Contact: Gregg Wooding, 972-567-7660
DALLAS, Sept. 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- Until recently, the world's largest Christian men's ministry would have considered allowing women into its conferences unthinkable. But for the first time on Saturday, Oct. 2, men in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex will attend a Promise Keepers meeting accompanied by their wives, mothers, sisters and young adult daughters -- signaling one of the most significant changes in the ministry's history.
In addition, Promise Keepers will extend a special invitation of honor to single mothers. In keeping with the times, Promise Keepers recognizes that nearly half of all US homes are led by single women. In order to fulfill the ministry's vision to transform homes for Christ, it became clear that women should be invited. Promise Keepers still pursues its ministry to men with PK Classic events for men only.
"Igniting Transformation is about a revolution of the Word of God," said Coach Bill McCartney, the former University of Colorado head football coach who founded the ministry in 1990 and recently came out of retirement to again serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors. "We realized the time had come for Promise Keepers to expand its vision beyond ministry to just men."
Promise Keepers' Igniting Transformation Conference will be held at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Dr. Tony Evans' 3,000-seat church in South Dallas, from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. Doors will open at 7 AM, and admission is free, though registering online is required at www.promisekeepers.org/events/igniting-transformation---dallas. Non-perishable food is being collected at the door for area needy families.
The conference theme is rooted in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
More specifically, the Igniting Transformation Conference is designed to address existing divisions along racial, denominational, economic and now gender lines within the church. After first deciding to invite women during its 20th anniversary in April 2009, Dallas is still only one of a handful of US cities that has seen the new face of Promise Keepers movements.
"We believe the Word of God is effective to breakdown division and unite churches as an army of one, to strengthen families, and to revitalize our nation's cities," said Dr. Raleigh Washington, a decorated Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army who serves as Promise Keepers Vice Chairman/President.
Speaking to the conference's focus on transformation, Dr. Evans said, "Never in history has there been a greater time when the 'spiritual temperature' in our culture called for the church to return to God's standards; we must be good models before a watching world so they can see that God's ways work."
Bruce Wilkinson, New York Times best-selling author of the Prayer of Jabez, has been confirmed as a keynote speaker as well as host Pastor, Dr. Anthony Evans, President of the Urban Alternative and Pastor Robert Morris, Sr. Pastor of the 18,000 member Gateway Church. Other confirmed speakers and entertainers include Felicia Hopkins, pastor of St. Mark's United Methodist Church; Jonathan Cahn, President of Hope of the World Ministries; Aaron Fruh, Lead Pastor Knollwood Church; Dr. Washington; and Coach McCartney, via video.
Performers include Malachi-Tsoodle Nelson, actor; Marty Goetz, praise and worship leader; Bobby Whiten, and PK Worship.
Based in Denver, CO, Promise Keepers was founded in 1990 when the University of Colorado Head Football Coach Bill McCartney met with Dr. Dave Wardell at the Fellowship of Christian Athlete's gathering. Promise Keepers has reached more than six million men.
Oak Cliff bible Fellowship is located at 1805 W. Camp Wisdom Rd., Dallas, TX. For more information about Promise Keepers, please visit online at www.promisekeepers.org.
