“The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.” –James 5:16
Doyle Bigham made a great impact on my life. He wasn’t my teacher or my preacher. Doyle was a member of my home church. Decades older than me, Doyle and I did not hang out in the same circles. The only time I really saw Doyle was in worship on Sunday mornings or at the occasional Church dinner.
As I was entering college I was also making plans to enter the ministry. Doyle was an active participant in the Gideons, an international group of business men who are dedicated to sharing Christ through the distribution of Bibles and the sharing of their testimonies when they have a chance. When Doyle found out that I was pursuing a career in the ministry he shared my name with his local Gideons’ chapter. They began to pray for me, and I am sure many others, at their Saturday morning meetings.
I deeply appreciated Doyle sharing my name to this group of men. What really made a great impact on my life was the long-term consistency of prayer and care that I received from Doyle. Throughout college, seminary and my first several years in the ministry Doyle and the Gideons in Lawton, OK lifted me to God in prayer. No matter what challenge I was going through, I knew that Doyle was going before God on my behalf.
Doyle Bigham taught me that we can help others find their way through prayer. When we are willing to invest our time and our prayers on behalf of others, we will have a great influence on them. Doyle impacted my life through his prayers and his caring. Our prayers and caring can make an equal impact on someone else’s life.
–Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
