wfn.org | Men Pass Resolution on Promise Keepers

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
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Note 356 by UMNS on Sept. 30, 1997 at 12:25 Eastern (10350 characters).

CONTACT: Linda Green					544(10-21-71B){356}
	    Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470		Sept. 30, 1997

United Methodist Mens Commission clarifies
relationship to Promise Keepers movement 

	
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)   Governing members of the churchwide Commission on
United Methodist Men stopped short of an unqualified endorsement of the
Promise Keepers movement during their semi-annual meeting here Sept 25-27.
At the same time, the 23-member group celebrated "the renewed dedication of
men who have responded to the call to discipleship heard through Promise
Keepers" and committed the organization to work with it and other groups
"where similar goals and objectives do not conflict."
	By secret ballot, commission members adopted a 460-word resolution in an
attempt to answer questions raised by United Methodists about Promise Keepers
and its relationship to the United Methodist Men organization.
	Among commission members supporting the resolution was Harold Batiste of San
Antonio who said church officials had previously "dodged the bullet."  "People
across the church want to know this commissions position on Promise Keepers,"
he declared.
	United Methodist Men, formerly part of the denominations  Board of
Discipleship here, was established as a separate entity by the 1996 General
Conference, top legislative body of the church. It oversees the coordination
and resources for men's ministries within the denomination.
	The Rev. Joseph Harris, new staff executive for the Commission on United
Methodist Men, supported the resolution.  "Promise Keepers is affecting
perhaps hundreds of thousands of United Methodist men throughout our
connection," he said.  "What our relationship to Promise Keepers will be is
extremely critical, both to the men of the church and to the work of this
commission."
	On Oct. 4, scores of United Methodist Men will join other men in Washington
for "Stand in the Gap," an assembly sponsored by Promise Keepers that is
calling men to repentance, prayer, commitment and worship. Leaving from the
Alabama West Florida Annual Conference will be a "Bible Caravan" of 66 buses,
named for the books of the Bible.
	Before the vote was taken on the resolution here, commission president Bishop
Raymond Owen of San Antonio said men are finding new life with the movement
and United Methodist men do not have to compromise who they are to embrace
Promise Keepers. "Ive never been afraid to read a book by someone with whom I
disagree," he said.
Dan Erickson, director of denominational relations for Promise Keepers,
assured the commissioners that his movement is not trying to infringe on the
work of mens organizations.  "The intent of Promise Keepers is not to compete
with the church, but to complete the church," he said. 
Addressing the criticism that Promise Keepers encourages dominance of men over
women, Erickson said men are encouraged to grow in their role as leaders in
their churches and homes. "This is not to dominate over women," he said, "but
simply to be a better servant to women and to be a better servant in their
church."
	Noting that 27 million men in the United States claim a relationship with God
but do not participate in local churches, Erickson said the church has been
losing the battle for the hearts of men.  In 1990, he said God called a coach
to address the "stagnation" of men in the church.
	Promise Keepers, founded by Bill McCartney, former head football coach for
the University of Colorado, Boulder,  encourages men to mobilize and to assume
a new level of spiritual responsibility. It asks them to make a commitment to
honor Jesus Christ through worship prayer and obedience to Gods word.  It
also calls on them to be faithful husbands and loving fathers.
	The resolution acknowledges that Promise Keepers and United Methodist Men
share some common goals.  It also notes that the Commission on United
Methodist men, working within the United Methodist "ethos" may be at odds with
Promise Keepers stated doctrines and practices.
	Among these, listed in the resolution, are:
7 "United Methodist broad theological diversity contrasted with Promise
Keepers theological parameters;
7 "United Methodist affirmation of women in ministry and church leadership
contrasted with Promise Keepers diversity of opinion;
7 "emphasis of the United Methodist Church on global missions, evangelism and
nurture contrasted to Promise Keepers emphasis as a catalytic ministry that
motivates and trains men for mens ministry in the local church and
7 "United Methodist connectional structure contrasted with Promise Keepers
predominate congregational nature."
	In conclusion, the resolution commits the commission to working with Promise
Keepers and other groups where similar goals and objectives do not conflict. 
That working relationship, the statement explains, is not intended to be a
"formal partnership."
	Where there are differences between the two groups, the commission committed
itself to "creative engagement" and, if
necessary, work in separate directions.
	The status of men in the church continued to draw attention in other portions
of the commissions three-day meeting.
	Asking "whats wrong?", Larry Malone, new staff member of the commission,
reported there are two million men in the United Methodist Church, 400,000 of
whom are members of the United Methodist Men organization and only a fourth
are active. Only 15 percent of the 40,000 United Methodist congregations have
chartered United Methodist Mens groups, he reported.
	As the "newest child of the church," the commission was encouraged by Harris
to cooperate with other churchwide agencies. "We are not an island unto
ourselves," he said. "They need us and we need them. We are not in competition
with anyone." 
Describing his first five months as top executive "exciting and exhaustive,"
Harris told commission members he is convinced that "we do not have the luxury
of waiting to contemplate new directions but that the men of the church and
others are waiting for us to strike out now in new innovative and imaginative
directions."
	 "Were at an apex in history," Harris continued. "God has given the
commission the opportunity to do two things: develop men spiritually and
produce resources and training to elevate men to understand who they are in
Jesus Christ. This is our call, this is our mandate."
	In other actions, the commission:
7 accepted the resignation of its treasurer, Jack Brown of OFallon, Ill.;
7 passed a motion prohibiting the participation of nonoffical advocacy groups
in commission sponsored events;
7 approved the concept for an Office of Volunteerism to supplement staff;
7 welcomed new member Anton Zakharchenko of Russia;
7 welcomed Larry Coppock as the director of Scouting Ministries;
7 approved membership in the World Fellowship of Methodist and Uniting Church
Men, an affiliate organization of the World Methodist Council; and 
7 began planning for a Black Mens Conference in 1998 (to include men from the
three historically black Methodist denominations) and a Korean Mens
Conference in 1999; and
7 approved a partnership with the Society of St. Andrew, a church-related
hunger relief effort.
#  #  #
	EDITORS: Full text of the resolution follows:

