Six major reasons men attend a Promise Keepers conference

Based on research from exit surveys of PK attendees, there are six major reasons men attend a Promise Keepers conference:



1 – Worship: The PK music engages the heart of man and provides the opportunity to worship in a corporate setting of thousands of other men, which creates a unique, often life changing experience. The vocal range of the songs is pitched toward deeper voices, thus the singing is different than the typical mixed-gender, female oriented church setting.

2 – Fellowship: Taking the time to travel and attend with other Christian men allows men to focus on spiritual matters in the company of fellow pilgrims. The unity of purpose and aligned attitudes of the men accommodates an enhanced awareness of God’s presence. Men, typically isolated, are spiritually and personally refreshed by participating with a multitude of men pursuing their faith.

3 – Speakers: Men need to be challenged and directed without feeling guilty. National authors, leaders and speakers address guys directly, with exceptional candor, often telling personal stories of struggle, defeat and victory. Men want to hear from strong men, and Promise Keepers events, while they are not gatherings of perfect men, do challenge men with authority and integrity to strive to the next level of holiness within the 7 Promises (with the help of the Holy Spirit).

4 – Evangelism: PK offers men the opportunity to bring their sons, family, friends, and co-workers to a “non-church,” non- threatening environment where they can hear the Gospel Message in a masculine context, taking them beyond a desire to just “do better.” Such environments for men to encounter their Heavenly Father and the grace of Jesus Christ are RARE!

5- Connectivity: An innate desire in all of us is to belong to a cause that is bigger than ourselves. PK offers men the opportunity to become part of the greater work of God through the men’s movement.

6 – Experience: The challenge to set aside the time to go, the adventure of the road trip, the magnitude of the event, and the support of wives create a catalytic event, a milestone on life’s journey for men that has a remarkable and lasting impact.

- Rick Wright | Promise Keepers

10 Ways to get your buddy to a PK Event

1. Buy him a ticket. When you tell a guy that you already dropped some money, he is more likely to come… and you can get a group discount for groups of 10 or more.

2. Tell him you’ll take him to lunch on Saturday afternoon after the conference. Guys almost never pass up a free lunch. We actually decided to end the conference by 1:00 so you can do just that.

3. Ask your buddy if he understands his wife’s heart. When he’s done laughing, tell him we’ve got a whole section on just that. He’ll leave the event with new eyes for his wife, and surprisingly enough, his wife might be attracted to him as well.

4. Show him the promo DVD and give him a brochure. Don’t have one? Call 866.PROMISE and we’ll send you one. (OR view the video here)

5. Take a road trip to the conference. There’s nothing quite like cramming five guys in a car filled with junk food, and great conversation. Map? We don’t need no stinkin’ map.

6. Ask him if he thinks Noah’s Ark is real. He’ll probably say something like “well, not really… maybe. It’s kind of a far-fetched story. I’m not sure what I believe.” We’re not saying that our main speaker, Bob Cornuke, found Noah’s Ark, but we’ll show you some pretty amazing things that will challenge your buddy (and you) to decide…

7. Tell him you’ll buy him a PK hat. It’s not really bribery, because once your buddy experiences PK, he’ll probably want to buy one for himself, and his son, and his cousin, Bruce.

8. Tell your buddy that Reggie Dabbs is the Emcee and that alone is worth the effort.

9. Blindfold him, put him in the car and say, “There are 14,999 guys waiting for you down at the Nashville Arena. It’s my job to make sure you don’t let them down.”

10. Ask him to go with you. (sounds too simple, huh?)

TONIGHT! Promise Keepers Volunteer Leadership Mtg

PROMISE KEEPERS LEADERSHIP MEETING

Thursday April 19, 2007
6:30 – 8:30 PM

THE LEE COMPANY
Training Room
331 Mallory Station Road, Franklin, TN 37067
Cool Springs area

MapQuest

Larry Whittlesey will conduct our volunteer training!

Join us for an inspired time of worship and prayer, along with important volunteer information and briefing regarding your assignments, available leadership and supervisory positions, and other issues as we prepare for the conference.

Virginia Tech | In Memoriam

Promise Keepers joins a grieving country over the loss of life and injury to others on the campus of Virginia Tech, where evil manifested itself so profoundly. The powerful impact of this horrific event reaches to all segments of society. It stirs various feelings within each of us from compassion and support, to anger and blame, to reflection and thoughts about our own mortality.

