PROMISE KEEPERS IS ANSWER TO PRAYERS OF "EVERY REAL CHRISTIAN MAN"

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February 26, 1996 (Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - This Editor subscribes to the Promise Keepers magazine entitled New Man and I recently received a notice that it is time to resubscribe. I was taken back by one of the statements in this announcement: "Renew your subscription today so that you don't miss an issue of THE MAGAZINE THAT HAS BEEN THE ANSWER TO THE PRAYERS OF EVERY REAL CHRISTIAN MAN."

Am I missing something? I am a real Christian man, but the Promise Keepers' magazin is NOT an answer to my prayers. If Promise Keepers would dissolve, THAT would be an answer to my prayers! This illustrates the domineering attitude which I have seen frequently displayed in this powerful movement. PK believes it is absolutely above criticism, and any man who attempts to apply the Word of God to it in any sort of negative way is slandered. I know that for a fact. Few men have been as public as we have been in our analysis of this movement. Our Internet web site has, to my knowledge, the most extensive list of articles exposing the error of Promise Keepers, and that is a very public forum. Practically every day we receive letters from irate PK supporters. Most of them desire to curb my free speech and my liberty to preach the Word of God. They are domineering. While I took the time to study Promise Keepers and to read their material and to pray about them before printing an analysis, these men criticize and judge me with practically no knowledge of me and my preaching. Their judgments are based on ignorance, yet they are pompous.

Consider the following jewels from these letters:

"Promise Keepers broke one issue for my atheistic father, how many more could it break if it weren't for traditionalists like yourself."

"The Spirit of God was so evident at both of these conferences. Swallow your pride, and attend one of the conferences this year."

"Do you believe that there are Christians within the Catholic church? Do you believe that there are Christians within other denominations that are not usually considered Fundamental? If you do not, then you are sadly mistaken, and I am sure that our Lord and Savior is saddened by this arrogance on your part. ... Let the good guys alone. This is exactly the problem within the Christian church today, and if it is your intent to tear down the Church of Christ, then you are certainly doing a good job. I will continue to pray for you and these other organizations that have been led by the great deceiver to destroy Promise Keepers. You are playing right into the hands of the enemy, BUT I AM CERTAIN THAT EVENTUALLY, WITH CONSTANT PRAYER FROM FELLOW PK SUPPORTERS, YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS MOVEMENT IS OF THE LORD. Please believe that I am genuine in my concern for the type of blindness and arrogance that seems to show forth in your publications, but I know that the enemy has a way of blinding peoples eyes, and that it can happen to anyone."

"Do you cling to tradition as the Roman church has done [by not supporting Promise Keepers]? Think about it."

"It is easy to see that this division or denominational theory is the reason for a lack of unity in the Body of Christ."

"You are so sadly mistaken and misled about PK. You are attempting (and, I fear, succeeding in some cases) to draw men away from an organization that is simply trying to draw men back into responsible relationships with Him, their families, and their fellow man. I am sorry for you that you are missing the point."

"Your two main objections seem to be that they accept Catholics and they accept Charismatics. Excuse me, but Catholics worship Jesus just like you do, whether you want to admit it or not. ... the people doing the dividing were always the non-Charismatics, people like you who fear what they don't understand. To put it bluntly, you don't know what you're talking about, and this document you have put on the Internet is an insult to the Lord you claim to serve. Don't you have anything better to do than find manipulative ways to twist the words of your fellow Christians and try to cause rifts in the body of Christ? Apparently not. Some people just have too much free time, I guess."

"I believe you have proved your point again by painting a very broad brush with black paint against the Catholics. ... Are the Catholic priests the only sinners of this world? Promise Keepers appears to be immersed in the love of Christ!"

"We are not saved or damned by our doctrine. ... It is faith, not the purity of our doctrine, that saves us. ... We must realize what makes us brothers in Christ. It is not doctrine but the Holy Spirit that we share in common as brothers. ... I don't see how anyone can say with an honest head and a heart that is open to God that 'tongues' are unbiblical. Please brothers, consider whether you are defending your own doctrines that may be threatened, or the Word of God.

"I pray that the PK 'hysteria" will be silenced if this is truly inspired by God. I can judge this as Christ has ordained as Gamaliel has asked the same question to the Saducees abut the Apostles: If this is of God do not waste your time in trying to stop them, if this is not of God he will (not us) judge them and it will not be welcomed into the Kingdom of God."

"As for 'New Testament' churches, I believe it is foolish to be nothing more than a New Testament church. ... God is not a God of separation. The things of which you speak are nothing more than man's doctrinal trash that has led to the downfall of many. Blatant disregard for other Christian churches (yes, even Catholic) who do not buy into your doctrine is dangerous and disturbing. Your writings sound isolationist and possibly even racist in nature. ... I am appalled by people like you who, in the name of righteousness, would turn away untold thousands."

"I strongly disagree with your viewpoint. I don't know too much about you, but I do know about James Dobson and Promise Keepers and you are wrong with your assessments of these godly men and organizations. Next you will be criticizing Billy Graham."

"Much of his [Cloud's] writing sounds to me like so much hatred rather than love that I dismiss it entirely. ... I think it's time certain people like Mr. Cloud 'wake up' and realize that Roman Catholics are not the Devil ... Catholics and Protestants jointly believe very strongly in so many things that I can only see brothers in my fellow Christians. ... As for Mr. Cloud I don't remember reading an exception for him in Matthew 6:1, but I have to especially admit that the more I read Mr. Cloud's judgment messages, the more I was interested in Promise Keepers. From his message I believe that Promise Keepers stand for many of the things I do."

The last one is an e-mail addressed to James Dobson by a Roman Catholic man in Ontario. The Roman Catholic sent a copy to me for some reason. It is interesting to note that this Roman Catholic feels a perfect kinship with Dr. Dobson and Promise Keepers.

Friends, is it not hateful to speak the truth and to judge righteous judgment. It is obedience. Don't be deceived by the blind, compromising, overbearing spirit of this apostate hour.