My First Event (1994)

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 Promise Keepers 1993-2024

In 1993 I heard about “Promise Keepers” through Dr. James Dobson’s radio program Focus on the Family. He really praised the ministry of Coach Bill McCartney founder of Promise Keepers in 1991. Over the next several weeks I looked into the organization through magazine articles, and newspaper clippings and became very interested in what they offered to men experiencing similar issues that I had. I had looked for Bible Studies but never really found what I needed in the local Bible bookstores. The more I heard about Promise Keepers, the more I wanted to attend the conferences. The first large conference was held in Colorado in 1993 at the University of Colorado football stadium. I later learned more about the organization through other radio broadcasts from various stations around my area. The more I heard the more I wanted to attend.

The stadium event in 1993 was the “kickoff” for Promise Keepers”. The more I heard about them the more I wanted to attend. I would have to wait until the following year.

I had been praying about trying to find some way to attend an event but there were none in our area or even near the state I lived in. One afternoon my wife asked me if I wanted to attend a Promise Keeper conference (1994). She had been asked by her father who lived three hours away. He wanted to know if I was interested in going to Indianapolis Indiana to the Promise Keeper event that was to be held at the “Hoosier Dome”. I had to go. So, I had him sign me up and I would meet them at the church from which they were departing.

Arrangements were made, and I left at 3:00 A.M. on the Friday of the event. I arrived at the church were departing from at 6:00 and thought I was in the wrong place, no one was there. I decided to wait a bit and about fifteen minutes later the bus taking us to Indianapolis Indiana pulled in the parking lot. The bus driver was my wife’s uncle whom I knew well. I was so glad to see him.

We loaded up and left around 8:00 A.M. for the event starting at 7:00 P.M. that evening. The 10-hour journey went by pretty fast. Everyone was excited about what all was going to happen at the arena once we arrived. I believe half the men on the bus were choir members from the church because we sang songs almost all the way there.

Coach Bill MacCartney, founder and CEO of Promise Keepers would be there to speak, along with Gary Smalley, John Maxwell, Howard Hendricks, E.V. Hill, Raleigh Washington. These men had prayed heavily about what they would say to bless these men who had gathered to be encouraged and mentored during the brief two-day event. “Seize the Moment” was the theme of Promise Keepers that year and seize the moment they did.

It was a powerful time of renewal in the hearts of the men who attended the event. Men would return home with changed lives for the wives and families they had left behind for two days to come back powerfully changed and ignited to move forward for the cause of Christ.

I have included the Promise Keepers website at the end of this first installment for your reference. Trust me, your lives will be changed.

www.promisekeepers.org

If you want to look at the previous PK conferences over the years you can do so probably through YouTube.

More on the next installment….

God Bless!

Have a GREAT Day!!!

In Christ,

Ted J. Wilkins

Founder and Director of “Good News Brief For Men” Ministries since 1997

Location: Gibsonville, NC, USA

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