Whereas, Promise Keepers is an organization committed to providing ministry to
men across denominational lines and has already involved thousands of men from
the United Methodist Church;

Whereas, Promise Keepers embraces some of the same goals of the General
Commission on United Methodist Men;

Whereas, Promise Keepers seeks to promote mens ministry in the local church
within the existing denominational structure for mens ministry;

Whereas, Promise Keepers insists that men not start Promise Keepers groups
within their churches and consider it a copyright law violation for those that
do;

Whereas, Promise Keepers has stated its desire is to help United Methodist Men
who attend their events to be the best United Methodist Men they can possibly
be;

Whereas, The General Commission on United Methodist Men understands that its
work within the United Methodist ethos may put it at odds at times with
Promise Keepers stated doctrines and practices such as:
a)  United Methodist broad theological diversity contrasted   with Promise
Keepers theological parameters
b)  United Methodist affirmation of women in ministry and church leadership
contrasted with Promise Keepers diversity of opinion concerning women in
ministry and church leadership
c)  The emphasis of the United Methodist Church on global missions, evangelism
and nurture contrasted to Promise Keepers emphasis as a "catalytic ministry
that motivates and trains men for mens ministry in the local church"
d)  United Methodist connectional structure contrasted with Promise Keepers
predominate congregational nature

Whereas, The Commission on United Methodist Men recognizes that Promise
Keepers is not church based (its is para-church based), that it may also have
tendencies among some of its participants toward political agenda or
patriarchal relapse;

Whereas, The Commission on United Methodist Men affirms the need for United
Methodist Men to be affirmed in who they are as Christian men as well as
United Methodist;

Whereas, The Commission on United Methodist Men recognizes that "The Seven
Promises of a Promise Keepers" are not inconsistent with United Methodist
polity and Commission goals;

Let it therefore be resolved, that the Commission on United Methodist Men
celebrates the renewed dedication of men who have responded to the call to
discipleship heard through Promise Keepers.

Let it be further resolved, that the Commission on United Methodist Men is
committed to working with Promise Keepers and other groups where similar goals
and objectives do not conflict  (relationship without formal partnership).

Be it further resolved that where Promise Keepers doctrine and practice
contrast with United Methodist stated doctrine and polity, the Commission is
committed to creative engagement with Promise Keepers to learn from them and
for them to learn from us.

Be it further resolved that the Commission on United Methodist Men in areas
where it finds it cannot work with Promise Keepers are committed to be in
prayer for that organization as we proceed in separate directions.

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