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                                                           INTEGATIVE CHUCHES


Integrative Churches are those that seek to combine secular and religious

Integrative Churches include the liberal wings of

Assemblies of God
Southern Baptists
Seventh Day Adventists
Mormons

Orientation of Integrative Churches – preservation of religion while adapting to secularism

Myth

Reaffirm traditional doctrine but retain some flexibility of interpretation

De-emphasize sin as a human condition and eliminate specific divine proscriptions

Emphasize individual fulfillment with the context of Christian community

Call the world to a spiritual mission but also integrate with that world

Reconfigure cultural forms so as to be compatible with a Christian purpose

Christian Rock

Christian Therapy

Redefinition of gender roles

Attribute secular forms (Science, Technology) to deity

Social Organization

Integrate religious and secular forms of social order

Moderate level of religious authorization

Moderate level of spiritual agency which is ritually circumscribed

Reconstruct secular social forms to be compatible with a religious purpose

Christian talk shows and vacation communities

Seeker churches / Mega churches

Maintain movement qualities but also bureaucratize



PROMISE KEEPERS



BELIEF SYSTEM

Sacred Text

The Bible is their sacred text. The leaders prefer the New International Version for the new testament. The rational for this choice is, that leaders "believe that it is God's written revelation to man and that it is verbally inspired, authority, and  without error in the original manuscripts."

Belief System (Statement of Faith)

1. We believe that there is one God eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

2. We believe that the Bible is God's written revelation to man and that it is verbally inspired, authoritative, and without error in the original manuscripts.

3. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death on the cross to provide for our redemption, bodily resurrection, and ascension into heaven, present ministry of intercession for us, and His return to earth in power and glory.

4. We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit that He performs the miracle of new birth in an unbeliever and indwells believers, enabling them to live a godly life.

5. We believe that man was created in the image of God, but because of sin, was alienated from God. That alienation can be removed only by accepting through faith alone God's gift of salvation which was made possible by Christ's death.

Promises:
1. A Promise Keeper is committed to honoring Jesus Christ through worship, prayer, and obedience to God's Word in the power of the Holy Spirit

2. A Promise Keeper is committed to pursuing vital relationships with a few other men, understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises.

3. A Promise Keeper is committed to practicing spiritual, moral, ethical and sexual purity.

4. A Promise Keeper is committed to building strong marriages and families through love, protection and biblical values.

5. A Promise Keeper is committed to supporting the mission of the church by honoring and praying for his pastor, and by actively giving his time and resources.

6. A Promise Keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity.

7. A Promise Keeper is committed to influencing his world, being obedient to the Great Commandment (Mark 12:30-31) and the Great Commission (Mark 28:18-20)

Beliefs Regarding Homosexuality

Sex is gift from God to be enjoyed within the confines of a heterosexual marriage 

Homosexuality is a sin

Gays are welcome to join their gatherings to receive God's grace and love


 
ORGANIZATION

Founded by Bill McCartney and Davdi Wardell in 1990


Rallies:

1990                72

1991           4,200

1992         22,500

1993         50,000

1994       234,000

1995       720,000

1996       750,000-1,000,000

1997    1,000,000
 

Men's only ministries and discussion groups

Ambassadors - graduates of leadership training

Key Men - nominated by local pastor

 



THE ROLE OF WOMEN

The Promise Keepers are an exclusively male group. They believe that the Bible enjoins men to be the spiritual leaders of the home. They deny that this implies masculine dominance. They assert that this spiritual division of labor demands that men assume the greater share of burden for the well-being of the family.

Women do not directly take part in Promise Keepers activities. They do however, volunteer time by selling products, answering questions, distributing literature, and various other tasks.

The wife of Promise Keeper Randy Phillips, Holly Phillips, has created a sister organization for women named the Suitable Helpers.


Suitable Helper

Has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, realizing her identity is in Christ and found worthy of her calling.

Is committed to reading the Bible, God's Work, daily taking the time to develop a more intimate relationship with God.

Is willing to make the changes God's telling her to make in herself and her life. Is willing to be the first to forgive, reconcile, and confess her sins.

Is willing to submit to her husband out of reverence for Christ.

Is committed to praying daily for the specific needs of her family.

Let's go control over her family members. This doesn't mean failing to discipline her children, but offer first herself, then every member back to God. Backing off from trying to change them or the situation.

Is willing to let God parent through her. Learn to see and hear her family through God's eyes and ears. She must raise her children to be men and women of God.