Pastor Duke has been the pastor at Jefferson Baptist Church in Jefferson, Oregon, for 37 years. He grew up in Oregon and Washington and graduated from Western Baptist College (now Corban University) in Salem, Oregon, and has since earned a Master's Degree and is continuing work on his doctorate. When he first began pastoring, the congregation consisted of 25 members and was meeting in the local City Hall. In the following years the church was able to purchase its own land, and all of the present buildings, including an 800-seat Sanctuary were constructed on a cash basis and with volunteer labor from the congregation. Construction is continuing on a new Christian Education Building as well as additional parking areas.Jefferson is a small, rural community of about 2200 people. The church has grown to an average attendance of 700-900 people in three Services. In the last ten years Jefferson Baptist has had the joy of starting four daughter churches, with a fifth church scheduled to begin in 2013.Pastor Duke attributes the growth of the church to the emphasis on prayer. In 1989 he attended his first Pastors' Prayer Summit and has since modeled and preached the importance of individual and corporate prayer. He has had the opportunity to speak throughout the United States as well as travel overseas to speak and participate in several Prayer Seminars and Prayer Walking Journeys. He has written articles for Moody Monthly, Leadership Journal and Pray! Magazine, and has written a book, entitled Prayer Quest-Developing a Lifestyle of Prayer. He also speaks on a daily radio program. Dee and his wife Patty have been married for 42 years and have eight children and 16 grandchildren. They live in a 100-year old house near Jefferson, Oregon, and Dee enjoys fishing and hunting, raising bees and restoring old cars.