Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma has joined the board of Promise Keepers (PK). PK, founded in 1990 by former University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney, was the largest ministry to men in the history of the church.
Today, Promise Keepers is calling men back to courageous and bold servant-leadership by sparking a movement that will mobilize millions of men to follow Christ into today’s broken world as changemakers for their families, churches and communities. Senator Lankford had this to say about the importance of Promise Keepers: “The biggest challenge that we have as a nation isn’t a governmental issue — it’s a family issue. Racism is a family issue. Apathy is a family issue. Drug use is often a family issue. Abuse is a family issue. We have so many children, growing up all over our nation, without an engaged Dad. Fathers make a difference in the life of a child, for good or for bad. One of the key factors to escape poverty is a mom and a dad who are married and actively engaged with their children. “The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, ends with a clear call to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the hearts of the children back to their fathers or else the land will have a curse. It is not hard to see the damage in our nation as our whole country grieves because the hearts of America’s fathers are distracted, and the hearts of children are yearning for their father. Men must step up as husbands and fathers, which is why Promise Keepers is so essential. “Faith is not something you do; it’s who you are. If you only do faith on weekends, that’s not a faith, that’s called a hobby. Men with a faith that permeates every part of what they do are in short supply in our nation, but the invitation to receive the forgiveness, love and redemption of Jesus is open to every man, every day.” Senator Lankford served four years in the U.S. House of Representatives for central Oklahoma. He was overwhelmingly elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. Before his service in Congress, James served students and families for more than 20 years in ministry, including 15 years as the Director of Student Ministry for the Baptist Convention of Oklahoma and Director of the Falls Creek Youth Camp, the largest youth camp in the United States. Lankford lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, Cindy. They have been married for more than 28 years and have two adult daughters. Promise Keepers CEO, Ken Harrison, had this to say about Senator Lankford’s appointment: “James Lankford is a tireless advocate for religious liberty in the public square and a prophetic voice calling men to not only have a faith but to live it every day. Senator Lankford is a master of integrating his faith into his work, into his family and into the next generation. We’re grateful to have him on board at this strategic hour.” |
AP/Jose Luis Magan
Senator James Lankford