Promise Keepers needs return to its roots

I attended the Promise Keepers conference in Colorado Springs last weekend with a group of 30 guys from Paramount Terrace Christian Church. As usual, the conference was energizing and refreshing. It helped me to let go of some of the things I've kept bottled up inside of me. I still have a lot to unleash and, with time, it will happen.
Yet, as I sat there listening to the speakers, I couldn't help but think of the first PK conferences I attended and how they have changed over the years. I miss Coach Mac. But more importantly, I miss the messages about family, marriage, parenthood and integrity. The theme this year was Unleashing the Raw Power of a Man's Heart. While it was a great conference, it was missing the things I've come to expect from PK.
None of the speakers talked about how I can be a better husband and father. None of them implored me in depth to invest in my marriage, spend time with my kids, support my pastor and to stay away from naughty Web sites. Not once was I encouraged to reach out to another man of color.
Those used to be PK mainstays. They are still important and relevant. I realize the ministry wants to stay fresh and to explore new areas in the hearts of men. But it's been so long since those lessons have been taught that I think PK has been slipping from its origins and its focus. Gone are the high-fives, hugs and holding hands during prayer.
I estimate that about a third of the guys in our group were first-timers. The message they got was good and for some, life-changing. But so were the messages that Bill McCartney used to deliver from his bully pulpit.
I think it's time for PK to look back as it looks ahead and to revisit the values that made it fresh and relevant. Us guys, we need that. So do our wives, children, churches and communities.