Duane Ford experiences the power of Christian community

Duane Ford lost a close friend not too long ago. During that season of grieving, Duane needed a strong Christian community which he received through a evangelistic program called Pulse 100. Pulse 100 is a program that seeks to equip and train young evangelists led by evangelist Nick Hall.

Duane recently finished the Pulse 100 program and at his last Pulse 100 retreat in downtown Minneapolis, he walked up to the front of the room to share his testimony. With tears in his eyes he affectionately said “Oh man y’all, I am gonna try not to cry, but I am a crying kind of man, so it’s gonna happen.” He wiped the spilling tears from his eyes and said “The way that Pulse has invested in all of us has been more than a blessing to me.” This program led him to become a more passionate follower of Jesus while becoming a stronger evangelistic leader. 

Pulse 100 focuses on equipping young people to spread the Gospel of Jesus throughout the world. Pulse 100 is a 10-month program designed to equip GenZ evangelists to share the Gospel wherever God has placed them. They are equipped through masterclasses, 1:1 mentoring, 4 national retreats, and counseling sessions. Pulse 100 focuses on preparing each group to share the Gospel whether that is on a stage, with their family, or on a digital platform.

Throughout Duane’s time with Pulse 100 he was built up in the faith so that he and his cohort could live out their evangelistic calling in Jesus. “Pulse has done a good job of building us all up and sending us out,” remarked Duane. He felt encouraged and filled with great amounts of wisdom about his faith. 

In the middle of Duane’s Pulse 100 journey, he tragically lost a dear friend. He stated that during this time he shut down and tried to hide the fact that he was in a tremendous amount of pain and turmoil. Despite shutting down, Duane said, “You guys reciprocated Jesus to me when I was the one lost sheep out of the 100. You chased me down and shepherded me back to the Father and I am eternally grateful for the love you have shown me.” Through the loss of his friend, the Pulse community rallied around Duane to show him the love of Jesus. 

Not only was Duane’s overall Pulse 100 experience uplifting, but “The staff members and this cohort have been such a blessing to me.” The Pulse 100 staff and community were supportive of Duane through his tumultuous season while continuing to mentor him in the faith.

As Duane ended sharing his testimony, he wiped away another tear and thick with emotion said, “I love you all so dearly.”