Reared with humble beginnings in a parsonage, Duane asked God to forgive him of his sins at an early age. At his earliest recollections, he sensed God wanted to use him in full time ministry. At that time they lived on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee. One summer the Highway Department decided to build a road in front of their house using a chain gang from the State Penitentiary. Everyday Duane and his brother mingled with the guards and inmates . While talking with a African American serving time for killing a person in a bar fight, Duane asked, would he like for Jesus to be the light of his life?

When the man replied he would, even though Duane was only six, he placed his hand on the prisoner, asked Jesus to forgive him and be the light of his life. Now, this one who killed a man was born again and stood there with tears running down his face. Duane asked the inmate if he had a Bible? He answered no. Duane said he would loan him his Bible, and whenever he was able to get one, he could send it back. Duane did not tell the inmate he had won the Bible selling flower seeds in the community a year earlier and his name was on the front. Three months later, the inmate mailed Duane's Bible back. As a teenager, Duane, like the prodigal son sowed wild oats running from the call of God. Disillusioned by the devil, hypocrisy and poverty, Duane convinced himself he could do better on his own. For several years he took private vocal lessons preparing to sing in nightclubs. Sin took him further than he wanted to go, cost him more than he wanted to pay, and kept him longer than he wanted to stay. At 18, Duane repented and came back to God. God's overwhelming call came back as if it had never left. Totally consecrating his life to God, he prayed, “God you can do with me whatever you want, but let me know definitely.” Since he was raised in the church and aware of the different ministries and their hardships, Duane knew if it was a definite call, God would go with him and nothing else mattered. Three months later, God spoke twice the words, Evangelist, Song Evangelist. The voice was as clear as any person, but Duane knew it was definitely the voice of God.

That summer Duane enrolled in college. The first Wednesday night prayer meeting he met his bride to be. Knowing they were in love, but knew God and his call had to come first, they began to pray. Neither wanted anything except God’s will. A few weeks later Ruth told Duane, “I feel God has called me to be your wife.” They were united in Holy matrimony by Dr. Jack Lee, pastor of The First Church of the Nazarene in Kankakee, Illinois.

Duane graduated last from Mid America Nazarene University with BA degrees in religion and music and attended the Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City.