Posted: 10/30/2013 at 2:17pm | IP Logged

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (ANS) -- An estimated 3,000 men and boys from around Florida, the Southeast and the Caribbean came to the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. to celebrate and explore authentic Christian faith and practice at “Promise Keepers: Awakening the Warrior.” Attendees posted their reactions to social media with the hashtag #PKDaytona.

SATURDAY: Day two of the conference opened with energetic worship music from the One Body Band (www.rachelwashington.com), led by Nic Gonzales of Salvador. Spoken word artist “Propaganda” (www.humblebeast.com/artists/propaganda) shared his rhymes and passion-drenched verse throughout the event.

Promise Keepers’ (PK) pro-purity message, called “Winning the Epic Battle Within,” featured Dan Seaborn (www.winningathome.com). Confronted with suddenly “free” HBO and Cinemax, Seaborn said, “For me, it’s not free, it’s binding.” Seaborn’s wife Jane prayed for the men, as scores gathered at the foot of the stage.

In his message “Defending the Homefront,” author and family counselor Gary Rosberg (www.americasfamilycoaches.com) said, “Game on, gentlemen. You may have to serve your way home, and it may take years, like it did for me.”

Like pornography, PK tackled another sensitive topic, racial division. “No guilt, just understanding,” explained Raleigh Washington, who is also president and CEO of Promise Keepers. “When the Sanford, Fla. acquittal came down, Sanford’s churches were unified across racial lines, and there was no rioting. America needs to follow that example,” said Washington, a Jacksonville, Fla. native. Interracially, men gathered at the altar in a prayer of healing and reconciliation.

STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING: Promise Keepers is raising funds and awareness to end human trafficking, specifically, through the work of www.TraffickingHope.org and a shelter for rescued victims of trafficking, Hope House (http://www.hopehousela.com/).

Bringing the funny, comedian Michael Jr. (www.MichaelJr.com) described how his learning disability prepared him for his career. His baseball joke: “We could all use a pinch runner in everyday life.”

Samuel Rodriguez Jr. (www.nhclc.org) closed the conference with a starting line message for walking, awakened warriors. “Warriors who are no longer sleeping will teach, preach, and live by example a life of truth and love.”

JACKSONVILLE 2014! The opening conference of its 2014 Promise Keepers season will be in Jacksonville, Fla. on May 16-17, 2014. As many as seven men’s events are planned across the United States in 2014.

JESUS REIGNS: PROMISE KEEPERS IN ISRAEL! Promise Keepers is hosting an international event and family tour in Israel September 14-23, 2014. The main event on Wednesday, September 17, called “One Message,” will be simulcast worldwide via satellite and Internet, an occasion to stand together with our Jewish brothers and sisters and pray with one voice from the Holy Land.

Similar to “Stand in the Gap: A Sacred Assembly of Men” in 1997 in Washington, D.C., this event is a call to Christian unity in response to Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of St. John, chapter 17. This time, the event is designed for more than just the men of America. It will include both men and women from every race and continent, all declaring that “Jesus REIGNS!”

For more information, go to: www.promisekeepers.org