wfn.org | Ministries, Churches Pledge Aid to Promise Keepers

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

24-March-1998 
98089 
 
    Ministries, Churches Pledge Aid to Promise Keepers 
 
    by Adelle M. Banks 
    Religion News Service 
 
WASHINGTON-Prominent evangelical ministries such as Campus Crusade for 
Christ as well as more than 1,000 churches nationwide are pledging to help 
support Promise Keepers as the men's organization faces a financial crisis. 
 
    Bill Bright, founder and president of Campus Crusade, said he has sent 
a letter to the 350,000 people on his ministry's mailing list seeking 
support for Promise Keepers. In addition, he has sent a similar letter to 
about 50,000 pastors. 
 
    "I feel that Promise Keepers has made a marvelous contribution to the 
body of Christ and it's just an expression of gratitude for what they've 
done and an expression of love," said Bright in a telephone interview March 
10 from his Orlando, Fla., headquarters. 
 
    On Feb. 18 Promise Keepers announced it would be laying off its entire 
paid staff of 345 effective March 31 because it did not have the funds to 
pay them.  The financial crunch came after the ministry decided to no 
longer charge fees for its conferences and instead rely solely on 
donations. 
 
    A Promise Keepers spokesman said that in addition to Bright's efforts, 
two ministries have aired radio programs highlighting the financial 
difficulties of the men's group. 
 
    "He has been a good friend to this ministry ... and we are blessed by 
his action," Steve Ruppe, Promise Keepers director of public affairs, said 
of Bright. 
 
    Ruppe said "Focus on the Family" and "FamilyLife" highlighted Promise 
Keepers' financial situation on their radio programs in early March. 
"FamilyLife" is a Little Rock, Ark.-based ministry of Campus Crusade that 
focuses on marriage and family issues. "Focus on the Family" is based in 
Colorado Springs, Colo., and has a similar emphasis. 
 
    "There have been a number of outreaches by a number of Christian 
ministries," Ruppe said. 
 
    Paul Hetrick, a "Focus on the Family" vice president, said his 
ministry's March 5 broadcast provided a chance for Promise Keepers 
officials to explain their situation to radio listeners. 
 
    "It gave them an opportunity to explain what the true situation was," 
said Hetrick. "I think there was some concern that there was some 
misunderstanding about what they planned for the future." 
 
    For instance, Hetrick said, Promise Keepers plans to hold 19 
conferences at stadiums and arenas across the country this year despite the 
current shortfall. 
 
    In addition to the efforts of several ministries, churches have been 
pledging to support Promise Keepers since McCartney began alerting its 
clergy conferences of the group's needs and asking for help. 
 
    "We had about 1,500 churches pledge about $1,000 apiece on average" as 
of a week ago, Ruppe said. 
 
    McCartney has sought such pledges during clergy conferences since 
January. The last clergy conference was March 12 in Indianapolis. 
 
    "It's such a great blessing when people think there has been enough 
value in how God has used us to support us financially," said Ruppe.  "It 
blesses the ministry." 
 
    Ruppe said the efforts have yet to change Promise Keepers' plan for 
layoffs.  "At this point, there have been no announced changes in our 
plan," he said.  "It's still early." 
 
    Bright added that he viewed his ministry's effort as a biblical one. 
"There's a law of God -  as you give, you receive, and as you help our 
brothers, you please our Lord," he said. 
 
    In his letter addressed "Dear concerned Christian," Bright wrote: "As 
you may have read, Promise Keepers is going through a time of great 
financial crisis, which I believe is God's way of drawing members of the 
body of Christ together to lend a hand. ... We are praying that God will 
not let this wonderful movement die because of a lack of funds." 
 
    The effort is unusual because Campus Crusade staffers are not paid by 
the ministry but are supported by individual donors. In addition, Campus 
Crusade does not generally seek financial assistance for their staffers or 
other ministries.  The ministry does not generally seek financial 
assistance for others either. 
 
    "We don't normally write letters to our mailing list because our 
mailing list is very sacred to us," said Bright. 
 
    He added that he would personally help any Campus Crusade staffers 
raise needed funds if they are adversely affected by the fund-raising 
letter for Promise Keepers. 

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