"Come Near to Me" Pastors Conference Closes in Prayer, Unity
9,000 Ministers And Church Leaders Gather For Music, Dance, History And Culture

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

PHOENIX, AZ (ANS) -- Nine thousand ministers and Christian leaders attended the "Come Near to Me," Promise Keepers' pastors and leaders conference held in Phoenix, Arizona, February 18-20.

Produced in partnership with 17 other ministries, the clergymen and women were exposed to authors, music, dance, history and culture, all rooted in Christian experience. The three-day conference closed Thursday in prayer and unity.

Moody Bible Institute president Joe Stowell acknowledged the racial challenges facing the nation and the Christian church worldwide. "Are you ready to face the risks?" asked Stowell. "You are going to have to embrace someone who is not like you in order to win your city."

Dr. Tony Evans from Dallas, Texas, charged, "Don't let your culture get in the way of your message. Spiritual truth must take precedence over cultural differences." Nevertheless, said Evans, "The goal of the kingdom is to ... show people what heaven looks like. You have to fix your actions while your feelings catch up to them."

Best-selling author Bruce Wilkinson returned from his new home in Johannesburg, South Africa. His simple message is to make the U.S. Christian church aware of the AIDS pandemic ravishing the African continent. "The churches of Africa are dying," the noted Bible teacher summarized. "Will you go this year to Africa to see for yourself how to help?"

Promise Keepers president and founder Bill McCartney offered an affectionate conclusion to the gathering of clergy. Recalling Lou Gehrig's famous farewell, McCartney said, "Who is really the luckiest guy in the world? He's the pastor of the local church." Half of the attendees gathered at the stage to kneel in unified prayer for the churches and communities to which they would return.

Portions of the "Come Near to Me" conference will be archived on the official Promise Keepers website, http://www.promisekeepers.org.

PREACHERS, PEOPLE GROUPS AND PRAISE

Wednesday's sessions of the "Come Near to Me" pastors and leaders conference centered on the broad concept of unity.

Promise Keepers president and founder Bill McCartney opened with a devotional message on prayer. "It's not about what one guy can do; we have to be a team -- bonded together. Just one guy can be the fresh fire that takes the lead in becoming a real team that can make real differences in our world."

Bishop Larry Jackson said: "You're placed in your city to conquer, not just to survive."

In a call to family and youth ministry, Jim Burns noted that 85 percent of the people who make a commitment to Jesus Christ will make it before they are eighteen, or they never will.

The Hispanic presentation featured pastor Danny DeLeon who said: "Hispanics hold the highest opportunity for increased church growth in America." The presentation features a fanfare finish with 30 school children with flags from Spanish-speaking nations.

Pastor Dobie Weasel of Omaha, Nebraska said: "There are three million Native Americans in the United States and Canada, and less than five percent know Jesus." Dobie's action points: "Walk in our moccasins."

World Prayer Center's founding pastor Ted Haggard told the assembled pastors and church leaders: "There are two things every pastor must do: protect your personal prayer time, and have a prayer organization in your church to pray for the church leadership."

Rabbi Marty Waldman commented in a panel discussion: "I'm impressed with the uniqueness of the Body of Christ."

Jesse Miranda said: "We are not denying the pain (of our cultural histories), but focusing on the hope we have in the future."

Bishop John Perkins said: "Reconciliation begins with seeing worth and value in other people."

Bruce Fong told the pastors: "Who is going to be the one guy who goes back to each area and charges up the community for God?"

Sammy Winder told the ministers: "I would encourage us to build relationships for life."

In the Asian-American presentation David Gibbons said, "Let us embrace a theology of discomfort. The early church was successful because of their ability to deal with outsiders and epidemics."

In a presentation by African-Americans, Bishop Wellington Boone told the crowd: "Every person in here has the same value, because every person here was bought with the same price (Jesus' blood)."

Past president of the Southern Baptist Convention James Merritt said, "God expects us to advertise our unity. It is a beautiful sight to behold when God's people are welded together in unity."

CELEBRATION OF UNITY

In a rousing conclusion to the day's sessions, all the worship leaders and speakers gathered on stage for renditions of "Amazing Grace."

In the companion "COME AWAY" -- THE WIVES EVENT, more than 900 wives attended "Come Away," the breakout session held at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in downtown Phoenix. Keynote speaker/author Cynthia Heald: "Wives have a calling not only beside their husband, but in addition to it."

Thursday's closing highlights included Worship with Israel Houghton,and addresses by Moody Bible Institute president Joe Stowell, Tony Evans, author Bruce Wilkinson regarding AIDS in Africa, and founder Bill McCartney.

PROMISE KEEPERS IN 2003
Promise Keepers is hosting 18 men's conferences in 2003.

May 2-3 Lubbock, Texas
May 30-31 Baltimore, Md.
June 6-7 Jackson, Miss.
June 13-14 Peoria, Ill.
June 20-21 Albany, N.Y.
June 27-28 Orlando, Fla.
July 11-12 Pittsburgh, Penn.
July 25-26 Louisville, Ky.
August 1-2 Portland, Ore.
August 8-9 Columbus, Ohio
August 15-16 St. Paul, Minn.
August 22-23 Raleigh, N.C.
September 5-6 Atlanta, Ga.
September 12-13 Dallas, Texas
September 19-20 Kansas City, Mo.
September 26-27 Denver, Colo.
October 10-11 San Jose, Calif.
October 17-18 Las Vegas, Nev.