Promise Keepers

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Promise Keepers is a nonprofit evangelical group for men. It was founded on December 3, 1990, by Bill McCartney, then the head football coach at the University of Colorado Boulder. The organization is based in Colorado Springs and operates internationally, with branches in Canada and New Zealand. It is not tied to any single church or denomination and focuses on promoting chastity, marital faithfulness, and the idea that men should lead their families.

The group became known for large stadium rallies. Its first major book, What Makes a Man?, came out in 1992. McCartney stepped away from coaching in 1994 to devote more time to Promise Keepers. One of its most famous events was Stand in the Gap in Washington, D.C., on October 4, 1997, which drew hundreds of thousands of attendees and was aired live by C-SPAN. After this peak, the organization faced financial difficulties, and attendance at regional rallies declined. Promise Keepers later expanded internationally through Promise Keepers International, which holds summits in multiple languages and runs chapters in other countries.

McCartney resigned as president in 2003. In 2018, Ken Harrison became chairman; he also leads the WaterStone Foundation and was a former Los Angeles police officer. Under his leadership, Promise Keepers relaunched with a plan to hold one large stadium event a year and support that with Bible studies and other resources. The 2020 relaunch event in Texas shifted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a live AT&T Stadium event was planned for 2021.

In 2024, the group moved to downplay its previous focus on interracial relationships and racism. Promise Keepers has been praised for its Christian focus but criticized for its views on gender and sexuality, which some see as patriarchal and exclusionary toward women and LGBTQ people. Critics, including some feminist organizations, argue that the group promotes male dominance and a limited role for women.

The organization has also engaged in discussions about race, with some supporters saying it helps with racial reconciliation and others noting that the effort is complex and not universally embraced.