Read the rest of the article from Promise Keepers.

In Memoriam Virginia Tech web site.

Pray, Prayer & Praying!

A note from dave fourman, Prayer Coordinator, Promise Keepers 2007 - Nashville...

Three important prayer topics for your consideration!

1) A “to do” for the Promise Keepers Leadership Team Meeting and Training;
2) Prayer Requests;
3) National Day of Prayer



Promise Keepers Leadership Team Meeting and Training

We would like for you to bring your favorite scripture verse(s), written on a slip of paper or index card, to this Thursday’s meeting (April 19th). In case you are wondering why we are asking you to do this; we like the suspense and will let you know during the meeting. If you are not able to attend the meeting please feel free to email me your scripture verse(s). Example: Psalms 127:1, "Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good." (NLT)

Prayer Requests

We want to insure that the volunteers, leadership, and all things related to the Nashville Promise Keepers event have an appropriate under girding of prayer. [Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6.]



To that end please feel free to email me any prayer requests related to you and your family (health, travel, career, etc). Also feel free to email me if you are aware of any needs related to the event or preparation for the event that you feel warrant prayer. Unless you ask for confidentiality, please assume that prayer requests will be shared with intercessory prayer warriors.

National Day of Prayer

Thursday, May 3rd is the National Day of Prayer. There are a host of different events planned for that day. It would be great as men of faith and Promise Keepers - for participation to be conspicuous in your community with your family and churches.

To find an event in your area, visit www.nationaldayofprayer.org. If you are in downtown Franklin, Tennessee, around midday May 3rd, please join the event at monument square. “Fill the Square with Prayer” will take place there from noon until 1 pm CST.

That’s all for now; see you Thursday!

For His glory,

dave fourman

Prayer Coordinator
Promise Keepers 2007 - Nashville

E-mail at drfourman@aol.com



photo credit: Wayne Armstrong Nashville 2005

Greetings from Larry Whittlesey

I'm looking forward to coming your way! The Nashville Team is setting the standard for the other teams around the country. Thank you for all you're doing and have already done to make PK Nashville 2007 a success. We want to come alongside of you and your efforts to reach your community. Promise Keepers is just one small part of that puzzle, but we're anxious to be an asset to the local churches in your area. If there's anything we can do to assist you in your ministries, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

I arrive in town on Tuesday night (April 17th), and am hoping to fill my time with meaningful connections across the community. If you know of meetings, ministries, or individuals that I should try to connect with next Wednesday, Thursday or Friday please let me know ASAP.

503-475-1592

E-mail at LarryWhittlesey@pknet.org

My purpose is to learn more about what is already going on in your community and to make sure folks are aware of the PK conference this July. I'm certainly open to any opportunity to help you recruit your volunteers or promote the conference.

God bless you all. You are an incredible group, and it is definitely my privilege to serve with you on behalf of the men who will attend this life-changing conference and the families, churches, and communities they represent. I'll look forward to seeing many of you next week!

Serving the Original Promise Keeper,

Larry R. Whittlesey
Promise Keepers - Event Director
503-475-1592

E-mail at LarryWhittlesey@pknet.org

Next Promise Keepers Volunteer Leadership Mtg April 19'th

Hello everyone,

It is an honor and a privilege to serve with you as we prepare to host over 13,000 men for a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit at the Nashville Arena July 20-21'st. As of today, there are only 99 days until Promise Keepers Nashville 2007. I look forward to visiting with you about the many exciting new developments since our last meeting on March 29'th.

Please plan to join us next Thursday:

PROMISE KEEPERS LEADERSHIP MEETING

Thursday April 19, 2007
6:30 – 8:30 PM

THE LEE COMPANY
Training Room
331 Mallory Station Road, Franklin, TN 37067
Cool Springs area

MapQuest

Larry Whittlesey will be in town to conduct our volunteer training!

Join us for an inspired time of worship and prayer, along with important volunteer information and briefing regarding your assignments, available leadership and supervisory positions, and other issues as we prepare for the conference.

Remember that the National Day of Prayer is coming up on Thursday, May 3'rd with events going on all day at Brentwood Baptist Church.

The Luis Palau Nashville Festival will be in town Saturday May 14'th with fun for the entire family.

Let's support our brothers as we seek to reach the men of Middle Tennessee for Jesus Christ.

