Randy Duncan

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Randy Duncan founded New Life Community Church of Hope in 1997 and continues to serve as Senior Pastor of this great congregation. He comes from a spirit-filled evangelical background having been raised in a Baptist Church and later becoming active and then a licensed minister in the United Pentecostal Church Int’l.

Randy was married and is the father of three children now grown with children of their own. He is also a grandfather of four beautiful grandchildren ranging from newborn to 6 years of age. He and his life partner, Rev. Dan Wright, live near their church in LaPorte, IN. They have been together for 13 years and now co-pastor the church which Randy founded.

Dan was reared in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. At the age of 20, while serving on his mission in Ecuador, Dan was sent home and excommunicated because of his sexual orientation. He and Randy met, during Randy’s transitional period, in Phoenix, Arizona, at a church function that they both were attending. They met in February 1997. Later Randy returned to Indiana to tie up the loose ends and move. However, God had other plans. Instead, Dan joined Randy in Indiana in November 1997 and the rest is history! The church recently celebrated its 12th Anniversary. The church is non-denominational and intentionally welcoming of all people. The church considers itself a 21st Century Inclusive Apostolic Ministry.

Randy graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education. He taught in public schools for a period of time and later helped establish three Christian Schools in Georgia, Florida and Louisiana. His first pastorate was from 1987-1992, near Alexandria, LA. In 1992, he moved to LaPorte, IN, and eventually established a new Pentecostal church in that city. It was there that life and reality finally met. God orchestrated a series of meetings and new acquaintances that brought Randy face to face with his own struggles that were never properly addressed. He met gay Christians for the first time across the country and finally accepted himself as the gay man God had created him to be.

After “the potter put the pieces back together again,” Randy felt led to birth New Life Community Church of Hope in the basement family room in their home. It outgrew that meeting place after a year and after 2 other moves, is now located on a 10 acre campus with a beautiful church facility and fellowship hall with room for growth and expansion. The church hosts a conference each Labor Day weekend called Midwest SpiritQuest which draws ministers, teachers, musicians, singers, and laity from across the U.S. and Canada. Many well known figure heads from the gay Christian community have been guest speakers and clinicians over the years.

Randy is involved with HRC, LAMBDA, PFLAG, AIDS Ministries as well as community based business and clergy networking. He and Dan have owned and operated a successful Italian Restaurant, Holy Macaroni Café which has served as a ministry connect point for people from every walk of life. Many have found food for body and soul after a visit to this restaurant.

Randy and Dan make their home in a wooded setting on 2 ½ acres in NW Indiana with their grandson, Burke, age 6. They travel to speaking engagements and other functions as opportunities arise. Randy retired from Northwest Airlines in 2006, and enjoys pastoring, lecturing, and family life. Besides being senior pastor, Randy also serves as Chief Presiding Presbyter for Reconciling Pentecostals International. www.rpifellowship.com

To book Randy Duncan, please contact Lisa Darden at lisa@huptalentandbooking.com or call 240-446-1554.