wfn.org | Promise Keepers and Footwashing

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3273 notes).

Note 3273 by UMNS on Nov. 5, 1996 at 15:16 Eastern (3689 characters).

SEARCH: Promise Keepers, Christian, family, responsibility
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Linda Green                       559(10-31-32-71B){3273}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470              Nov. 5, 1996

NOTE: This story may be used as a sidebar to UMNS #558 {3272}.

Promise Keepers told
footwashing shows love, honor

by Daniel Gangler*

     DALLAS (UMNS) -- He took a towel and a bowl of water, sank to
his knees and washed the feet of his wife, just as Jesus washed
the feet of his disciples in John 13.
     With these actions, Gary Rosberg, a professional family
counselor from Des Moines, Iowa, illustrated to the 63,000 men at
the Oct. 25-26 Promise Keepers men's conference here the degree of
love and honor they need to show to their wives back home as
Christian men.
     The arena was silent while Rosberg washed Barbara's feet.
Then they broke into applause as he dried her feet and embraced
her.
     During his 45-minute marriage seminar, Rosberg shared how he
had neglected his wife and their two daughters during the early
part of his career, and how he came to realize that a Christian
marriage is "about a man serving his woman."
     He spoke candidly about marital fidelity and the
responsibility of a father to his children as guardian of the
household. Then he invited the arena full of men to ask God to
remove "whatever is blocking you from your wife."
     Emotionally moved by the foot washing, Warren Grimes of
University United Methodist Church in San Antonio said, "I'm going
back and wash my wife's feet, too." 
     Even though he had witnessed the Rosbergs' presentation in
the presence of 63,000 men, Grimes said he felt that it and other
presentations were very personal. He said talks about racial
reconciliation raised his consciousness on that issue. He compared
much of what he saw at Promise Keepers to the weekend Walk to
Emmaus spiritual retreats.
     Grimes and some 200 others from his 2,900-member church
traveled in five buses. More than 100 such buses and countless
vans filled stadium parking lots.
     Promise Keepers leaders said many churches bought huge blocks
of seats, resulting in the conference's being sold out weeks in
advance.
     Rosberg's seminar on marriage typified much of what happened
during the two days.
     Preachers drilled home an evangelical Christian message of
personal salvation in Jesus Christ, personal piety, primacy of
Scripture, family responsibility and loyalty to the local church
and its pastor. Other speakers gave guidance on personal finances,
raising children and personal integrity.
     Between hour-long lectures, amplified music rocked the
stadium with contemporary and traditional songs of faith. Words of
songs appeared on huge television screens, as did announcements,
videotaped testimonies, seminar outlines and live pictures of men
speaking from the dwarfed podium amid the vastness of a five-story
covered stage.
     By mid-afternoon, some men broke the monotony of sitting by
bouncing beachballs and sailing toy gliders from top tiers to the
stadium floor.
     Attendance began to sag around 4 p.m. At the scheduled 6:30
dismissal time, with two speakers remaining to be heard, the
master of ceremonies gave a couple of announcements and a few
closing words of appreciation to the event's 2,300 Dallas-Fort
Worth-area volunteers and sent the remaining men on their way.
                              #  #  #

     * Gangler is an associate editor with the United Methodist
Reporter in Dallas. 

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