By His grace,

Tim Richards

Assistant Event Director & Volunteer Staff Representative
Promise Keepers Nashville 2007
Mobile (615) 319-7150 Home (615) 302-3606
E-mail at PKNashville2007@aol.com

Volunteering - A Real Blessing

From PK Nashville 2005 Photo by Kerry Woo

"It's contagious."

That's one way to describe being a volunteer at a Promise Keepers men's conference.

"There are a group of eight women from Rhode Island who drove to the Albany, N.Y. event and stayed in a hotel on their own dime, just to be a part of the Promise Keepers volunteer team," said Thom Tougas, Promise Keepers' national director of Event Services. "The year before, they served at the Long Island conference."

On a recent conference call with Thom and his team, two of his lieutenants, Patrick McKinney and Larry Whittlesey, seemed almost giddy over the fun they have organizing legions of enthusiastic volunteers.

Read more of "Volunteering - A Real Blessing" here

RELATED LINKS:

Volunteer Home Page

Volunteer Job Descriptions

Online Volunteer Registration

A Word from PK President Tom Fortson

April 3, 2007

My wife and I were planning for our vacation this year and we wanted to do something different. A friend suggested “river rafting.” Exploring this option, I discovered that:

Rivers are rated using roman numerals I to VI according to the International Scale of River Difficulty. A river's level of challenge changes with fluctuations in water levels; a river rated Class IV at medium water levels might resemble a Class III river at lower water levels, while at higher levels, it might look more like a Class IV+.

Veteran rafters thrive on class III and IV rivers. Exploring further, I read that when booking your rafting trip, make sure you let the outfitter know your comfort and experience level so they can recommend the right trip for you.

Here is what I also found:

Class I
Easy - Waves small, passages clear; no serious obstacles.

Class II
Medium – Rapids of moderate difficulty with passages clear. Suitable for everyone.

Class III
Moderate – Waves numerous, high, irregular; rocks; eddies; rapids with passages clear though narrow, requiring expertise in maneuvering.

Class IV
Difficult – Long rapids; waves powerful, irregular; dangerous rocks; boiling eddies; powerful and precise maneuvering required.

Class V
Extremely Difficult – Exceedingly difficult, long and violent rapids, following each other almost without interruption;, riverbed extremely obstructed; big drops; violent currents; very steep gradient. Paddlers should have prior Class IV or better whitewater experience.

Class VI
Unrunnable! - Just like it says – Don’t even think about it!

Sometimes in life, God does not give you or me the option of selecting our rivers, the raft, or the people in it. He just tells us to get on board and strap down. He then uses the strong and constant pressures to show us His all-sufficient strength and grace more effectively than if we were just riding on Class I and II. Often, there is no better way to learn rich, deep faith than to experience Class IV and V.

Where are you now? What about Class VI? No way you say! “Don’t even think about it.” Knowing God, if He is going to make you and me more like His Son Jesus Christ and impact more people, expect some runs down life’s river of “Class VI.” If He doesn’t take you, be prepared to encourage someone who has been through this run and could use your helping hand.

Ephesians 3:20-21
Your brother in Christ,

Dr. Tom Fortson
President/CEO

Greetings from Mike Harmon

Thank you to the Executive Leadership team, all the Ambassadors and soon to be Ambassadors in the greater Nashville area! I hear great things about the team that God has assembled to impact your community and specifically the men of the Nashville/Middle Tennessee region.

Though I have not had the pleasure of meeting you all yet, I wanted you to know I'm praying for you as you serve faithfully, in recruit teams of guys and gals that will make up the volunteer task force for the Nashville Conference.

It is my desire to accompany Chuck Schneider on his next trip into the area. I look forward to meeting you all and serving with you in this great work of GOD!

To say we could not do this massive outreach with out your help is an understatement, we are grateful for your answering the master's call to expand HIS Kingdom by way of PK Nashville 2007! Volunteer networks are essential, as you well know, to any Promise Keeper events success and you all are the critical link to PK and the conduit The Lord uses, through your testimonies and influence in your Jerusalem, in getting many onboard.

Thank you hardly seems adequate to express our heartfelt gratitude. I know your investment of time, talent and treasure, has and will continue to reap eternal dividends in the lives of men and their families for generations to come. I also know this goes up to The Lord as a sweet smelling sacrifice pleasing to HIM, so again THANK YOU!!!

Blessings,



MIKE HARMON

Regional Field Director
- Central U.S. Region -

214-556-1032 - Office
765-506-7933 - Cell

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Contact Mike via email here