Ill Conceived

Promise Keepers: 700,000 Dicks Out for Jesus

Listen Later

Josh and June take a look at Promise Keepers, the organization that massed 700,000 men on the National Mall in Washington, DC for a 1997 rally that promised to bring spiritual renewal to its attendees and a new order to the social health of the country. While they didn't quite pull off the fundamental transformation they were hoping for, Promise Keepers left a significant impact on the evangelical Christian psyche. And somehow, they're still around today, desperately trying to convince the world of their definition of fatherhood and family.

SOURCES:

  • The First Promise Keepers Event: Witnessing the Power of God" by David Roadcup
  • Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes du Mez
  • Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper by Bill McCartney et al.
  • "Promise Keepers pledge to move from stadium rallies to the marketplace" by Adelle Banks, Religion News Service
  • "New Promise Keepers CEO ready to see a revival among men" by Maina Mwaura, The Christian Index
  • "Promise Keepers Pour Into The Nation's Capital" (CNN, 1997)
  • "The Promise Keepers Opens Its Doors To Women" (NPR, 2009)

    •  

    AUDIO CLIPS:

    • 6:18 – Bill McCartney in a profile by WXYZ-TV Detroit (September 24, 1994)
    • 32:46 – Norm MacDonald on Saturday Night Live Weekend Update (October 4, 1997)
    • 33:23 – Joseph Garlington, Promise Keepers worship leader, at the 1997 Stand in the Gap rally
    • 34:55 – Patricia Ireland, president of the National Organization for Women, on Charlie Rose (October 3, 1997)
    • 36:31 – Huron Claus, Native American Christian evangelist, at the 1997 Stand in the Gap rally
    • 38:00 – Bill McCartney, Promise Keepers founder, on Larry King Live (October 7, 1997)
    • 47:49 – Shane Winnings, current Promise Keepers CEO, on Morning Joe (April 3, 2025)
    • 50:50 – Web trailer for Wake-Up Call, the 2025 Promise Keepers in-person summit in Yakima

      •  

      FOLLOW THE SHOW:

      • Website: illconceivedpodcast.com
      • Bluesky: ‪@ill-conceived-pod.bsky.social‬
      • Tumblr: @illconceivedpod

        •  

        FOLLOW JOSH:

        • Website: joshboerman.com
        • Bluesky: @bosh.worstpossible.world
        • Other podcast: The Worst of All Possible Worlds
        • Stream: Traditional Scrench

          •  

          FOLLOW JUNE:

          • Bluesky: @junlper.beer
          • Other podcast: Western Kabuki
          • Writing: June's Substack
            • ...more
            View all episodesView all episodes
            Download on the App Store
            Ill ConceivedBy Josh Boerman & June Sternbach
            • 4.4
            • 4.4
            • 4.4
            • 4.4
            • 4.4

            4.4

            207 ratings

            More shows like Ill Conceived

            View all
            Trillbilly Worker's Party by Trillbilly Worker's Party

            Trillbilly Worker's Party

            1,904 Listeners

            Boonta Vista by Boonta Vista

            Boonta Vista

            261 Listeners

            TRASHFUTURE by TRASHFUTURE

            TRASHFUTURE

            566 Listeners

            QAA Podcast by Julian Feeld, Travis View & Jake Rockatansky

            QAA Podcast

            4,244 Listeners

            Well There‘s Your Problem by WTYP is Justin Roczniak, November Kelly, Liam McAnderson, and friends.

            Well There‘s Your Problem

            1,260 Listeners

            This Machine Kills by This Machine Kills

            This Machine Kills

            200 Listeners

            We're Not So Different by WNSD Pod

            We're Not So Different

            226 Listeners

            Kill James Bond! by November, Abigail, and Devon

            Kill James Bond!

            408 Listeners

            The Worst of All Possible Worlds by Josh Boerman, A.J. Ditty, and Brian Alford

            The Worst of All Possible Worlds

            125 Listeners

            Quorators by Alex Ptak, Jeremy Kaplowitz, and Clare O'Kane

            Quorators

            170 Listeners

            Kill The Computer by mail@westernkabuki.com

            Kill The Computer

            352 Listeners

            Guys: With Bryan Quinby by Bryan

            Guys: With Bryan Quinby

            799 Listeners

            Glue Factory Podcast by Glue Factory Podcast

            Glue Factory Podcast

            48 Listeners

            Better Offline by Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

            Better Offline

            512 Listeners

            No Gods No Mayors by The Office of the Mayor

            No Gods No Mayors

            71 Listeners