"In this essay I will focus on two contemporary Christian parachurch movements: one, Aglow International, directed at women, and the other, the Promise Keepers (PK), at men. Although the movements came into existence at different times in the second part of the 20th century, aim at different gender groups and vary in their main focus and certain forms of activities, they have a similar set of goals: the rejuvenation of the spiritual life of an individual through submitting one’s life to Christ, moral improvement, strengthening family bonds, celebrating gender specificity and finding comfort in belonging to a community of like-minded believers. Both these religious groups stress the need to reinforce the Christian faith, promote conservative morality and advocate a return to the “traditional” family model; but at the same time they accommodate to the mainstream culture they seem to oppose. They are against what they perceive as the dangers of contemporary American culture: excessive individualism and preoccupation with the self, the corruptive influence of the media on morality, the decline of family and community bonds and the dissolution of traditional gender roles. Both PK men and Aglow women believe that in order to improve the situation, change must start in the heart and an individual should stop blaming others for his/her own failures and take responsibility for his/her own life."(...)