More than 2,700 attend Promise Keepers rally

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner helped draw a crowd of 2,748 for the annual Heartland Promise Keepers rally Saturday night at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

This was the fourth year for the event. The Heartland Promise Keepers is a Cape Girardeau-based chapter of the international men's Christian organization, which was founded in 1990. The local chapter is made up of about 20 men, but they organize the annual event with the hopes of spreading their message to the larger population.

Sam Duncan of Jackson, an active Promise Keepers member for three years, said he was motivated for Saturday's rally with Warner because of his admiration of the way Warner glorified God throughout his career with the St. Louis Rams.

While not a Promise Keepers member, the Rev. Grant Gillard of the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, said, "I'd go to hear Kurt Warner anywhere."

Warner, facing a series of setbacks in his career and his share of personal problems, took a hard look at his life-and what was missing from it. "Growing up I'd always put my life on one side and my relationship with God on the other," Warner said in his keynote address. "I knew God was there, but I only called upon him when I needed him or felt compelled to thank him. Eventually, I realized I needed to live every day for him."

Other speakers at the event were Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Scott Edgar and Don Ford, president of Kanakuk Ministries, a national organization focused on promoting Christian values to teens and Christian summer sports camps.

Edgar said he felt blessed and honored to speak to the group and told of his spiritual war in getting there. He told fathers that being there with their sons was the best decision and that for sons, "it's cool to be kicking it with dad."

Ford began his presentation with jokes and anecdotes. His aim was for the audience to walk out being men of action, with a clear conscience and motivation to create a legacy not in material wealth or status but in integrity. The plan was to get the courage to do it by surrendering to God.

"Why do you remember Caleb and Joshua in the story from Numbers about the spies sent out to scout the land and not the other 10 sent?" he asked. "Because although they saw giants and overwhelming obstacles, Joshua and Caleb believed they should take possession of the land because God promised it."

cpagano@semissourian.com

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