Dick Eastman obit

 

End of an Era: Dick Eastman, Global Prayer Leader, Dies After Decades of Ministry

He was not on the list.

The global church has lost a mighty voice of intercession, but heaven has welcomed home a faithful servant.

On April 21, 2026, Dick Eastman stepped into eternity, leaving behind a legacy that helped ignite prayer movements and advance the gospel to the ends of the earth.

A Life Anchored in Prayer

For more than five decades, Eastman stood at the forefront of a global call to prayer. As international president of Every Home for Christ for 34 years, he helped lead one of the most far-reaching evangelistic efforts in modern history—bringing the message of Jesus Christ into homes across more than 200 nations.

His life message was both simple and transformative: prayer is not secondary—it is the foundation. Eastman believed deeply that lasting revival is born not of strategy alone but of surrendered hearts seeking God.

“Prayer changes things. Prayer changes people. Prayer changes me,” Eastman used to say.

In a touching post from Every Home for Christ International, the organization wrote:

Today, we mourn the passing of Dick Eastman.

He believed two things throughout his whole life.

That prayer could change anything.

And that every person on earth deserved to hear the name of Jesus.

He gave everything he had to both.

Dick served with Every Home for Christ for over 46 years, including 34 as international president. He authored 17 books on prayer and evangelism with more than 3 million copies in print. Under his leadership, the gospel reached families in 215 nations, resulting in over 250 million people responding to Jesus.

But the numbers only tell part of the story. What Dick cared about was faithfulness. Showing up. Praying when no one was watching. Believing God for the impossible and then getting out of the way.

He leaves behind his beloved wife, Dee, daughters Dena and Ginger, and nine grandchildren, who were the joy of his life.

He fought the good fight. He kept the faith. And, today, Dick Eastman finished the race.

We love you, Eastman family. And we are praying for you today.

Dick Eastman 1944 — 2026

The National Day of Prayer also shared a powerful post about Eastman’s dedication to prayer and for bringing the glory of God to the world.

Honoring Dick Eastman

The moment I heard that Dick Eastman had finished his earthly race and stepped into glory a flood of prayers, testimonies and memories flooded my heart. I had the privilege of praying, learning, and serving with Dick for over 25 years.

Oh, how he loved to talk about the Lord and to give Him glory! When the Board of Directors for the National Day of Prayer Task Force would get together to meet and fellowship, the room would always quiet and turn our attention to the latest praise report that Dick was sharing or even an old story that some of us had never heard…or we just wanted to hear again and again. He was a wealth of wisdom and wit!

His life was filled and fueled by the Word of God and prayer. Dick wanted every person in the world to hear about the Good News and great love of Jesus and to learn how to pray. He worked tirelessly to give everyone in the world the opportunity to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior and then make sure the decision was followed up with discipleship.

Dick didn’t just talk about prayer; he was dedicated to hours and hours of daily prayer. He fasted and prayed fervently and frequently, and his prayer closet reflected decades of prayers and magnified the God who heard and answered all of them.

Dick and his wife Dee have served and supported The National Day of Prayer Task Force since it began and our hearts continue to thank God for their lives and love, and especially their prayers.

Please join us in keeping Dick’s family in your prayers.

Kathy Branzell

President