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Wlaf1450Duncan’s first radio broadcast aired in the 1960s on a Kentucky radio station
From his home studio, Dr. Clarence Duncan broadcasts live over WLAF radio Monday through Friday mornings from 9:30 until 9:45 and has for several decades.
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – The old preacher, gray, curly hair and all, marks another Campbell County, if not national, broadcasting milestone this morning on WLAF. At 9:30 this morning, Dr. Clarence Duncan begins his 42nd year, preaching six days a week, on the radio in Campbell County. It’s highly unlikely that Duncan’s milestone will be matched, certainly in these parts.
When you crunch the numbers, Duncan has delivered more than 12,500 sermons on his radio program entitled “A Look At The Book”. Until his retirement as pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, the good natured Duncan hosted a television program for more than 30 years on WLAF-TV 1089. The television milestone includes more than 3,100 Sunday sermons on the television.
It’s safe to say that more than 95% of all those radio messages have been live broadcasts. “That’s a lot of studying and preparation, and I love every minute of it,” said Duncan.
November 2022 marked 60 years of service in the ministry for the then 89- year- old Duncan, and he was celebrated by family, friends and parishioners.
In the 1960s, he quit the coal business and gave in to the Lord’s strong urging to enter the ministry. “It was a Sunday night at Pruden, Speed Powers was the preacher, when I surrendered to preach at that little church. It was on the right as you head to Fonde,” Duncan said. The next morning, Duncan headed to Williamsburg and bought air time on WEZJ, and that was his first step in his ministry. On March 16, 1967, he devoted his fulltime to his ministry.
Duncan’s ministry travels started on that radio station and then to churches in Laurel County, Kentucky, a short stint in the mid-1960s at Bethel Baptist Church at Jacksboro, Roane County and finally at Bethel for a second time in 1984. In between, there were stops at the Kingston Children’s Center, the Dalton, Georgia, Rescue Ministry and Rock of Ages Prison Ministry in Georgia.
Clarence and Jane Duncan are closing in on 75-years of marriage.When asked what has carried him all these years, Duncan quickly responded, “Oh, the love of the Lord and my precious wife. She’s the best.” The couple married as teenagers and raised seven children. Duncan and Miss Jane met in church and were married in that church, Pleasant View Baptist Church on Black Oak Ridge in Anderson County, in 1952.
Duncan, who was born at Clinchmore, was called to Bethel Baptist Church a second time 42 years ago. He told the church. “I’m selling my home in Dalton, Georgia, to make my home here, and I’ll be here until one of us dies.” (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED- 02/02/2026-6AM)