Prayer Champions learn hard work doesn't work

The following post is taken from an article written by the BGC's own Linda Pietrzak and published as a part of the recent 2006 BGC/Bethel University Fire & Reign Conference on June 27-July 1, 2006. Dee Duke lead an inspiring time of personal testimony and prayer... here is an account of the second annual Prayer Champions Day.

MORE than 100 people gathered in the Seminary Chapel Tuesday to be equipped as "prayer champions" to mobilize prayer in their churches. This second annual Prayer Champions Day, arranged by Prayer First director Dana Olson, featured Dee Duke, pastor of Jefferson Baptist Church in Jefferson, Ore. He told the audience about his journey into prioritized prayer that transformed his life and church during his 30 years as a pastor.

Duke told how God led him from his family business as a dairy farmer into the pastorate. But after a number of church splits and difficulties in ministry, he was ready to resign. It was then Duke received an invitation to a pastors prayer summit. Reluctantly, he attended. And God spoke to him very clearly, convicting him of his pride and self-sufficiency.

"I had the idea I could build the church if I just worked hard enough, if I could just find the right principles," he said. "As I sat there those four days and prayed with these other pastors, I became more and more convinced and convicted that for 13 years I had been a prayerless pastor." He returned home and confessed to the congregation his responsibility for their years of struggles as a church.

Throughout the seminar, Duke stressed the importance of making specific written prayer commitments, reviewing them daily and finding accountability partners. Duke also shared practical tips for "praying without your mind wandering" and gave some of his 21 motivating benefits of prayer, including unity, growth in love, knowledge of God, power in preaching and peace amid the pressures of life. (See April 2006 BGC•World in archives on BGC website.)

The seminar also featured Randy Swenson, pastor of First Baptist Church, in Cook, Minn., and members of the church's prayer commission. They shared how God moved them beyond a prayer "program" into a culture of authentic prayer that has born fruit in the church's outreach to the community, particularly among children and youth.

Attendees each received a copy of Duke's new book, Prayer Quest: Breaking Through to Your God-given Dreams and Destiny. Duke also extended an invitation to the annual three-day prayer seminar Jefferson Baptist hosts every January. Go to http://www.jeffersonbaptistchurch.org/ for more information. If you are interested in receiving information about serving as a "prayer champion" for your church, call Dana Olson at 1-800-323-4215 or email bigdana@aol.com.