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Bonus - Ill Conceived Podcast: Promise Keepers: 700,000 Dicks Out for Jesus
🕑 Added 2025-06-20 18:00:09 +0000 UTCThis is the first episode of Ill Conceived, a new podcast from Josh Boerman from The Worst of All Possible Worlds and June Sternbach from Western Kabuki. Get new episodes every Friday in your favorite podcast client:
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: com
Bluesky: @ill-conceived-pod.bsky.social
Tumblr: @illconceivedpod
FOLLOW JOSH:
Website: https://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
Comments
Cthulhusbedandbreakfast
For additional info on the Promise Keepers, it’s definitely worth listening to The Dollop’s episode about them.
Birdie Whack
You know what sometimes you just gonna groove
Johannes Schmoll
Fun fact: Martin Hart, Woody Harrelson’s character in True Detective, mentions joining the Promise Keepers while dealing with his marriage falling apart
D4rksh0gun
It's everything I wanted it to be. Great logo, great music, great podcast!
Genevieve R
what was the logic behind making the opening music so fucking groovy
Kyle
If I already subscribed to the podcast does that mean I need to listen to this twice?
Maxwell
I WALK. BY FAITH. Lmao promise keepers was insane. Going to these as a kid was so much. So confusing.
