Promise Keepers and race

At a recent Promise Keepers meeting in Atlanta that drew some 39,000 clergy, leaders of the primarily evangelical men's organization announced that upcoming rallies around the country will focus on bringing men of various racial and ethnic backgrounds together. The group chose as its 1996 motto the phrase "Breaking Down the Walls."

"Racism is an insidious monster," Bill McCartney, founder of Promise Keepers and a former football coach at the University of Colorado, said in the meeting's opening session. "You can't say you love God and not love your brother." Each session featured at least one speaker who was a person of color. In the audience, men sang and prayed in two languages--Spanish and English. And although the crowd was predominantly white, the audience included a diverse sprinkling of blacks, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians. Some observers noted the contrast between the meeting's ethnic and racial mix and past Promise Keepers stadium rallies, where most participants were white. "It is diverse," Elder Jim Offutt, an African-American pastor at Reba Place Church in Evanston, Illinois, said of the clergy gathering. "Not as diverse as it could be and not as diverse as it's going to be, but at least it ain't what it used to be." Promise Keepers leaders have been talking aggressive steps to increase minority participation at upcoming stadium events.

Before this year's rallies were officially announced, Promise Keepers leaders alerted minority pastors, giving them a jump on signing up men who want to attend. In addition, Christian leaders from various minority groups were flown into Promise Keepers' Denver headquarters to advise the leadership on how to further integrate the movement.

McCartney recounted how he has traveled to inner cities across the country trying to convince minority pastors that the men's movement he started is "not a white thing." Speaking directly to the white men in the Georgia Dome, McCartney recalled the struggles of the inner-city ministers with whom he met. "It seems like no matter what, they have to fall under the control of the Anglo," said McCartney. "Can you imagine the oppression? I'm telling you we have a whole nation of minority people who live under that oppression. It's stifling."

When McCartney asked the clergy to embrace the concept in the Book of Ruth that says "Where you go, I will go.... Your people shall be my people and your God, my God," they applauded, and some gave him a standing ovation. At a session February 15, men of color were asked to gather in front of the Georgia Dome's stage to be honored by others in the audience. They received a long standing ovation and were greeted by cheers of "We love you."

Observers give Promise Keepers credit for its efforts to include people of color on its speaker platforms and increase the diversity of its staff. About 27 percent of the more than 300 people at Promise Keepers headquarters are racial or ethnic minorities. "They're doing better than an awful lot of evangelical ministries," commented Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen of Eastern College in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. "They are really bending over backwards." At a time when churches often are segregated, she said, McCartney is challenging Christians to change their ways.

But according to Van Leeuwen, the "real test" will be whether the group's goals are realized at the grass-roots level. The sixth of seven promises men are asked to keep is to be "committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity." Some pastors at the clergy meeting seemed ready to carry that promise home. "We have to look at each other not as far as color but as Christ looks at us," said Bill Sibley, a white pastor from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. "When it gets back into the churches, I think the fire will be set."

Others, however, questioned the emphasis on race relations. "Personally, I think we're trying too hard," said Neal Kellam, a white pastor from Arenzville, Illinois. "As a whole, especially in the Christian community, don't think there's that much of a division.... If we didn't give it so much attention, I think it would die of its own accord."

Randall Bailey, a professor at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta who has led Bible studies on race, class and gender, thinks Promise Keepers is not dealing with the deepest challenges to overcoming racism. Included in those challenges, he said, should be acts of restitution--making tangible changes in systems that have been, racist--and dismantling institutions that support racism. "Until there is that type of dialogue," Bailey contended, "then their quest seems to be as helpful as the Southern Baptists saying they're sorry." At the Southern Baptist Convention's 150th meeting last year, delegates overwhelmingly passed a resolution apologizing for the denomination's past defense of slavery and acknowledging continuing racism. Bailey said leaders of another large gathering of men, the Million Man March in Washington last October, has been more committed to "systemic dismantling" of racism.