SHAKEN BUT NOT DETERRED
By Myan Subrayan“Shaken but not deterred” were the words that were shared to National Director of Promise Keepers, Paul Subritzky. They were from one of the men from Christchurch who he spoke to after the devastating earthquake earlier in February this year.
It is this attitude from the people of Christchurch that has motivated Promise Keepers to still forge ahead with their annual men’s event there on 12-13 August. This is despite other events being cancelled in that city, the biggest being the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
Mr Subritzky said, “Because of the earthquakes, event numbers may well be lower in Christchurch this year, but numbers have never been our motivation for holding our events. This is a time that the men of Christchurch need us the most and they need to know that we are not going to abandon them in their time of need. That’s not what Christian brotherly love is all about, and that’s certainly not the model from God, who ‘never leaves nor forsakes us’. We are all charged to be our brothers’ keeper. Our purpose in going is to give and to serve. We do not want to call the men of Christchurch to further sacrifice, but to give them the opportunity to be blessed.”
After the earthquakes in Christchurch, Promise Keepers helped motivate and encourage volunteer helpers to travel and assist the people of Christchurch. They believe that continuing ahead with their annual event is part of their ongoing support to the region and will give much needed hope where the earthquakes and constant tremors are stealing it away. Mr Subritzky’s encouragement was that, “Every man faces giants in his lifetime - the cares and worries of life. We suffer hurts and injuries that sideline us but then we must recover and get back into the game. Our strength comes from the confidence that God is with us and for us. No matter how big the opposition, He is more powerful”.
Taking brotherly love further and making it more practical, Promise Keepers is encouraging the men from the rest of New Zealand to show their support for Christchurch by sponsoring a brother to the August event. There are many men in Christchurch who are unemployed and facing huge costs as a result of the earthquake. So by ‘sponsoring a brother’ you can stand shoulder to shoulder with the men of Christchurch and provide them with a chance to attend this annual event free of charge.
When asked what was so special about men attending one of their events, and especially for a man from Christchurch, Mr Subritzky responded, “When you enter the arena at a Promise Keepers live event, you are teaming up with hundreds of men who share the same goals and passion to succeed in their walk with God. Men who want to know God better and serve Him wholeheartedly. There is incredible power in standing with other men in the arena, worshipping God together. Being surrounded by the mighty sound of men’s voices stirs every part of your being. It’s time to be healed of any wounds or injuries that may have sidelined you and get back in the game!”
Mr Subritzky also stated that this was a great way to encourage non-churched friends or family to attend the event in Christchurch. “Our ongoing support and commitment to the men of Christchurch is unwavering.”
If you are able to ‘sponsor a brother’ to attend the Promise Keepers event in Christchurch and spend 15 hours being inspired, encouraged and equipped in the presence of God and other men, you can contact the Promise Keepers office on 0800 PROMISE (776647).
The Promise Keepers 2011 season kicks off with the Dunedin event on 29-30 July. 150 men have already registered for Dunedin. The musicians have been tuning and aligning their talents, gifts and skills to help men enter the presence of God. The speakers are preparing their messages with the expectation of being instrumental in equipping men to come off the sidelines and become game changers.
Says Mr Subritzky, “You won’t want to miss this year’s event. It’s Game On!”
DUN 29-30 Jul | CHC 12-13 Aug | TGA 26-27 Aug | WLG 9-10 Sep | AKL 7-8 Oct