only." But their topics will be very worthwhile ones. They’ll be talking about honesty and serving God and helping those who can be helped by each man -- particularly that man’s wife and family and local church and "pastor" (some think the right title for an evangelist is "pastor" or a similar non-scriptural religious title).
At the 1999 February convention sponsored by Ozark Christian College here in Joplin, an "open forum discussion" was held with input by two speakers, one of whom was Victor Knowles. I didn’t get to attend, but one brother who was present complained to me that all the two speakers would say was how good the PK program was. He wanted them to oppose the movement because of its weaknesses. Neither of those men chose to do so.
Since there’s so much about it that’s good, I would be very reluctant to condemn that good by saying it’s all bad, which might be all we could say about it if we chose to oppose it. If possible, "our" men should be encouraged to attend for the good it could do them. There is risk that if they’ve not PREVIOUSLY learned the gospel way to become a Christian, that there they’ll learn not only lots of good things but also some bad things. Life is full of risks.
I’d say in most cases the good that could come from participation would outweigh the bad that we can readily see as a possibility.
There’s this to consider -- if you as a church leader encourage men to go, then they go and do learn good things, they’ll consider you their friend and you might have many opportunities for further teaching. If you "condemn" the organization and oppose people going, then those who go will consider you NO friend and not a source of further teaching.
As a preacher, you likely will want to talk such a decision over at length with your fellow-leaders and seek their input on what is best for the church there. Even if you decided it was better NOT to oppose it, you might need to not recommend it if fellow-leaders were opposed. And of course you already knew that!
Another observation -- You would know much more about it if you could attend one of the meetings. Often we think we understand what is happening because of what we’ve heard about what someone else is doing, but when we see for ourselves, we may learn that we didn’t really get the full story from what others told us. (And I’ve never attended a PK meeting -- but I HAVE heard lots of reports from brothers who attended and who weren’t apparently hurt at all by the experience). I’ve talked with men who attended who said they were encouraged and enthused by having gone. I’ve not yet talked with one who went and was led astray, so far as I know.
Thoughts About PK And A "Unity"
Movement ~ Do "WE" Still Seek Unity?On August 28, 1997 I for the first time met a friend from Florida with whom I had visited by telephone and correspondence. His name is David Allen Potter. In the course of considerable visiting, he handed me a paper about Promise Keepers which he had received from Chris DeWelt. Chris had put together some thoughts on Promise Keepers and a proper relationship between those who are Christians-only and those who feel they are Evangelical Christians.
He is of the opinion, I judge, that the teaching and practices of Promise Keepers is in harmony with that of most Evangelicals. (Few teachers or preachers who are members of the undenominational Churches of Christ/Christian Churches feel that we are a part of Evangelicalism.) Chris says that given the size and impact of Promise Keepers, it does seem important for us to consider it, and to consider it fairly. Some of us have strong feelings about the good we see being done. Others have strong feelings about the "false" (in our eyes) teaching that is there being done.
He points out that most discussions about Promise Keepers among "us" start out by highlighting the positive contribution of the program in the area of family, racial reconciliation, prayer, men’s accountability, and general seriousness about the call to BE a Christian. Chris says he sees these points as valid items in favor of our supporting Promise Keepers. He says he has attended two PK conferences and is not unwilling to consider doing so again if circumstances allow. You may want to ask Chris for a copy of his study, "Some Thoughts On Promise Keepers and Evangelicalism." You can send an e-mail request to him at cdewelt@4state.com. Or, to read the study now, click here.
We CANNOT acquiesce with error. How could we? As should be obvious to all, the invitation to come to Christ is incorrectly presented. In line with modern evangelicalism, it is out of line with the scriptures. It’s wrong. We cannot approve. But we CAN speak with those who don’t understand the Word as we do, and we can do it kindly and politely, but positively, and perhaps accomplish the good that we want to accomplish.
Since we feel we have the truth, why not say so to men who are in attendance at PK and similar meetings? Which we can’t do if we stand outside and shout slurs against those inside doing what they think is right. We will be criticized for not agreeing with what we know is wrong. But nonetheless we CAN participate in events and insist on having our views respected. We can’t boycott everything not sponsored by "our own brethren" and hope to be heard by the Christians outside our close fellowship. But when we approach others humbly and kindly, some WILL listen, and some good can be done.
We have, really, two choices when PK is led by men who think their approach to evangelism is the right way. We can stand off and criticize, or just pretend to not see or be aware of what is happening. Or we can attend and try to change it for the better.
What Christians will NOT do is attend and accept it ALL as all right. Agreed?
Go to TOP .Another viewpoint -- from Buff Scott, this time
Date sent: Sun, 28 Sep 1997 22:39:32 -0400 From: Buff Scott, Jr., Subject: Reformation Rumbles Number 20KIP McKEAN AND HIS MOVEMENT
-- PLUS PROMISE KEEPERS(Reformation Rumbles Number 20)
by Buff ScottI have kept tabs on Kip McKean and his organization since the movement’s inception in about 1987 when it began to bloom in Gainesville, FL. In this man and his movement I think we have a prime example of how something good can evolve into a rigid, brainwashing sect. For when authority bypasses the heart and lands on top of the brain, another cult is born. Initially, at Gainesville, I saw a method of discipleship which looked not only attractive but also of the Spirit. Then the "control" factor took over, and I began to take a second look.
"Control" is the chief factor in any cult. Once control has been firmly established, cultism blooms in all its glory -- evil glory, that is.
Suffice it to say that Promise Keepers will, in time, evolve into a similar movement. I’m not even the first cousin of a prophet, but I’ve seem these things happen over and over. At this time, Promise Keepers looks attractive. Mark my word, however, it will solidify into a dogmatic sect soon after the wrong leaders take control -- and that probably won’t be too far off. I think it is developing even as I write, if what I’ve read recently has any truth to it.
All movements of a spiritual kind seem to bog down after a while. This is why I’ve always believed that nothing can take the place of individual Christian action in winning the world to Jesus. Churches can’t do it; movements can’t do it; conferences and lectureships can’t do it; Christian Colleges and other schools can’t do it; Evangelistic Societies can’t do it. It won't be done unless individual Christian action does it. “And they (individual believers) went everywhere proclaiming the Word.” That’s the answer! There’s no other. Until peasants are unchained from their pews and sent on their way, the contemporary church will continue to flounder and die.
Kip McKean’s movement resembles the Jehovah’s Witnesses movement in that potential and active members must surrender their entire lives to the movement’s dictates if their concept of salvation is to be realized. Authority is not to be questioned. Again, control is the leading element. And so it will be, as I predict it, in the Promise Keepers movement. I pray I’m wrong. But we’ll see.--BUFF SCOTT, JR., The Reformer.
Brief Bible Study #72 from Ray Downen.
Go to TOP . Or click to go on to Viewpoint Study #73.
For Ray's concluding remarks, click HERE.
